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-Press Release from Past Forward Heritage-
Small northern
Ontario town celebrates
election of
Canada’s first
Black mayor in 1963
The northern
Ontario town of
Mattawa has a population of 2000 that is
largely made up of people from English, French and Native heritage and is best
known for its role in the early fur trade and for logging and lumbering. In 2009
Mattawa celebrated its 125th anniversary. Significant
in these celebrations was Mattawa’s proud role in a milestone event in Canadian
Black history, the election in 1963 of
Canada’s First Black Mayor, Haitian
immigrant Dr. S. F. Monestime.
As part of these celebrations
Past Forward Heritage published Where Rivers Meet: The Story of Dr. S.
F. Monestime Canada’s Fist Black Mayor by regional historian and heritage
columnist
Doug Mackey. Mackey was asked by Dr.
Monestime’s family to write the story of Dr. Monestime and his wife Zena
Petschersky, who was a refugee from war-torn
Europe, and their struggles to raise a family and make a
meaningful life in
Canada.
Doug Mackey is the award winning author of
The Fossmill Story, and The Kiosk Story.
The story of what happened when
a Black doctor from the
Caribbean nation of
Haiti, on his way to
Timmins from
Ottawa, stopped for lunch at the Chez Francois
Restaurant in Mattawa in 1951 is local legend. “Dr. Monestime thought they were
going to challenge him when he entered the restaurant.” Mackey recalls “but what
did happen eventually led to his historical election as the mayor of Mattawa
twelve years later. His election was national and international news at the
time. He eventually served nine terms as mayor until his death in 1977.”
The owner of the Chez Francois
Restaurant had been a patient of Dr. Monestime’s in
Ottawa and was pleased to see him. A long
serving Mattawa doctor had recently died and a new doctor was proving hard to
find. The town leaders welcomed Dr. Monestime and he stayed
to be the town’s highly respected doctor.
In 1962 Dr Monestime’s instinct
for public service, honed in
Haiti, came to the fore and he
became a Municipal Councillor. In 1963 he was elected Mayor –
Canada’s first elected black Mayor.
He also became active in Conservative politics and was a Director in the Federal
Progressive Conservative Party and ran for national President. His contribution
in Mattawa, federally and provincially was significant. A review of
Where Rivers Meet stated, “Monestime’s humanity, his love for people, and
his almost willful ignorance of the pervading racism of the time are depicted
very clearly, and he is presented as the prototype Canadian for a multicultural
age.”
His role, with his wife Zena,
in establishing the Algonquin Nursing Home now administered by their daughter
Vala is a remarkable achievement providing an accredited, bilingual long term
care home for area seniors. Dr. Monestime was known for his availability, his
leadership, and his powerful personality including a memorable laugh, all of
which are part of his legend and part the deep affection people still have for
him long after his demise. There is a display on Dr. Monestime at the
Mattawa
Museum.
Mattawa ended its 125th
anniversary activities on New Years Day 2010 with a standing room only event in
the town’s council chambers recognizing Dr. Monestime and the 100th anniversary
of his birthday
December 16th, 1909. They
dedicated the Council Chamber to his memory and unveiled a portrait of him by
local artist Clermont Duval.
The presence of three Liberal
government members – the Hon. Monique Smith, MPP, Anthony Rota, MP and Mauril
Belanger, MP is an indication of the respect for Dr. Monestime. They all praised
him and his family’s contribution. The high Liberal praise for a staunch
Progressive Conservative brought smiles and laughter to the audience. Pierrette
Burke who worked in the Municipal Office with him throughout his career brought
tears to her eyes and others in her memorial reminiscences.
The event was finalized with
the announcement by Mattawa Mayor Dean Backer that council has approved the name
of Mattawa’s
Main Street as
Monestime Way. Also MP Mauril Belanger
(Ottawa-Vanier) who grew up in Mattawa and was inspired by Dr. Monestime
announced that an effort is being made to establish a medical bursary in his
name for Haitian medical students. Another pleasant surprise was the attendance
of Dr. Monestime’s son Daniel, from an early Haitian marriage, along with
Daniel's wife Emillie and daughters Margareth and Mai Valentine.
After hearing the news of the
devastating earthquake in
Haiti the people of Mattawa have
rallied to support the people of Dr. Monestime’s homeland and have organized a
“Change for
Haiti” fundraising event that has
raised over $11,000 toward
Haiti relief. Past Forward has
decided to donate $2 per copy from the sale of Where Rivers Meet to
Haitian relief efforts.
During Black History Month 2010
Past Forward and the people of Mattawa are proud to celebrate
Canada’s first elected Black Mayor,
Dr. S. F. Monestime. He joins proudly the list of firsts in municipal politics
with individuals such as: Burr Plato, elected Niagara Falls Councillor 1886;
William Peyton Hubbard, elected Toronto alderman in 1894 and was a controller
and deputy mayor; and Daurene Lewis who was elected mayor of Annapolis Royal,
Nova Scotia in 1984 to become the first Black woman mayor in Canada.
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