Imputo Causa Consequat Voco Nobis Nostrud Pecus Jus

Geographically, the Municipality of Clare sits in the lower half of Digby County and most of the area's 52 communities dot the 30-mile stretch of St. Mary's Bay.

Largely known for its fishing, lumber, and shipbuilding industries, the area of approximately 9,000 people also employs local artisans and those working within e-business and tourism. Recently the topic of renewable energy has been on everyone's lips.

Clare was the first municipality in Nova Scotia to undertake an energy audit. Twenty-eight potential renewable energy projects have been identified with eight regarded as financially feasible.

Becoming a national green star may also help draw in more tourists, although reports show that tourism numbers are not suffering now. The Festival acadien de Clare alone brings in over 40,000 people while the oldest wooden church in North America - L'Eglise Sainte-Marie - registers 10,000 visitors per year.

A recent re-organization of Nova Scotia's scenic travelways by the provincial government has provided the region with more exposure. The entire southwest region, encompassing the Municipalities of Clare, Argyle, Yarmouth, and the Town of Yarmouth, is now named "Yarmouth and Acadian Shores." This change has allowed the region to market itself more effectively in the global market and the use of the word Acadian gives far more visibility to the culture.

But what sets Clare apart is the warmth, friendliness, and the joie de vivre of the people who live there. That's something worth coming back for - again and again.