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