Personal connections

Two articles in the August-September 2022 issue, “Sitting on Fire,” by Shezan Muhammedi, and “Rebels in Exile,” by Deke Richards, offered me a compelling opportunity to reflect upon my personal connections to the events they profiled.

In October 1972, I was engaged to teach French to adults at a Centre d’orientation et de formation des Immigrants in Montreal, my hometown. My first classes that autumn were composed entirely of Ugandan Asian refugees, all of whom were already fluent in English or Swahili, usually both, and sometimes in Gujarati as well. Their financial security while acquiring a working knowledge of French was provided by a living allowance to cover basic needs.

My colleagues at the centre could see from the start that, given time to adjust to their new surroundings, these newcomers would bring new energy to Canada’s business and cultural life. As Muhammedi points out, this has certainly been the case.

Growing up in Montreal, I had always been intrigued by the Patriote memorial in Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. The monument features the names of the Lower Canadian rebels who were deported to Australia following the Rebellions of 1837–38.

In 1988, while living in Vancouver and singing with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir, I embarked with the choir on a singing tour in Australia.

I knew that Patriote Joseph Marceau’s descendant Kevin Marceau was living in Mona Vale, Sydney. Upon arriving in Australia, I telephoned Kevin, who kindly invited me to his family’s home. I learned that in 1987 Kevin had published a detailed history of his family line, beginning with Joseph Marceau, entitled All But One Went Home: The Marceau

Story. To my delight, he gave me a copy, one of only two hundred that were printed. Later that week, he and his wife, Estelle, attended our choir’s concert. On the program was “Un Canadien errant.” A moment to cherish! Peter Bela Clark Nanaimo, B.C.