Keep Keewatin Home

09/12/2023

04/26/2023

As the campaign to keep the ship wraps up, this will likely be the last communication posted to this page (although the page will remain up for posterity). I wanted to the last post to be something heartfelt, and could think of no better example than some schoolwork created last month but that came home yesterday from my daughter Lucy. The text, translated to English, is "Draw a structure in your community". 🥲

04/24/2023

Keep Keewatin Home Press Release
(Port McNicoll, ON. For Release on Monday, 24 Apr 2023)

Devastated does not begin to describe our feelings.

As the SS Keewatin is tugged away from her home, the Keep Keewatin Home team hold our heads up high with the knowledge that we tried everything we could to keep her. We met with lawyers, professional fundraisers, communication specialists, local politicians, federal and provincial politicians, community organizations, and government officials. We knocked on every door and left no stone unturned in our campaign to keep this beautiful ship where she belongs.

On behalf of our team, which numbered over 20 at times, but with a dedicated few from whom the campaign became almost a second career, we offer our heartfelt thanks to all those who put their faith in us to save the ship. We put our blood, sweat, and lots and lots of tears into the effort, but we still fell short.

There has been a lot of discussion on social media recently and certain people close to the ship offering the excuse that lack of community support and/or lack of visitors is what lost Port McNicoll the ship. This, however, is a comfortable narrative both by and for the architects of the transfer to Kingston. The reality is that at any time – and with the stroke of a pen – Skyline Investments could have transferred ownership of the ship to a local heritage group or charity, as they promised in 2012, but they categorically refused to do so. Finding ways to fight a large corporation and its collaborators has been a frustrating task, made even harder when the cries of our 15,000 supporters fell on the deaf ears of the government at both the federal and provincial level. For Skyline, the multi-million-dollar tax receipt for donation to Kingston precluded real consideration of any other alternative, and certain individuals in charge of the transfer now stand to benefit substantially from this arrangement. Over the last ten years, Skyline sought and received financial, professional, and volunteer contributions for the Kee and support for their project from our community. Any insinuation that the ship suffered from a lack of local support is insulting; greed is what lost Port McNicoll the Keewatin.

Although we have serious concerns about the ship during its transport, we trust that the proper surveys and proper work has been done to ensure that she will make it safely to Kingston. Once there, we have every faith that the Kingston Marine Museum will do an excellent job with her care and curation over the coming years. We wish them well, and we offer our support for their time as hosts of the vessel until the day comes – however far off that may be – when she returns to her rightful home again in Port McNicoll.

So, what does a post-Keewatin Port McNicoll look like? Our community is strong, it is resilient, it has physical and heritage assets that no other place has. As the Elgin Marbles may reside in the British Museum but their story will always remain in Athens, so too the story of the SS Keewatin will always remain in Port. Our team are still very much involved in the community - committed to working with organizations, developers, and government at all levels on new projects to ensure the promises that were made when the Keewatin arrived – of prosperity, of tourism, of culture and heritage – are kept. There are a lot of people, politicians, and organizations that owe Port McNicoll for this, and we intend to make sure it collects.

For now, we wish to thank all our supporters – everyone who signed the petitions, planted a sign in their yard or window, made a donation, and came to one of our events – your support was our strength, and the huge amount of support from across Simcoe County was incredible. The legacy of Keewatin during its time at home again in Port McNicoll is one of love, of labour, and of community, and for that we thank all of you.

- Dan Travers and the Keep Keewatin Home Team

04/24/2023

The tug Molly M1 has now arrived in Port McNicoll with instructions to tow the SS Keewatin this evening, 24 April (5pm, according to recent social media posts). We know that many of you will wish to see her off. Should you choose to do so, please avoid confrontation with those facilitating the tow and be respectful to the many volunteers who have helped to pack the ship ready for the move. Thank you to all those who took a sign, signed the petition, made a donation, volunteered or attended an event. Your support has been our strength, and we have been very fortunate to have supporters like you. Devastated does not even begin to describe our feelings today. A full press release is coming from our team later this afternoon.

04/20/2023

Dear Keewatin Supporters,

This afternoon we were informed that the tug MOLLY M1 has been dispatched from Hamilton and is enroute to Port McNicoll to pick up the S.S. KEEWATIN and tow it to Heddle Shipyard in St. Catharines. Marine tracking shows that it is currently en route through the Welland Canal, with a predicted arrival of Sunday Apr 23. This is bitter news for our team, as well as everyone who has worked so hard to ensure that the ship remains at its home port of Port McNicoll.

The tug operators know to take special care with the tow in light of the documented deterioration of the shell plate brackets below the waterline on both the starboard and port sides at the boiler room. We have also passed along information to our political connections highlighting concerns about the ship's ownership at the time of its donation to Kingston as well as how its owners have used the charity established to manage and operate the ship since 2012. Our local federal representative has also been informed; we intend to let all relevant authorities examine the details of this transaction and no doubt they will be responding accordingly.

Despite our immense disappointment at the now significant likelihood of the SS Keewatin leaving, I would caution anyone against any activity at the ship or against the tow company employees that may be interpreted as harassment or unlawful behaviour. Let's let the legacy of care and stewardship that literally hundreds of volunteers have invested in Keewatin be foremost at this difficult time.

Keep those signs in the ground for now - if they are going to take the ship then we want them to see how much she means to this community, we will provide further updates as things progress.

The Keep Keewatin Home Team
Port McNicoll

04/13/2023

(Port McNicoll, ON; 6.20pm April 13, 2023)

To: Supporters of the Keep Keewatin Home campaign

Recently a member of the local community collaborating with the efforts to move the SS Keewatin to Kingston gave an interview to a small online publication in Kingston, making a number of outlandish claims and personal attacks against the Keep Keewatin Home movement as a whole and one of our principal organizers. While these claims are baseless, and we regret the publishers have chosen to not retract the article despite the individual offering no proof to back his allegations, we are concerned that one of the many insinuations made was that funds raised in support of the Keep Keewatin Home campaign were not properly used. In the interest of dispelling any doubts raised by this individual, or any parties attempting to discredit the Keep Keewatin Home campaign, we are releasing a full accounting of our financials to demonstrate that the full sum of funds raised were spent appropriately.

Revenue:

GoFundMe Donations
$3,191.00

Donations by Cheque
$585.00

Donations by Cash
$345.00
($245 was given at the rally)

Rally Tickets
$720.50

Social Event Tickets
$690.00

E-Transfers
$223.74
(Mostly for the magnetic car signs supporters used)

TOTAL
$5,754.74

Notes on revenue and non-monetary assets:

The funding of the Keep Keewatin Home campaign was made primarily through GoFundMe. The sum raised through the GoFundMe page was $3,191 dollars. Several donations by cheque and eTransfer were received early in the campaign before the campaign switched over to GoFundMe, and there were cash donations in the sum of $345, $245 of that coming from the rally event Keep Keewatin Home held. Tickets for the social event were sold, however noting food costs in expenditure this event and other associated costs this event was largely break-even. This accounts for the total sum of cash assets raised for the Keep Keewatin Home campaign. Non-monetary contributions were made as well. Materials, including approximately 700 wire frames for our signs, graphic design, materials for some of our public rallies, demonstrations and events (chairs, a microphone, tables, etc.) were contributed to the cause. This accounts for all funds raised for the Keep Keewatin Home campaign.

Expenses:

GoFundMe Fees
$126.84
(GofundMe takes 2.9% plus $0.30 fee per donation)

KKH Road and window Signs
Sunsport Signs
$3296.35
Over 700 signs (stands were donated)

Magnetic Car Signs
Sunsport Signs
$396.00

Rally Food/Drink
Mariposa Bakery, Walmart
$157.00
Cake, water bottles etc.

Rally Entertainment
Tyler French
$70.00

Rally Promo Materials
Midland Copy Shoppe
$117.00
Pamphlets/signs for the rally

Web/online services
Sitelio/GoDaddy/Zoom etc.
$491.24

Miscellaneous Printing
Staples Business Depot
$55.00

Keewatin T-shirts
Etsy (April Worral)
$197.94

Social Event Food
Port Café
$880.72

TOTAL
$5788.09

Notes on expenditures: The primary expenditure of the Keep Keewatin Home campaign was the chloroplast lawn signs and other signage that we have used to raise awareness of our campaign. Our lawn signs were produced with a local sign vendor, cardboard window signs in support of Keep Keewatin Home were also produced early in our campaign ahead of the lawn signs, and the printing/production cost of those signs was $3296.35 dollars. Magnetic car signs were also produced. Receipts for all these transactions are on file (and with the vendor). Total expenditures actually exceed the money raised, and this does not include numerous small purchases, transportation costs, and other miscellaneous expenditures over a 29-month campaign. The shortfall, as well as aforementioned non-monetary contributions for all other materials were covered by the volunteers at Keep Keewatin Home.

This is the financial summary of our campaign to date.

The only thing we can not account for are the tireless hours so many of you, our volunteers and supporters, have contributed thus far to this campaign, and for that all of us at Keep Keewatin Home are eternally grateful.

In an age where anyone can publish an allegation on social media, or the line between credible journalism and so-called fake, or sensationalist news with a bias is hard to discern, it is all too easy to distort facts or discredit those trying to make a difference in the world. To all of you that have supported, volunteered, contributed, taken a sign or otherwise fought to Keep Keewatin Home we will continue our efforts, and will not let any interest discredit the strength of our movement or the tremendous work we have done, and will continue to do.

The Keep Keewatin Home Team

Port McNicoll

04/07/2023

To Keewatin supporters,

A number of you have shared with us an article published recently by a Kingston media outlet; we are aware of the article and are seeking counsel at this time. We thank you for your support and assure you that the accusations made in the article are entirely untrue. A statement will be forthcoming from our team in response to the libelous accusations in the coming days.

Dan and the Team at

03/23/2023

To the Wonderful People of Kingston, Ontario
From your friends and neighbors in Port McNicoll

There is an organization in your incredible city working headlong to deprive us of our most loved historic possession.

The Marine Museum at Kingston has signaled its intention to appropriate a 116-year-old historical vessel from the small Ontario community from which it once sailed, and whose residents have lovingly restored and maintained it over the last decade.

The SS Keewatin is the only one of its kind, the last British built Edwardian passenger liner in the world. Its owners have set a price-tag on the ship, but to the people of Port McNicoll - its home port and its rightful home - it is priceless.

Its presence anchors the community - both literally and figuratively - its image graces our murals, flags, stationary, publications, and community events.

In the minds of many thousands in our community a move to Kingston is an abhorrent act - the unjust appropriation of cultural and heritage property that is, in 2023, grossly out of synch with national and global opinion; the Kingston Marine Museum and its director Chris West and are undeterred, committed to removing our beloved ship to their own benefit.

West argues that the ship needs a "forever home" but ignores the evidence that that home already exists - 15,100 residents have signed a petition to keep the Keewatin in Port McNicoll. Thousands of hours of volunteer work have gone into its restoration. There are heritage organizations in Simcoe County that are fully capable of operating and managing the vessel, and would be delighted to do so.

As cultural properties continue to be returned to their respective communities globally - Babylonian tablets to Iraq, Indigenous artifacts to their native communities - how long will it be before the pressure to return the SS Keewatin to its home port becomes irresistible - 5 years? 10? 40? How much will the people of Kingston have invested in the Keewatin before this happens? Why not simply leave the ship where it belongs in the first place?

Perhaps this realization is why half the Marine Museum’s board of directors resigned just a year ago over Mr. West's plan to bring the Keewatin to Kingston?

West may be hoping that once the ship weighs anchor, the people of Port McNicoll will simply forgive and forget. But we won't. This community will continue to ask those who will listen to return our vessel, until it is rightfully at home, at rest.

We wish the City of Kingston and indeed the Marine Museum every ounce of success in the future. We love your city, the Marine Museum deserves to be successful, deserves to be great, it deserves a display ship. But as a museum and a community that have felt the agony of losing a ship - namely the Alexander Henry - it is the perfect irony that they would seek to inflict the same heartbreak on our community.

You, good people of Kingston, have the opportunity to make a choice about what kind of a community you wish to be. Is it a community that respects cultural heritage and finds its own path to success, or one that profits from the pain of others?

We, the people of Port McNicoll have a big favour to ask of you… our friends and neighbours. We hope that you, the citizens of Kingston will make the right choice, and encourage the Marine Museum to abandon their unjust acquisition of the Keewatin.

You can assist us by emailing or calling Mayor Paterson ([email protected]), MPP Ted Hsu ([email protected]) and MP Mark Gerretsen ([email protected]) and ask them simply to keep the Keewatin at home.

03/08/2023

KEEP KEEWATIN HOME TEAM

For Immediate Release

(Port McNicoll, ON; 3.30pm March 8 2023) Keep Keewatin Home campaign lead Dan Travers expressed no surprise when told of the donation and proposed departure of the S.S. Keewatin from Port McNicoll.

The Keewatin has been the cornerstone of the economic redevelopment of Port McNicoll for many years, thousands of hours of volunteer time have gone into this endeavour along with private investment and government resources to rebuild our community in the post railway era.

“Naturally we’re extremely disappointed at this turn of events,” said Travers. “Having said that, simply ‘announcing a move’ does not constitute an imminent loss of the ship from its home berth here in Port McNicoll, as representatives from the Kingston Marine Museum and a local charity are stating.”

“Because it involves a multi-million dollar federal tax break, the Canadian government has a duty to do its due diligence with regard to the deal made between Skyline Investments and the Kingston museum, and should that deal turn out to be not in the best interests of Canadians, we will be waiting.”

“There are multiple options within North Simcoe for the ship’s long-term preservation which present less risk in transport and are more appropriate to the vessel’s history and provenance”.

“We are a small community with a big heart” said Travers. “The loss of the ‘Kee’ would mean all of our efforts over the past years have been in vain. All of our strategic planning and Approved Official Plans will now have to be redone at considerable cost – who will pay to replace this community asset and the attendant planning costs?”

Travers emphasized the government’s accountability in the deal by saying:

“Removing the Keewatin from its home port is heritage appropriation, the notion that this practice can be facilitated by the Federal government with dollars coming from the pockets of Canadians is unfathomable.”

“Why spend millions moving the ship when far less money could be spent restoring the SS Keewatin where it is now in line with existing approved government plans?”

“And If the Government of Canada chooses to provide relief to Skyline, a corporation that boasts $700M assets on its website, that's on the government, they being accountable to Canadians through our elected representatives and of course the ballot box.”

When asked about any possible next steps, Travers was adamant.

“It's now time for everyone who has a role in the preservation and safety of the S.S. Keewatin to do their jobs. We must hold those responsible to a degree of accountability,” he said.

When asked what that meant, Travers elaborated:

“Transport Canada will need to set specific conditions for the safe transit to Kingston based on the ship's existing condition. We think the hull of the ship is tender in a few spots and represents a significant risk if moved. The insurance underwriters for the tow will need to conduct a risk assessment prior to setting the premium and binding coverage for the transit to the shipyard.”

He also expressed concern about the government’s ability to provide proper oversight during the next phase of the ship’s life.

“The representatives of Heritage Canada will have to ensure that the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston guarantee the ship's safety from a conservation and preservation perspective. As a condition of their receiving Category B designation for the ship, we expect strict standards must be met. The responsibility doesn’t start when the ship arrives in Kingston, it includes the ship as is, where it is, and its voyage to the shipyard. While being worked on at the shipyard particular care will need to be taken given the vessel's all-wood superstructure.”

“It takes little effort to sign a paper agreement in a lawyer’s office and make an announcement in the media. However, fulfilling every one of these conditions to the satisfaction of all Canadians will be much more difficult.”

“It is our interpretation that if any one of these conditions cannot be met, then Heritage Canada has a responsibility to invalidate this deal and look to the vessel’s hometown for better options”.

“If this move cannot be justified by our Federal government, the Keewatin MUST stay.”

Signed by all

The Keep Keewatin Home Team

03/06/2023

Hi Keewatin Supporters,

I have been catching up with as many emails as possible today... thanks for your patience, and your continued support and love for the SS Keewatin.

I have been on the phone most of the day today with our team, government officials, as well as our legal representative about next steps and will have a press release in the next day or two. For the record, it is our position that the deal reached between Skyline and Kingston does not indicate that the fight for the ship to remain in Port has 'been lost', especially not with the air of finality that has been reported in the local press and is the position adopted by Friends of Keewatin representatives.

In fact, there are significant steps yet before the ship can be moved, and a considerable degree of government oversight and conditions which - if done correctly - would be needed for this to occur, conditions which Kingston may find difficult to fulfil. More details will be included in our upcoming broadcast.

Hold fast!

Dan and the Team at

06/24/2022

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of the return of S.S. Keewatin to Port McNicoll.

What were YOU doing 10 years ago? Maybe you we’re onboard one of the dozens of personal watercraft in the flotilla accompanying KEEWATIN. Perhaps you were one of the hundred’s of volunteers who had worked over the previous six months to help make the event a success. Or you might have been one of the thousands of people welcoming the return of this iconic ship to the same dock she left 45 years (to the day) from the day she left.

The Keep Keewatin Home Campaign is fighting, and will continue to fight, to ensure that this precious vessel stays where she belongs - in Port McNicoll.

Dan and the Team at