April 17, 2009 History Notes in Perspective

The following are some miscellaneous items that may be of interest to history buffs. 

The Ottawa River Heritage Designation 

I recently spoke to Dan Gibson the National Manager of the Canadian Heritage River System.  He indicated that the heritage designation nomination for the Ottawa River has finally  gone ahead and will hopefully be approved in 2009.  The joining of the Mattawa Heritage River with a Heritage Ottawa River would be a watershed moment, so to speak, and could be recognized in Mattawa in 2009 during their 125^th anniversary. 

Mattawa Councillor Gary Thibault is on the designation committee and had several local people working with him in a Mattawa sub group.  Local historian Jack Whalen wrote a fine piece on Mattawa in the Background Study for Nomination.  This remarkable 268 page study is online at www.ottawariver.org. 

The designation provides many Community and many River benefits as outlined under “The Ottawa River Designation Project” online at the address above.

More Mattawa Matters 

The Mattawa Museum will host a visit from northern museum people for their annual meeting May 2 at the Museum.  They are meeting this year in Mattawa as a part of Mattawa’s 125^th Anniversary.  They have their Annual General Meeting and there are various workshops. 

Former RCMP Commissioner Maurice Nadon with Queen Elizabeth.  Submitted photos

The Museum will be celebrating its 25^th anniversary on June 13 with the opening of the Maurice Nadon  Exhibit.  Nadon is a former Mattawa boy who became The Commisioner of the RCMP.  He is expected to attend. 

My biography on  Canada’s First Black Mayor, Dr. S.F. Monestime, Mattawa’s long time mayor in the 1960-70s will be available May 1 in book stores and on line at www.pastforward.ca.  The book is called Where Rivers Meet. 

Speaking of Where Rivers Meet the Mattawa Voyageur Days (July 23-26) has a Where Rivers Meet section of their event and have added 2 great acts to it--  Sass Jordan and 54/40, along with their long list of other groups playing over the weekend.  Tickets are available at 705 744-6222. 

Regional Historica Fairs 

The Ontario Historica Heritage Fairs Association coordinates History Fairs like the better known Science Fairs we hear about.  The fairs feature research projects by students.  North Bay has one at Nipissing University on Friday, May 1, 2009.  I have attended a couple and they are an outstanding example of the nurturing of an interest in history.  The Fair includes many things besides the student projects  Museums, historical associations, businesses and multicultural groups offer displays and there are demonstrations, food, entertainment, workshops and speeches (including me).  There are open hours when guests are welcome to look at the student displays and hear the students discuss their projects.  Plan to drop in for an interesting history making experience.  For further info log on to http://www.ohhfa.ca/index.php?pr=North_Bay_Regional_Fair 

Mathew Bennison display at last year’s Historica Fair at Nipissing University. Historica Fair photo

Mathew Bennison a Grade 8 student at St. Hubert School in North Bay who is a typical researcher contacted me recently about his project on his g.g.grandfather Henry Morel who was our area MPP from 1908-1919 and from 1923-1930.  Mathew participated last year and made it to the Regional Fair at NipissingU  His project last year was on the Otto Holden Generation Station on the Ottawa River,8 kilometres above Mattawa ,which coincidentally is an article I am currently working on. 

Extraordinary Canadian Books 

As a follow up to my article on the Penguin Extraordinary Candians book on Norman Bethune last week I want to note that I have not been able to get the book yet in North Bay.  There is an excellent review of the book on amazon.ca and in a  Customer Review by Dr. A.W. Howard a Professor of Surgery at the U.of T. he calls Bethune “the world’s most famous surgeon” who was “decades ahead of his time.” 

You would think that Macleans magazine writer Brian Bethune would have been assigned the Bethune book to review but he got the Penguin Pierre Elliott Trudeau one.  An excellent 3 page review with photos appears in the April 13 issue.