The Government of Canada Celebrates the History and Heritage of Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain

News release

NOTRE-DAME-DE-PONTMAIN, Quebec, August 8, 2019

David Graham, Member of Parliament (Laurentides‒Labelle), announced today that the Government of Canada is providing $45,000 in funding for the 125th anniversary celebrations of the municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain. Mr. Graham made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism.

The funds, provided through the Legacy Fund component of the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, will be used for a sculpture in honour of the founders and builders of Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain.

The sculpture will be erected in the rest area in the centre of the village and will bear a commemorative plaque with the names of those who founded the village in 1845.

Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain is the oldest village in the northern Laurentians. The area was first colonized by English and French settlers who lived alongside Algonquins, the region’s first occupants.

Quotes

“Our government is proud to fund a sculpture in honour of the founders and builders of Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain. The project will make it possible to pass down the municipality’s history with the younger generations, as well as share it with both local residents and everyone who visits the Laurentians every year.”

—The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

“We are delighted to assist the municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain in the commemoration of its history. The festivities for the village’s 125th anniversary are an opportunity for residents to honour the courage and determination of those who founded one of the oldest villages in the Upper Laurentians along the Lièvre River. They are also a chance for residents to strengthen the ties that make Notre‑Dame‑de‑Pontmain such a supportive and welcoming community.”

—David Graham, Member of Parliament (Laurentides‒Labelle)

“Taking the time, as a community, to remind ourselves of everything accomplished by the founders and builders of our village can only be beneficial and enriching for us all. Our predecessors chose this magnificent location, rich in water, landscapes and natural treasures, and by the 1800s the first steps were taken toward what would become Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain. All the efforts, hard work and determination that they needed to create a community and found our village certainly deserve to be highlighted. When we take the time to look back on the road we have taken, we find that it is very interesting to discover everything that has been accomplished and commemorate all that was achieved over the past 125 years to build our community. The sculpture of the founders and builders is undoubtedly an invaluable legacy for our community, highlighting history from yesterday to today, and keeping it alive by fostering the development of future generations.”

—Francine Laroche, Mayor of Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain, and Sylvain Langlais, Chair, Comité d’événements du 125e anniversaire de Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain

Quick facts

  • The Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program was created to help communities celebrate their past and present. The program increases opportunities for local artists and artisans, heritage performers or specialists to engage in their communities through festivals, events and projects. It also allows local groups to commemorate their history and heritage.

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Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Simon Ross
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
819-997-7788

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca

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