Public Meeting

The Association des Léger-Légère d'Acadie Inc. would like to inform you that as part of the Congrès Mondial Acadien in 2009, a public meeting will be held Sunday May 31, 2009 from 14h00 in the Viola Léger concert hall in the Historic Church in Grand Barachois. We want to disuss planning for the family reunion to be held on August 11 and 12 2009 in Caraquet, NB. For more information, please contact Rodrigue at (506) 727-2475 or Luc at (506) 389-8479.

Public Meeting

The Association des Léger-Légère d'Acadie Inc. would like to inform you that as part of the Congrès Mondial Acadien in 2009, a public meeting will be held Sunday April 19 from 14h00 in the Council boardroom in Bertrand to discuss planning for the family reunion to be held on August 11 and 12. For more information, please contact Rodrigue at (506) 727-2475 or Luc at (506) 389-8479.

Welcome!

Schedule of Activities

Hello cousins!

Here's the schedule of activities for the Léger, Légère, Legé and Trahan family reunion.

Schedule of Activities

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
Marguerite-Bourgeois school in Caraquet

18 h - 23 h - Registration, welcome

20 h - 23 h - Social gathering (Acadian music, Visual art and crafts exhibition, meet the cousins)

20 h - 23 h - Bar and Meet & Greet

Wednesday August 12, 2009
Louis Mailloux High School in Caraquet

11 h - 19 h - Registration (continued)

11 h - 19 h - Genealogical and historical exhibition

13 h - 17 h - Family activities

11 h - 19 h - Arts and crafts exhibition, souvenirs

11 h - 19 h - Acadian meals (cafeteria style)

11 h - 19 h - Presentation of Acadian films

20 h - 24 h - Social gathering (live band, meet the cousins)

"Enfin retrouvés" - Theme song for the 2009 CMA!

As has been the case for every Congrès Mondial Acadien, a theme song is written for the occasion. For the 2009 CMA, we’re very proud to announce that one of our own cousins, singer-songwriter Daniel Léger, has written the theme song!

With words by Daniel Léger and Mario Robichaud contributing the music, "Enfin retrouvés" is an anthem for unity and reunion. The songwriters claim that their goal was for people to take ownership of the song. Daniel has surrounded himself with artists from different backgrounds and representing various regions of Acadia. This is how Wilfred LeBouthillier (Acadia), Oumou Soumare (Mali and adopted Acadienne!) and Anna Laura Edmiston (Louisiana) joined the project.

The song is available for download (MP3 format) on the Congrès Mondial Acadien website (http://www.cma2009.ca) and you can even watch the video on CapAcadie (http://capacadie.com/videos/36294).

Daniel Léger burst onto the music scene in 2002 when he won the Gala de la chanson de Caraquet in the singer-songwriter category. In June 2004, he launched his first album entitled "La route m’appelle".

Public Meeting in Caraquet

The Comité organisateur pour la fête des Léger/Légère/Trahan 2009 (family reunion committee) will hold a public meeting in Caraquet on Saturday, November 22nd. All are welcome.

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).

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.