CALEB NICKERSON
MANSFIELD ET PONTEFRACT June 29 – July 1, 2018
The Canada Day celebrations in Mansfield got underway on Friday afternoon, with several local dignitaries and officials in attendance. Entering Amyotte Park and making their way to the pitcher’s mound, a procession was led by several children’s mascots, followed by RCMP Const. Meaghan Doyle, carrying a large flag. Local firefighters, police and elected officials came next, rounded out by representatives from the Knights of Columbus and St. Pierre Parish.
Pontiac MNA André Fortin and MP Will Amos welcomed the attendees on the bleachers and even gave everyone a little softball demonstration to kick off the weekend.
Though Amos was a wily pitcher, Fortin managed to knock in a run to the approval of the crowd.

Organizer Sylvain Bégin, a local firefighter, was presented with a certificate of recognition for all his hard work in the community by councillor Claudette Béland.
Bégin explained that this is his second year at the helm of the planning committee for Canada Day and he was proud of all the activities that were lined up.
The Corriveau School of Dance put on a performance to get the people going, followed by local rockers Blast from the Past as well as DJs Ladouceur and Zabber.
“Saturday is a big, big day,” explained Bégin, noting that the doors opened at 9 a.m. and didn’t close till early the next morning.
There were play structures and water slides for the children, demonstrations from Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo and a firefighter’s challenge set up by the local departments. A ball tournament occupied the field over the course of the weekend.
The headlining act for Saturday night was well-known Quebec rocker Martin Deschamps, whose act has graced the stage at the opening of the 2010 Paralympics among others. “Xception”, a country group out of the Wakefield area, opened for Deschamps.