CALEB NICKERSON
CAMPBELL’S BAY
Dec. 13, 2017
On Dec. 13, MRC employees, as well as local officials and residents met in Campbell’s Bay to celebrate the 170th anniversary of the county council’s first meeting.
The event was marked by the unveiling of a plaque embedded on a sizable stone, situated at the entrance of the MRC office. The monument was erected in 1947, to mark the 100th anniversary of the county council’s first sitting.
“The rock, as you remember was out on Highway 301, with all the construction it was moved to the back,” explained Pontiac Warden Jane Toller to the assembled officials and employees.
She added that it was important to her that the monument be placed in time for the anniversary.
The Broken Arrow Drummers, a trio of Algonquin musicians from the region, performed a song of prayer for the community, before smudging the rock and anyone else who wished to be spiritually cleansed.
Smudging is an Indigenous custom that involves using smoke from smoldering herbs to cleanse places and people.
After posing for a picture, the group moved out of the cold and into the Elsie Gibbons room for the remainder of the ceremony.
Toller began with a speech about the rich history of the region, holding a period map to show what the area looked like when Pontiac County came into existence.
“We need to know where we come from to know where we’re going,” she said. “As we rebuild the Pontiac and as we grow in prosperity, it’s important that we remember where we were and be proud of it.”
“We were known for our lumbering and so, on our 170th anniversary I just want to simply restate that we look forward to entering into forestry and lumbering,” she continued. “We never left it… This is an area that we’re focused on to rebuild.”
She then turned the floor over to Pro-Warden and Otter Lake Mayor Kim Cartier-Villineuve, who read out the minutes from the council’s first meeting. Apparently, perturbed by some of their peers playing hooky, the mayors voted to impose fines of $5 on any one of them that missed a meeting without a valid excuse.
“Obviously they were a little put out that some members didn’t show up,” laughed Toller.
Chris Seifried, president of the Pontiac Agricultural Society, gave some background on the history of the region, through a series of old maps.
As the ceremony concluded, Toller was presented with a gift of smudging tools from Broken Arrow Drummer Trevor Pierce. As the meeting took place in Campbell’s Bay, Mayor Maurice Beauregard was presented with a traditionally-crafted clay pot.
The room was then led in a recitation of a prayer to the Creator by Denis Dupont.
To close out the ceremony, several local mayors and attendees were invited to join the Broken Arrow Drummers for a rendition of the Eagle song, a powerful piece that resonated throughout the room.
