KAGAWONG—Audiences attending the History Day in Kagawong presentations are always treated to a fascinating glimpse back through the mists of time, but this year the rear view mirror displayed a very familiar face for many in the seats—that of the late Liberal Prime Minister the Honourable Lester Bowles Pearson, known simply as “Mike” to many Islanders, and who represented Manitoulin as a federal MP for 20 years.
Mr. Pearson’s life and times was illuminated through the lens of those who knew him best, with his granddaughter Patricia Pearson delivering the keynote address and a number of close Pearson family members in attendance. Sitting in the front row were Landon Carter (Lucy) Pearson, the daughter-in-law of the former prime minister through her marriage to his son Geoffrey Pearson; Barbara Hannah (another Pearson granddaughter) and her partner Gwen Shandroski; as well as Patricia Pearson’s husband Ambrose Pottie.
The evening began with a greeting by Old Mill Heritage Centre curator Rick Nelson, who acted as emcee for the evening. An official welcome was provided by Billings Museum Board Chair Dianne Fraser, who read an official communication and congratulations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who regretted not being able to attend.
The main event of the evening, however, was the keynote address by Pearson granddaughter and writer Patricia Pearson who took the audience back through the mists of time to provide an intimate perspective on the man who, as an eight-year-old child knew her grandfather first and foremost through “the smell of his blazer and the merriment in his voice.”
She described a man who was “unpretentious,” but with whom “you always knew where you stood.”
“He was playful, but brilliant,” she said. She described a man who, in counterpoint to what is going on south of the border these days, spent a lot of his time in thoughtfulness and “was not a bully.”
The people of Manitoulin and East Algoma responded by embracing his philosophy of building a better more peaceful world “and the world is better for it.”
Throughout her presentation, Ms. Pearson returned to the theme that, thanks to the continued support of Mike Pearson, Canada has its own iconic flag, a universal healthcare system that Canadians repeatedly identify as their proudest national institution and bilingualism, which is currently once again growing across the nation.
But Ms. Pearson also dispelled any inclination to see her grandfather through a total rose tint. While he was often far ahead of his time with his vision and consensual approach to government (a good thing as he never enjoyed a majority government), he was also a man of his time.
Ms. Pearson alluded to the Algoma Fishing Club an artifact whose sole unspoken raison d’etre was to funnel funds to offset the extra expenses incurred by the party leader outside of his official government (or party) role. “It was probably totally illegal,” admitted Ms. Pearson to loud laughter from the audience.
Ms. Pearson said that her father was always characterized by outsiders as the CEO, but that his own often espoused role was more often expressed as the janitor.
One of his proudest moments, noted Ms. Pearson, was the presentation of a sacred eagle feather by the community of Wiikwemkoong.
Barbara Hannah, another Pearson granddaughter, was also at the presentations, spoke briefly about the man she “knew as a grandfather.”
She recalled asking her grandfather to give her a shout out while giving a major speech. He told her that would not be possible. But then he said, ‘I will give you a signal, I will tap the side of my nose’,” she recalled. As the 12-year-old watched the speech closely she saw him reach up and tap the side of his nose.
In another anecdote that painted a picture of the man, the doting grandfather, she recalled how she was an avid hockey fan and would watch the games with her grandfather at 24 Sussex Drive. One evening the championship game between rivals the Montreal Canadians (her favourites) and their arch rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs would go long past her bedtime. While Mr. Pearson made no attempt to overrule her parents, he demonstrated his diplomatic skills by promising to leave her a note with the score and who the three stars of the game were.
When she awoke in the morning she found a note with all of the promised information contained therein pinned to her pillow.
Ms. Hannah also recalled the day her grandfather came home from a flight he shared with John Lennon bearing a ‘War is Over’ poster signed by the famed member of the Beatles and his wife Yoko Ono. The teenaged Ms. Hannah, an avid Beatles fan, was overjoyed when her grandfather presented her with the poster.
History Day in Kagawong presentations were segmented in half by light refreshments and a chance to engage in conversation and/or take in the many exhibits on hand at the Park Centre, including the aforementioned signed ‘War is Over’ poster.
The second half of the lectures included “never before seen” film footage of a 1966 school trip by nine Grade 12 and 13 Algoma-East high school students (one deserving student from each of the riding’s high schools) that included sometime Expositor contributor Margo Little (Gore Bay, who was at the matinee session), Milford George (Little Current), Vicki Farquhar (Mindemoya, who was at the evening session), Daniel Manitowabi (Wiikwemkoong), Regina Samulski (Blind River), Robert McEachren (Chapleau), Mary McGurk (Elliot Lake) and Alice Wolgemuth (Thessalon).
The prime minister’s message read, “My wife and I would like to congratulate you on your election as the 1966 Award students from the high schools of Algoma East. We have planned a busy schedule for you which I think you will find interesting. We hope that you will return home with many memories of a pleasant visit to the capital of Canada. We are glad you are coming and look forward to meeting you.” It was signed “With kindest personal regards, Lester B. Pearson, P.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Canada.”
And what an interesting time was had over the following two days, as the students not only met Mr. Pearson in his office, they had lunch with the prime minster and his wife, toured the parliament buildings, climbed the Peace Tower, met with then Governor General Georges Vanier (who looked every inch the French Canadian patriarch), but also joined the prime minister at his Harrington Lake cottage retreat and got an up close and personal private viewing of the famed RCMP Musical Ride as they rehearsed.
Following a review of the film, the audience was treated to a slide show narrated by Mr. Nelson that featured photographs from the past (including a photo of Mr. Pearson reading The Expositor that Mr. Nelson exhorted the newspaper to rerun on its front page) and the presentation of a sacred eagle feather to Prime Minister Pearson.
Following the evening talks, formal and informal, there were two special presentations made. One was of a framed selection of photographs from the Pearson family to long-time family friend Billings Mayor Austin Hunt and the second a bouquet of flowers from the museum board to the Pearson family.
Mrs. Pearson recalled her late father-in-law as an exceptional human being and leader of men who the world will likely not see again, but whose guidance is sorely needed in these troubled times. A sentiment shared by most of those present in the hall.
The Lester B. Pearson Exhibit, which includes a scaled down replica of Mr. Pearson’s home private office that features many of the artifacts from the original office on loan from the Government of Canada, can be seen free of charge (donations gratefully accepted) at the Old Mill Heritage Centre Museum in Kagawong, from 9 am to 4:30 pm until October 7.
