The results have been tallied and, after more than 11,000 votes were cast over a ten day period this spring, Vincent Coleman and Rita Joe are the names residents have chosen for the next two passenger ferries in the Halifax Transit fleet. In 1917, during the events of the Halifax Explosion, Vincent Coleman stayed behind to warn an inbound train about the impending explosion that would take his life. Rita Joe was born and spent her childhood on a Mi’kmaq reserve at Whycocomagh on Cape Breton Island. She is often referred to as the “poet laureate” of the Mi’kmaq people. Hundreds of names were submitted in the spring of 2017, during the first phase of the ferry naming contest. The final five were selected from a short list by a committee comprised of Mayor Mike Savage and one member from each of the three community councils. In the final vote Vincent Coleman received over 5000 votes and Rita Joe received over 2000.