Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Biography: Arthur Trahan

Arthur TRAHAN (1877-1950)

Born in Nicolet on May 26 1877, son of Narcissus Trahan, merchant, and Adeline-Rebecca Rousseau.

Arthur Trahan was educated at Nicolet Seminary and Laval University in Montreal. Was accepted to the Bar of the Province of Quebec on July 12 1901. Established consulting king's law on August 9 1912.

Practiced law in Nicolet. Was secretary of the Commission for Municipal Code Review in Quebec from 1910 to 1912. President of the Bar for the District of Trois-Rivières in 1916 and 1917. Member of the Montreal reform club. Nicolet alderman from 1911 to 1917. Elected Liberal MLA for Nicolet at the by-election on June 2 1913. Re-elected unopposed in 1916. Resigned on November 14 1917 to be a candidate in federal elections. Elected without opposition Liberal MP in the House of Commons in Nicolet in 1917. Reelected in 1921.

His seat became vacant after his appointment as judge of the Superior Court on May 5 1923.

Died in Montreal on September 22 1950 at the age of 73 years and 4 months. Buried at Nicolet, September 26 1950.

First married in Nicolet, September 24 1902, to Josephine Dufresne, daughter of Honoré Dufresne, notary, and Josephine Blondin; then in Hull, in the parish of Notre-Dame-de-Grace on June 26 1924, Diane Leduc, daughter of Charles Leduc and Ursula Gravel.

Arthur's two sons were also illustrious lawyers. The following biographies are from Mémoire du Québec (Internet).

Jacques TRAHAN: lawman (lawyer) born in 1911 in Nicolet. Studied at Nicolet Seminary and the University of Montreal. Judge of the Municipal Court of Montreal (1963-1964). Judge of the Court of Sessions of Peace (1964-1981). President of the Liquor License Control Commission (1971-1980). Deputy Judge in the Tax Court of Canada (1983-1994). Acted as ad hoc coroner in response to the tragedy of the Monsanto plant, the Turcot exchange in Montreal, the Trois-Rivieres bridge and following the assassination of Pierre Laporte in 1970. Died in 2004 in Montreal.

Marcel TRAHAN: lawman (lawyer) born in 1914 in Nicolet. Studied at Nicolet Seminary, at St. Joseph Seminary in Trois-Rivieres and the University of Montreal. Legal Counsel (1943-1948) and Registrar (1948-1950) of the Court of juvenile offenders. Clerk of the Court of Welfare (1950-1961). Coroner district of Montreal (1961-1965). Judge of the Court of Welfare (1965-1984). Member of the Higher Council of Education (1980 -). Chaired the inquest on the violent death of Vincent O'Neil and indicted 21 members of the FLQ. Died in 2006 in Montreal. Children of Marcel: Dominique, Étienne and Anne-Marie (graduated in law from the University of Montreal in 1967. At the Canadian Transport Commission since 1981, Anne-Marie Trahan agreed to come to the Department of Justice in Ottawa as Deputy Minister and became one of the few women to occupy such a high position within the public service. In 1994, Anne-Marie Trahan became a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec.)

Bibliography:
Marcel Trahan. En quête de justice et de fraternité (Renée Joyal and Jean Trépanier, 2005).

Monday, October 20, 2008

Unveiling of a sculpture by Monette Léger in Grand-Barachois

From left to right: Monette Léger, Viola Léger, Yvonne Arsenault, aged 97 years,
and Marcel Arsenault. (Photo: Gerard Lessard)

The unveiling of a sculpture by artist Monette Léger took place Sunday afternoon at the Arsenault family home in Grand Barachois, New Brunswick. The event was attended by over sixty people, including family and friends of the artist. This work has been carved into the trunks of an old poplar that had been planted there are about sixty years by Yvonne Arsenault. Marcel Arsenault had to cut it down two years ago, but had decided to retain the trunks in order to do something in the future.

After discussions with the artist, the latter decided to sculpt the masterpiece entitled "Regard" (Eng. "View"), which represents heritage. On this magnificent work which stands 11 feet tall, there are herons because of the Arsenault family's affection for the sea birds. The image of grandfather Théotime Robichaud is also represented holding a lantern that illuminates a nest containing 7 eggs, to represent the 7 grandchildren.

According to Marcel Arsenault, this work is a gift for the whole Arsenault family and its descendants. This sculpture by Monette Léger, her fifth in the region, is located at the Arsenault residence at 1934, Route 133 in Grand-Barachois. Although on private property, Mr. Arsenault invites people to come and appreciate the sculpture.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Biography: Dominique Léger

The following biography was taken from the book L’Acadie de mes ancêtres, the work of Yvon Léger, o.m.i. , Published in Montreal in 1987 by Les Editions de l'Alternative.

Dominique-S. Léger, Assumptionist.

In the historic Memramcouque Valley, the cradle of the Acadian Renaissance, twenty-three years before the founding of the Collège Saint-Joseph, Dominique Léger was born. After graduation, he became a professor at Pointe-à-l’Église in Nova Scotia. He was later in Moncton for a few years where he worked in the hospitality industry. He then went to Lynn, New England where there was already an important community of Acadian immigrants. Far from their homeland, these Acadians wanted to retain close ties among themselves and with Acadia. To do so, a small group of them, including Dominique Léger, decided to hold a congress, a general meeting, as there had been in Memramcouque and Miscouche. So on August16th 1902, more than two thousand Acadians from all corners of New England, Acadia and even distant Louisiana met in Waltham, Massachusetts. It was then decided to create a mutual Acadian Society. It was also suggested that a school fund be created for young Acadians wishing to pursue higher education. Soon after, none other than Dominique Leger, head of the first constitution of the new company, was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee. Thanks to his know-how and tenacity, the Société Mutuelle de l'Assomption was born. Twenty years later, there were over two hundred and sixty branches of the Société l’Assomption in New England, Acadia, Québec and in Ottawa (the Razilly branch was founded in 1911). Dominique became the first Chancellor of the Society.

On August 15th 1908 in Memramcouque, during the fourth convention of the society, the first to be held in Acadia, Dominique Léger was appointed Honorary Lifetime Member of the Executive Committee of the Mutual Assumption Society. In 1910, in Lynn, where he still resided, his countrymen wanted to emphasize the golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Léger. In its July 21 edition, the Moniteur Acadien reported on the event movingly.

An accomplished poet, the aging Acadian loved his native Acadia so that he wrote a few folk songs for his compatriots settled in New England. During the twilight years of his life, Dominique Léger was known for his piety and religious fervour. In Lynn, he was regarded as a saint and his death in 1915 left no one indifferent.