Chapleau only town to provide respite from angry protesters as Prime Minister Trudeau travelled by train in 1982, says National Post

Chapleau has been recognized by a National Post reporter as the only community that provided some "respite" from angry protesters who greeted Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau as he travelled across Canada by train in August 1982.

In an article on August 22, 2016, by Tristin Hopper carried in the National Post and other Postmedia newspapers he notes that "Only the Ontario town of Chapleau provided some respite. There, poultry farmers banded together to present the prime minister with a gift basket of fresh eggs."

Actually, Ernest Lepine of Chapleau, upon learning of the reception the prime minister was receiving as he travelled with his three sons Justin (now our prime minister), Alexandre and Michel, visited the Valentine Poultry Farm and arranged to get eggs to present to him when the train stopped in Chapleau. The farm was and still is owned by Ross Broomhead.  

Mr. Lepine, in making the presentation to Mr. Trudeau said "Here are some Chapleau eggs for you. We're not throwing them at you. We're giving you a feed of eggs."

Nonetheless, the gesture by Mr. Lepine, and the four dozen eggs provided by Ross, have now been recognized by a major newspaper as part of Canadian political folklore. In fact if you Google, "Pierre Trudeau eggs," the National Post story is number one.

The reference to Chapleau is included in Mr. Hopper's story about the present location of the railway car in which Mr. Trudeau was travelling.

"... it’s only at a private museum in B.C.’s interior where, owners say, you can gaze upon the most infamous Trudeau artifact of all: the restored railcar from which the 15th prime minister flipped the bird to B.C. protesters in 1982.

"The car is at Three Valley Lake Chateau, a resort just down the road from Craigellachie, site of the last spike  on the Canadian Pacific Railway.

There, in the resort’s Railway Roundhouse..." is the car.

Apparently Mr. Trudeau "borrowed" the car from Governor General Ed Schreyer for the trip.

The famous car was bought by the owners of Three Valley Lake Chateau in 2005, and has been restored, including a cardboard cutout of Mr. Trudeau giving his famous finger salute. I visited the web site and the resort looks like a great place to visit. It is reasonably close to where I live near Revelstoke so maybe I will visit it one of these days.

Its web site says it has the "largest display" of old railway memorabilia and equipment anywhere. 

In 1982, the incidents across Canada were reported by the international media. “Trudeau Rail Car Pelted With Rocks and Food,” reported the New York Times.

The Trudeau train was pelted with eggs and tomatoes at various places, and several cartoons were created later immortalizing the event particularly at Salmon Arm. In most, Mr. Trudeau is shown wagging his middle finger, which became known as the "Trudeau salute" as protesters threw eggs and tomatoes at the railway car.

I first wrote about Mr. Lepine and the egg presentation at Chapleau in May 2016 based on information provided in a Pioneer Days article by Jennifer (Swanson) David, and from the mothballs of my own memory, having covered the Chapleau stop for CBC Television News.

When I saw the Tristin Hopper article, actually first of all on the Star-Phoenix in Saskatoon online, and saw Chapleau mentioned, I just has to share it.  Here is link to the story http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/national/museum+says+preserved+railcar+from+which+pierre+trudeau/12143411/story.html

In fact there is another reason. Fifty years ago I was a  reporter at the Star-Phoenix, and fifty two years ago on September 1, 1964, I started my daily newspaper career at The Daily Press in Timmins. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Here is link to May 2016 story:
http://michaeljmorrisreports.blogspot.in/2016/05/prime-minister-pierre-trudeau-received.html

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau received 'feed of eggs' during 1982 train stop in Chapleau presented by Ernest Lepine

Although Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau did not receive the friendliest of receptions in many communities across Canada as he travelled by Via Rail on vacation with his three sons in August 1982, such was not the case when his train arrived in Chapleau. 

Upon learning that the prime minister's train had been pelted with eggs in western Canada, Ernest Lepine visited the Valentine Poultry Farm, and arranged to get eggs to present to him. The farm was, and is still owned by Ross Broomhead.

Mr. Lepine told Jennifer Swanson in a 'Pioneer Days' article that he got four dozen eggs.

In making the presentation to Mr. Trudeau on the CPR station platform, he said: "Here are some Chapleau eggs for you. We're not throwing them at you. We're giving you  a feed of eggs."

 I was covering the event for CBC TV News and there was a huge crowd at the station to meet the prime minister and his three children Michel, Alexandre and Justin, who is now the prime minister of Canada. It was a very friendly occasion.

Ernest Lepine was born in Chapleau in 1920, and was involved in many community activities, although he lived at Devon for five years, and Sultan from 1930 to 1940.

He told Jennifer in an interview that it was tough living in Sultan during the Great Depression with not much time for play. 

For example: "We had to go out after school on Saturday to cut wood until we had ten four foot cords, haul it, cut it with a crosscut saw, split and pile it."

But he was able to build a pair of stilts with which he walked to school. "I began making them higher and higher until at last I had to get on the roof of my verandah to get on them".

His first job was at Wakami Lumber Co. but in 1941 he got a job on the CPR first as fireman, and later as engineer. He married his childhood friend Lorette in 1942, and they bought their house on Lorne Street next door to the arena.

An active member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Mr. Lepine held most offices in the Knights of Columbus. He was also legislative representative for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

He was elected to the municipal council in 1949 just as Chapleau's "boom years" were getting underway and served several terms. The first major project was the sewage system and plant completed in late 1950.

When the Chapleau Memorial Arena was opened on Lorne Street in 1951. he became a member of the arena board.

By 1961 he was a director of the credit union.

Mr. Lepine was honoured in 1972 when he received an award from the Queen and the Government of Canada for outstanding community service.

In his interview with Jennifer Mr. Lepine noted how good Chapleau had been to him and his family, but he was certainly very good for Chapleau too, one of its highly respected citizens who served in many aspects of community life...

Note. Someone kindly sent me the photos in which I am included some years ago now, but I do not recall  who it was. Thanks though,Aging memory!!! My email is mj.morris@live.ca

From left to right: Dr. Lougheed, A.J. Grout, Cecil Smith, Foreman for Construction Company, Walter Steed, Reg Trush, B.WZufelt (Reeve), Ernest Lepine, Max Brunette, J.M. Shoup, Richard Brownlee, Dr. G.E. Young, George. Fife, Ovide Payette, Charles Collins. The two girls in the back are Carol Ann (Babe) Chambers, Joan Kemp Photo taken at sod turning for Chapleau Sewage System

Canadians pick Pierre Trudeau, Medicare as Number One in online consultation process approved by Harpercons

MJM by Michael Pelzer

Just imagine that you were the prime minister of Canada and had approved a poll, paid for by the taxpayers, to come up with a Top 10 list of our country's greatest heroes, and you and your political party were essentially shut out by the almost 12,000 Canadians who participated.

Well that's the news Stephen Harper and the Harpercon government received recently as the result of an online consultation process over several months, conducted as part of the preparations for Canada's 150th birthday in 2017.

The Canadian Press announcing the results said that "Canadians have handed the Harper government a Top 10 list of the country’s greatest heroes, featuring some of the Conservative party’s greatest adversaries, past and present."

It is unlikely that the results would ever have seen the light of day had the Canadian Press not obtained them under an Access to Information Act request, even though, we, the taxpayers paid for the project.

In answer to a question "Which Canadians have inspired you the most over the past 150 years?" leading the list was none other than Pierre Trudeau, a name which would most assuredly have sent the Harpercons into a fit of rage. The former Liberal prime minister not only made the Top 10, he was Number One.

The rest of the Top 10 list in order were: Marathon of Hope runner Terry Fox; former NDP leader and premier of Saskatchewan Tommy Douglas; former Liberal prime minister Lester B. Pearson; astronaut Chris Hadfield; environmental activist David Suzuki; former NDP leader Jack Layton; Canada's first prime minister, a Conservative, Sir John A. Macdonald; hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and outstanding soldier and recently retired Liberal senator Romeo Dallaire.

To me at least, it looks like a pretty Canadian list, and I was really delighted that Don Cherry did not make the cut. The only Tory was Sir John A. If he was still around, it is highly unlikely he would make it into a Harper cabinet, much less become prime minister leading the Conservative Party as it is constituted today -- Liberal maybe?

Canadian Press reported that the consultation also asked which of Canada’s accomplishments of the last 150 years “make you most proud to be a Canadian?”

The results showed  that medicare topped that list, followed by peacekeeping, then the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms at No. 3.   The  rest in order were: Canada's contribution to World War II; the Canadarm; multiculturalism; contribution to World War I; bilingualism; space exploration, and the Constitution Act of 1982.

Again, although one may switch the preference order of the Top 10, a pretty Canadian type list of what makes us proud to be Canadian, although not exactly the Harpercon view for Canada.

As the Canadian Press story notes for example, the present government has "recently been buffeted by a series of Charter-based losses at the Supreme Court of Canada,  (and) did not mark the 25th anniversary of the Charter in 2007, nor the 30th in 2012."

In 2015, Canadians will judge the Harpercons at the polls. Personally, I am proud to be a Canadian, and generally agree with the Top 10 list of those who inspire me and the accomplishments that make me proud. Thanks to the Canadian Press for obtaining the results of the consultation and making them public. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

King George VI meets George Fife at the Chapleau CPR station at two a.m. in 1939 without his chain of office

By Bill McLeod



In the late 1930s there was a lot going on in the world. King Edward VIII had abdicated in December of 1936 and was replaced by his brother Bertie who took on the new name of George VI. The official reason for Edward’s abdication was that he was messing around with an American divorcee named Wallace Simpson and wanted to marry her. Since the British sovereign is also head of the Church of England, whose crank was not turned by divorce, Edward chose Wallace over the throne.

But there were other issues that were causing great concern to the British establishment. Apparently Fast Eddie the King wasn’t too swift. War was looming on the horizon, and Eddie didn’t seem to be twigging to the gravity of the situation. Also, the British Government was worried that he was getting a bit too chummy with his German cousins and with senior members of the Third Reich. Getting rid of Eddie solved a number of problems but created some new ones. They sent him off to be Governor of the Bahamas – out of sight and almost out of mind. While Eddie was presiding in the Bahamas, Harry Oakes, the fabulously wealthy discoverer of Lakeshore Mines was murdered. No one was ever charged with Oakes’ death, but rumors swirled for many years that Eddie the Governor might have known a bit more about the case than he let on.

If all this seems like it has no connection with Northern Ontario, bear with me.

In 1939, the new King and Elizabeth, his Queen were sent on a tour of Canada. In addition to introducing the new royal couple to Canadians, the junket had another purpose. Since Bertie and Liz had not been trained or groomed for the throne, they needed to get accustomed to all the scraping and bowing. If they goofed, the bumpkins in the Canadian boondocks might not even notice.

Fast forward to July of 2000. The Queen Mother, now well into her nineties, gave a rather extensive interview to the Globe and Mail. One of the events the old Queen related to the interviewer was the 1939 tour of Canada. She specifically mentioned Chapleau.

Apparently the Royal train had to stop in Chapleau at 2:00 a.m. to take on water. The reeve of Chapleau at the time was a highly regarded man named George Fife. For many years Mr. Fife ran the town’s hydro generating plant and power distribution network. I remember him as a jovial man who liked to tease kids. He was the grandfather of Phyllis Crang of Sudbury, one of Northern Ontario’s best ever athletes. And one of his grandsons is Bob Fife, CTV’s Ottawa Bureau Chief.

When word came to Chapleau that the Royal Train would be stopping there, George Fife sent word to the crew that he would like to meet the King. Probably without much enthusiasm, George VI hauled his butt out of the sack, put on his suit and tie and went out on the station platform to meet Mr. Fife. After making some small talk, the King asked the reeve (mayor) if he had a chain of office. Not a man to pass up the chance to have a little fun at the expense of the sovereign, Fife replied that he did have such a chain “but he only wore it on special occasions”. That cracked the King up and, sixty-one years later, the Queen Mother laughingly told the Globe and Mail about her brief visit to Chapleau and about how funny the King found Mr. Fife’s comment.

There may well be another version of this story as I found out when I read Jean Chretien’s memoir, My Years as Prime Minister. Over his long career Mr. Chretien became quite close to the Royal family. One of the reasons they liked him and Mrs. Chretien was that they could speak French with them. On page 243 Chretien describes a January, 1994, luncheon with the Queen Mother at Sandringham. The old Queen got to reminiscing about the Royal tour of 1939. She recounted a dinner one evening with Camillien Houde, the colorful mayor of Montreal. She inquired as to why he wasn’t wearing his chain of office. Like George Fife, Camillien told the Queen that he did have one but wore it “only on special occasions”.

It’s difficult to figure out how the Queen Mother could confuse George Fife with Camillien Houde. But maybe this was an “all purpose” story she used whenever what she deemed an appropriate occasion arose. Who knows? It is a very funny tale.

On a more serious note, Camillien Houde was interned during World War II probably because he wasn’t as sympathetic to the war effort as he might have been. Something like Pierre Trudeau, only Trudeau wasn’t incarcerated. One of the jobs Houde was given involved dismantling some urinals to be melted down and used in the war effort. He was quoted as saying that he was required to “turn urinals into arsenals”. A pretty good line.

Bill McLeod has a new book coming out in 2010. For details email Bill at wemcleod@sympatico.ca

The names I've been called include "Chief", "MJ", "SOB", "Sir", "Bud" and......

At Cocoa Beach FL, photo by Michael Pelzer

As I was reading a message from one of my former students from Chapleau High School on Facebook, it struck me that I have sure been called an awful lot of names over the past 50 years or so.

Growing up I was simply Michael or Mike, my mother being the one person who always called me Michael. 

As CHS student

When I became a newspaper reporter in 1964, bylines were so important and Michael was used in them except at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix where the legendary managing editor P.V. Wade made me Mike Morris, but he usually called me by my last name, as in "Morris, get in here now!"

After I started teaching at Chapleau High School, I became "Mr Morris" and had great difficulty adapting to it. I still recall telling Robert Fife one day that my name was Michael not Mr but not much I could do about it. The principal of the day J.B. Walsh would come into the staff room and sternly say, "Mr. Morris, my office now!" Just a shade of difference between Mr Wade and Mr Walsh.

As young reporter

Shortly after I started teaching, the 1970-71 Chapleau Midgets hockey team fired their coach (yes, they fired him) and hired me. At a practice Keith McAdam one night, said, "Hey, MJ...!" and before he got any further in no uncertain terms I told the team I was "Mr Morris" to them. I had really adapted quickly to being a Mr. Teaching high school will do that to you.

I stormed out of the dressing room having made my point, lit a cigarette, and listened through the door to the players talk it over. They really did not think Mr sounded right, but what to call me so that I wouldn't lose it again.

Lionel Corston, my next door neighbour and First Nations person spoke up and said, "Let's call him Chief. He's the chief and we are the Indians." Immediately they all agreed. (I use the word Indians totally in the context of the dressing room conversation.)

The dressing room door opened and led by team captain Jamie Doyle, who had hired me, they marched past, each one saying, "Hi Chief" with the mischievous smiles that only kids can display when they have won a round. What could I do? The name stuck, at first just used by hockey players, then much more widely, and when someone wanted to really make a point it became "The Chief said..."

Of course for the most part I was Mr Morris at school.

Like all teachers I also became "Sir" as in "Sir said.." and later I had an increasing number call me "MJ" and still do.

1978 at opening of Chapleau Civic Centre

While living in Chapleau I became the reeve (mayor) of Chapleau, and I was called Reeve Morris, Mr Reeve and at times "Your Worship" --- an honorific I actually hated and still do when I hear it in reference to the head of a municipality.

But not all names I have had were terms of endearment. Here is one example as told to me by Gilbert Landry, who was the head custodian at CHS for many years and my good friend.

One night Gilbert was at a social gathering when the conversation turned to the Canadian economy which was in a downturn in the early Seventies. Gilbert reported that one person commented: "I know what's wrong with the economy. It's all the fault of that son of a bitch Morris and Trudeau." Pierre Trudeau was prime minister of Canada at the time.

I know that in my time I've been called an SOB and worse whether it has been because of my involvement in hockey or politics or whatever. But that's OK.

At College of the Rockies it was mostly Michael. On Facebook, it seems that I'm getting Michael, Mike, MJ, and Chief most of the time. The odd Sir or Mr Morris.

In my office at College of the Rockies

How did I deal with it when people asked me what I preferred to be called over the years. I have simply replied that whatever makes them comfortable. Obviously Chief brings back some of the fondest memories while coaching those Midgets who were so much a part of my life 40 plus years ago, and for Lionel Corston who died far too young.

In the past ten years I have a new one. My best friend calls me "Bud" as in "what's up today Bud?" when he contacts me on messenger or phone.



Please comment or email me at mj.morris@live.ca.