June 21st, 2014 | www.qctonline.com Insight and hindsight We are collectively celebrating the most of its history, the QCT con- Our 250th anniversary edition sim- The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph sincerely thanks the following people 250th anniversary of North Amer- nected Quebecers to international ilarly aims to entertain, inform, and for their creativity and efforts. ica’s oldest newspaper – the Quebec happenings. Today we focus on lo- benefit the community. This requires Publishers: Ray and Stacie Stanton Chronicle-Telegraph. Equally significant, cal angles typically not covered else- exploring more than the Quebec Chron- Editing/coordination: Bethann G. Merkle since 1925, the QCT has been the where. Yet, in 1764 William Brown icle-Telegraph’s remarkable and convo- Copy editing and revision of original English texts: only English-language newspaper (see page 31) eloquently explained luted history. We aim to provoke you Shirley Nadeau and Mary Hilton published in the predominantly the significance of a local newspaper to think creatively and critically about Translation English to French: French-speaking Quebec City region. in words that are still relevant today. what this newspaper is in our commu- Les Ateliers de conversation anglaise, Inc. In many ways, the world we nity – and what it could and should be. Research: Charles André Nadeau write about today is radically differ- “As every kind of knowledge We opted against a dry anniver- ent from that of our founders. For sary edition chock full of old news. Art Director: Sarah Didycz is not only entertaining and Design & Layout: Leanne Gilbert Instead, our contributors prompt us instructive to individuals, but a to look ahead – at what the future Contributors: Pierre Asselin, Peter Black, Sovita Chander, David Johanson, benefit to the community, there could be – by considering what has Joe Lonergan, Karen Macdonald is great reason to hope that passed. We look forward to receiv- Clive Meredith, Charles André Nadeau ing your commentaries and Letters Peter O’Donohue, Richard Walling a NEWS-PAPER [sic], properly to the Editor in response. Cover Photo: Jay Ouelett conducted and written with Whether you join us in person All images are from QCT archives unless otherwise indicated. accuracy, freedom, and or in spirit, thank you for the essen- Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle impartiality, cannot fail of tial part you play in our on-going celebration. We look forward to Shirley Nadeau meeting with universal QCT copy editor a vibrant future chronicling your EDITOR & PUBLISHER - Stacie Stanton rédactrice du QCT encouragement…” community and your news. GENERAL MANAGER - Taylor Ireland ADMINISTRATION & CIRCULATION - Wendy Little ADVERTISING SALES - [email protected] COPY EDITOR - Shirley Nadeau ONLINE UPDATING - Matt Little JOURNALISTS - Danielle Burns, Juanita Craig, Bill Cox, Cassandra Kerwin, Bethann G. Merkle, Shirley Nadeau, Ruby Pratka, Sophie Rivett-Carnac, Marie White Le passé et l’avenir CONTRIBUTORS - Mary Hilton, Catherine Mills-Rouleau Nous célébrons collectivement

GRAPHIC DESIGN - Cheryl Stabinski Comme tout type de connaissance Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle le 250e anniversaire du plus vieux est non seulement divertissante (Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph journal en Amérique du Nord : le Corporation Inc.) et instructive pour les individus, Bethann G. Merkle 1040 Belvedere, suite 218 Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. Fait à not- Journalist/anniversary coordinator Quebec City, QC G1S 3G3 er, depuis 1925, le QCT est le seul mais aussi bénéfique pour la coordonnatrice des célébrations du 250e Tel.: 418 650-1764 journal de langueanglaise publié communauté, il y a de bonnes réfléchir à la place qu’occupe ce journal Fax: 418 650-5172 dans notre communauté, mais aussi à dans la région de Québec, major- raisons d’espérer qu’un journal, [email protected] itairement francophone. celles qu’il pourrait et devrait occuper. www.qctonline.com Sous plusieurs aspects, le monde si tant est qu’il soit bien dirigé et Nous avons rejeté l’idée d’une édi- 1 Yr. - Paper and Online Subscription que nous décrivons aujourd’hui est rédigé avec précision, liberté et im- tion anniversaire remplie de vieilles $46.84 in Canada (Includes taxes) complètement différent de celui de partialité, ne peut faire autrement nouvelles. Nos collaborateurs nous in- Letters and comments are always welcome; please nos fondateurs. Pendant la majeure vitent à contempler autant le s futurs submit via website at www.qctonline.com or que de recevoir un accueil univer- [email protected] or by fax 418 650-5172 or partie de son histoire, le QCT offrait possibles que le passé. Nous avons by regular mail, Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, 1040, sellement chaleureux […]. Belvedere, Suite 218, Quebec City, QC, G1S 3G3. We une couverture internationale, alors bien hâte de lire vos commentaires et reserve the right to edit letters due to space restriction. vos lettres en réponse à ce sujet. Anonymous material will not be published. For more qu’aujourd’hui, il est plutôt axé sur Notre édition du 250e vise elle information, please call 418 650-1764. le genre de nouvelles locales qu’on aussi à divertir, à informer et à être b Que vous soyez des nôtres en per- ne trouve nulle part ailleurs. Cepen- énéfique pour la communauté. Nous sonne ou en esprit, nous vous remer- dant, déj à en 1764, William Brown ne nous contenterons pas de présen cions pour le rôle essentiel que vous Deposited at Quebec City RVU (page 31) expliquait éloquemment ter l’histoire remarquable et pleine jouez dans notre célébration. Sou- ISSN no. 0226-9252 l’importance d’un journal local de rebondissements du Quebec Chron- haitons au QCT un avenir radieux au We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department dans de s mots qui ont gardé toute icle-Telegraph. service de notre communauté et de of Canadian Heritage. leur pertinence : Nous chercherons à vous inciter à ses nouvelles!

2 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 3 Letter to our readers different owners, has moved office Stacie and Ray Stanton locations numerous times and has Publishers undergone more than a couple of

When William Brown and name changes. The paper has seen Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle Thomas Gilmore published the the challenges of new technology first edition of their weekly paper and the ever-changing ways in on June 21, 1764, we are quite sure which readers consume the news. they had no idea that 250 years later Despite these challenges, the paper we would be here celebrating what has stayed true to its founding has become North America’s oldest partners’ dream to provide the newspaper, The Quebec Chronicle- community with a relevant and Telegraph. enduring voice. Indeed, the One of the rewards of an offi- QCT has evolved along with the cial celebration such as the Quebec community it serves. Chronicle-Telegraph’s 250th Anniver- Today, with its unique role as sary is the opportunity it provides the only English-language newspa- institution’s 250th Anniversary Congratulations to all involved in to look back at its history, see where per published in the Quebec City celebration. The QCT’s long history making this momentous milestone it is today and plan for its future. region, it is even more crucial for and success is and has always been, so special. We have every confidence The history of the QCT is deep- sustaining the community’s identi- dependent upon the unwavering that the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph ly intertwined with the history of ty and social cohesion. dedication of its writers and con- will continue to hold its place as it Quebec City. Over the course of its We are honoured and privi- tributors and upon its loyal readers. chronicles the community it serves 250 years, it has seen a number of leged to be a part of this treasured For this we are deeply appreciative. for years to come.

Lettre à nos lecteurs de revenir sur l’histoire du journal, munauté une voix pertinente qui de cette institution bien-aimée. Au- Stacie et Ray Stanton de faire un état des lieux et de plan- traverse les époques. En effet, on jourd’hui comme hier, la longévité Éditeurs ifier l’avenir. peut dire que le QCT a évolué au et la réussite du QCT reposent sur Lorsque William Brown et L’histoire du QCT et celle de la même rythme que la communauté le dévouement sans faille de ses Thomas Gilmore publièrent la ville de Québec sont profondément qu’il sert. journalistes et collaborateurs et sur première édition de leur journal interreliées. Au cours de ses 250 Aujourd’hui, en raison de la la fidélité de ses lecteurs. Nous vous hebdomadaire le 21 juin 1764, ils années d’existence, le QCT a vu place particulière qu’il occupe en en sommes extrêmement recon- ne se doutaient sûrement pas que se succéder bien des propriétaires, tant que seul journal de langue naissants. Félicitations à tous ceux 250 ans plus tard, nous célébreri- bien des domiciles et quelques anglaise publié dans la région de qui ont contribué à faire de cet ons ce qui est aujourd’hui le plus changements de nom. Il a aussi Québec, il est encore plus crucial anniversaire important un événe- vieux journal en Amérique du été confronté au défi des nouvelles au maintien de l’identité et de la ment aussi marquant. L’avenir Nord : le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. technologies et à la multiplication cohésion sociale de la commu- du Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph nous Une célébration officielle com- des manières de consommer les nauté. inspire confiance, et nous sommes me le 250e anniversaire du Quebec nouvelles. Malgré ces embûches, C’est pour nous un honneur et persuadés qu’il poursuivra encore Chronicle-Telegraph a ceci de merveil- le journal est resté fidèle au rêve un privilège de prendre part à la longtemps sa mission de chroni- leux qu’elle nous permet à la fois de ses fondateurs d’offrir à la com- célébration du 250e anniversaire queur de la communauté.

4 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Who reads the newspaper anymore, anyway?

While the overall newspaper scene is challenging, ed (top three finalists) in five cate- spanned the gamut. Some pondered gories1, and one of our journalists the historic or contemporary role studies show that community newspapers are still was the provincial winner in another of community newspapers. Some considered Canada’s most trustworthy news and ad national journalism competition. reminisced about how a community newspaper shaped their past experi- sources, and that three out of five English-speakers in Statistics and demographics aside, ences. Above all, the following essays Quebec read their local newspaper. what do our readers think? are thought-provoking and insightful We posed this question to the explorations of what a community Here in Quebec City, we like to readership lives in the greater community months ago: “In the newspaper is and can be. think we offer an antidote to the Quebec City area, our weekly dis- 21st century, what does a commu- overwhelming volume of disheart- tribution stretches from Shannon nity newspaper mean for our com- 12014 awards were announced after this ening news that floods daily news (near the Canadian Forces Base munity and beyond?” edition went to print; see www.qctonline. outlets. As a “good news news- Valcartier) to Thetford Mines. The responses we received com for how we fared. paper” our newspaper serves a Our subscriber list also includes distinct community in the provin- a healthy number of national and cial capital. And our sense of that international readers. community is justifiably broad. In light of 2011 Canada Census Local news is still thriving. results, we estimate the Quebec Chron- In addition to promising nation- icle-Telegraph’s total potential reach al survey results, the QCT regular- at well over 20,000 individuals. ly wins awards from the Quebec This number includes the area’s Community Newspaper Associa- established English-speaking com- tion for our original local content. munity, an extensive population of In 2013 alone, we won awards English-speaking immigrants, and in five categories, and one of our French-speakers interested in read- journalists was named Outstand- ing local news and events in English. ing Photojournalist of the Year. In Although the majority of our 2014, we were once again shortlist-

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 5 The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph and the

Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle Information Age It might not be obvious at first but two centuries ago, the reasons for creating a newspaper Those of us who speak la langue de Molière have much were as valid then as they are in today’s techno-driven world. The need for information to learn from our fellow citi- still fuels the same endeavours all around the world, sometimes at a scale that seemed zens who speak the language of Shakespeare. I think the Quebec unthinkable just 20 years ago. Chronicle Telegraph can write for, and be read by, both communities, just like Le predates the silicon chip. By millennia. which Means they will be enabled to Soleil or le Journal de Québec. Pierre Asselin When our ancestors painted ani- (...) communicate their Sentiments to The rapid change of the media Editorialist and journalist at Le Soleil mals on the walls of caves, they did it to each other as Brethren (...) bringing to landscape forces everyone to think The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph (QCT) share information. The drumbeats of their Knowledge the Transactions of “outside the box” so to speak, because is not the only one celebrating an an- Africa had the same purpose: to send the different and most distant Nations that box is falling apart. This challenge niversary in 2014. The World Wide information from one place to anoth- of the World…” is as much a threat as a new beginning. Web is coming of age: two very differ- er, from one group to another. The The idea that communication For us, at Le Soleil, it means thinking ent mediums and two very different hunt was successful; a war has started; is essential to the community about new formats, like video and mo- anniversaries. The Web is 10 times someone died yesterday; a baby was was obvious, even then. These bile platforms, more live news. What younger – it has only been 25 years born today. All the important news, as words explain why the Quebec Chroni- does it mean for the QCT? For all pub- since Tim Berners-Lee first submitted well as mundane and trivial gossip – it cle-Telegraph is still relevant today, even lications, format is the first priority, and to CERN (the European Organiza- could be told and retold with just the though the way we share information the QCT embraced the question early tion for Nuclear Research) his plan for percussive sounds of sticks or hands has changed dramatically. Newspapers on with its website. But this could also a system that would give thousands of hitting a tightly-wrapped skin. like Le Soleil, where I’ve worked for over be an opportunity for the newspaper scientists access to information stored What difference is there between 30 years now, must reinvent them- to redefine its scope. There is a lot go- on any computer, next door or at the cave paintings, drum beats, and selves, and fast. The QCT faces the ing on in Quebec City, sometimes even other end of the world. typeface printed on a sheet of pa- same challenges: What will the next too much in a day for Le Soleil to cover. Now you probably don’t see much per? Not much. Three mediums, business model look like? How do we Could the Chronicle-Telegraph expand connection between the traditional one need: information, it’s what maintain our community of readers? its coverage and offer more in-depth print newspaper and Berners-Lee’s binds the community together. The Everything is accessible now, feature articles and interviews with idea about linking documents on more information you have, and the through the Internet. Can we com- personalities from a wider spectrum? computers through phone lines. But more relevant it is, the stronger the pete against this overdose of informa- Give more space to opinion, on paper with the explosion of the Web, since bond. What we know about each tion? I like to think that we can. There as well as in blogs? the first website went online in 1991, other, about the society in which will always be a need for local infor- I have no doubt that there has al- we can see what the two mediums we live, allows us to make better mation. And local information can be ways been a strong will to do all those have in common. decisions. It helps us understand the a lot of things. A lot! things at the QCT, but the challenge Whether we get our infor- events that slowly shape our world, The situation in which the is double-edged. On one hand, can a mation by means of print or and sometimes it gives us a chance QCT finds itself at this point is as small newspaper afford to do them? silicon chips, the information is, to change the outcome. That is why much a challenge as it is an op- And on the other, can it afford not to? and always has been, about the information matters so much to us. portunity. The QCT’s priority is and These two questions haunt just community. And to thrive, com- You might think that, 250 years ago, must be to keep Quebec City’s Anglos, about every publisher in the country munities need information. The two people didn’t think in those terms. I as we say, well informed about what’s today. We all want to tailor the cov- work hand in glove. If you happen mean, even 50 years ago people didn’t happening in their community. But Wil- erage we offer in the hope that it will to be a butterfly hunter, or if you like use that language. But take a look at liam Brown also had a broader vision increase our readership. Every day, watching stars, listening to rockabilly what William Brown wrote on the when he launched his paper. Through that is the challenge in this fascinating or, like me, tinkering endlessly with prospectus he printed to announce his The Quebec Gazette he hoped to reach business of ours. I think that for both your computer, you can be part of a bilingual Quebec Gazette in 1764. Part of both French- and English-speaking of us, Le Soleil and the Quebec Chroni- community. Thanks to the Internet, his objective, he said, was “...bringing communities, so they could “commu- cle-Telegraph, the only way forward is to you connect with people who share about a thorough Knowledge of the nicate their sentiments to each other.” use the new tools technology brings the same interests. English and French Language to those To what extent he achieved that, I don’t us, so that we can improve our con- We call this era of ours the Infor- of the two Nations now happily united know, but this goal is still an opportunity tent, expand our scope, and link more mation Age. But the Information Age in one in this Part of the World (...); by that should not be dismissed. people together.

6 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph et l’ère de l’information On serait tenté de croire le contraire, mais les raisons qui motivaient la création d’un journal Shakespeare. Je pense que le Quebec Chronicle Telegraph peut écrire pour, et il y a deux siècles demeurent valides aujourd’hui, dans notre monde technologique. Le besoin être lu par, les deux communautés, d’information continue d’alimenter ces entreprises partout dans le monde, parfois à une comme Le Soleil ou Le Journal de Québec. échelle qui aurait été impensable il y a 20 ans. Le changement rapide du paysage médiatique nous force tous à explorer Quand nos ancêtres peignaient […], afin qu’ils soient en mesure de de nouvelles façons de faire, parce que Pierre Asselin des animaux sur le mur des cavernes, […] se communiquer mutuellement les anciennes sont en voie de dispari- Editorialist and journalist at Le Soleil c’était pour échanger de l’information. leurs sentiments en tant que frères tion. Ce défi est à la fois une menace Le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph (QCT) Les rythmes de tambour en Afrique [...], et d’échanger leurs connaissances et un nouveau départ. Pour nous au n’est pas le seul à célébrer un anni- avaient le même objectif : envoyer de sur les différentes nations du monde, Soleil, cela se traduit par de nouveaux versaire en 2014. C’est aussi une an- l’information d’un endroit à l’autre, bien éloignées […] ». supports, comme les plateformes née importante pour le World Wide d’un groupe à l’autre. La chasse a été Ainsi, même à cette époque, vidéo et mobiles, et la publication de Web : deux médias très différents et couronnée de succès, la guerre a été dé- l’idée que la communication est davantage de nouvelles en continu. deux anniversaires très différents. clarée, quelqu’un est mort hier, un en- essentielle à la communauté allait Comment cela se traduira-t-il pour Le Web est dix fois plus jeune : il y a fant est né aujourd’hui. Toutes les nou- de soi. Ces mots expliquent pourquoi le QCT? Le support est la priorité 25 ans seulement, Tim Berners-Lee velles, grandes ou petites, pouvaient le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph est tou- numéro un de toutes les publications, présentait au CERN (Organisation être communiquées et transmises par jours pertinent, même si la manière et le QCT a déjà répondu à ce défi européenne pour la recherche nu- le son de bâtons ou de mains tapant dont nous échangeons l’information avec son site Web. Cependant, on cléaire) son plan pour la création sur une peau. a énormément évolué. Les journaux pourrait aussi y voir une occasion d’un système qui permettrait à des Quelle est la différence entre les comme Le Soleil, où je travaille depuis pour le journal de redéfinir sa portée. milliers de scientifiques d’accéder à peintures des cavernes, les rythmes de plus de 30 ans, doivent se réinventer Il se passe beaucoup de choses à Qué- des informations stockées sur n’im- tambour et les caractères imprimés au plus vite. Le QCT est confronté aux bec, au point que Le Soleil est parfois porte quel ordinateur dans le monde. sur une feuille de papier? Pas grand- mêmes défis : quel doit être le prochain incapable de tout couvrir. Le Chron- Vous ne voyez probablement pas chose. Trois médias, un seul besoin : modèle d’affaires? Comment mainte- icle-Telegraph pourrait-il offrir une grand lien entre le journal traditionnel l’information. C’est le liant de la com- nir notre communauté de lecteurs? couverture plus poussée avec des arti- et l’idée de Berners-Lee de lier des doc- munauté : plus vous détenez d’infor- De nos jours, tout est accessible par cles de fond et des entrevues avec des uments entre ordinateurs par les lignes mation et plus elle est pertinente, plus l’Internet. Pouvons-nous faire concur- personnalités provenant de différents téléphoniques. Mais depuis l’explosion le lien vous unissant sera fort. Ce que rence à ce raz-de-marée d’information? horizons? Y aurait-il lieu de donner de la toile qui a suivi la mise en ligne du nous savons les uns sur les autres et sur J’aime à penser que oui. Le besoin d’in- plus d’espace à l’opinion, sur papier et premier site Web en 1991, le lien entre la société dans laquelle nous vivons formation locale existera toujours. Par sous forme de blogues? les deux apparaît plus clairement. nous permet de prendre de meilleures ailleurs, l’information locale peut pren- Je n’ai aucun doute que la volonté Qu’on obtienne notre informa- décisions. Cette information nous dre toutes sortes de formes. de faire toutes ces choses a toujours tion grâce à l’impression ou grâce aide à comprendre les événements La situation dans laquelle le été présente au QCT, mais c’est un à des puces de silicone, cette qui transforment notre monde et QCT se trouve aujourd’hui est à défi à double tranchant. D’un côté, information porte, aujourd’hui nous donne parfois la chance de les la fois un défi et une occasion à est-ce qu’un petit journal peut se per- comme hier, sur la communauté. orienter. Voilà pourquoi l’information saisir. La priorité du QCT est et doit rest- mettre de les faire? D’un autre côté, Pour prospérer, les communautés ont est si importante pour nous. er d’informer les anglophones de Qué- peut-il se permettre de ne pas les faire? besoin d’information. Les deux sont On pourrait penser qu’il y a bec des événements touchant leur com- Ces deux questions hantent tous inséparables. Que vous soyez chas- 250 ans, les gens ne pensaient pas munauté. Mais William Brown avait les journaux du pays actuellement. seur de papillon ou que vous aimiez en ces termes. Évidemment, puis- aussi une vision plus large quand il a lancé Nous voulons tous adapter notre observer les étoiles, écouter du rock- qu’on n’utilisait même pas ces mots son journal. Par la Quebec Gazette, il espérait couverture dans l’espoir d’augmenter abilly ou, comme moi, bidouiller sur il y a 50 ans! Mais regardez bien ce pouvoir toucher autant les anglophones notre lectorat. C’est un défi de chaque votre ordinateur, vous pouvez faire que William Brown avait écrit sur le que les francophones, pour qu’ils puissent instant dans ce fascinant milieu qui partie d’une communauté. Grâce prospectus qu’il avait imprimé pour « se communiquer mutuellement leurs est le nôtre. Je crois que pour Le Soleil à l’Internet, vous pouvez établir des annoncer sa Quebec Gazette bilingue en sentiments ». Je ne me prononcerai pas comme pour le Quebec Chronicle-Tele- liens avec des gens qui partagent vos 1764. Son objectif était en partie, di- sur la réussite de son projet, mais j’y vois graph, la seule voie d’avenir passe intérêts. sait-il « […] d’apporter une connais- une idée qui mérite considération. par l’utilisation de nouveaux outils Nous appelons notre époque l’ère sance profonde de la langue anglaise Ceux d’entre nous qui parlent technologiques pour améliorer notre de l’information. Pourtant, l’ère de et française aux membres de ces deux la langue de Molière ont beau- contenu, augmenter notre portée et l’information précède la puce de sili- nations maintenant unies pour le coup à apprendre de leurs con- créer des liens entre toujours plus de cone… de plusieurs millénaires. meilleur dans cette partie du monde citoyens qui parlent la langue de personnes.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 7 For the things I really need to know, the local paper is where I find my answers. went to customers with a broader the gamut – world and local events, sified ads can be very revealing) that world view. And each paper had its business, scientific developments, together give us a pretty good snap- own focus, its own readership and, and more. The Post’s daily “Style” shot of what life is like in communi- indeed, its own personality. Like a section was practically a newspa- ty X, Y or Z. group of opinionated and mouthy per in itself, with terrific coverage In my professional experi- New Englanders (or New Yorkers), of books, the arts, and a range of ence – 29 years as a U.S. diplo- all these papers wore their person- social and cultural events particular mat – newspapers have been ality on the front page, and it was to the D.C. area. It was a treasure an invaluable professional tool. Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle immediately obvious which was trove of community information, Wherever I’ve been – Canada Republican, which was Democrat, albeit for the largish community of (I served both in Ottawa and in which one focused on the then-spi- D.C., Maryland and Virginia resi- Quebec City), India, Cameroon, Peter O’Donohue ralling crime rate, on world events, dents with a need to be connected. Bosnia, Tunisia, or Kuwait – lo- U.S. Consul General, Quebec City (retired) on sports, or on purely local affairs. Large or small, good newspa- cal newspapers served as a road Our hometown paper wasn’t pers provide invaluable insights map into the heart of local cul- Newspapers and I go back a much on world events or the ups into the communities they ture and as a valuable exercise in long way together. and downs of the Cold War, but if serve. Throughout my life, I’ve deciphering the local language I As a kid growing up in coastal our Mayor cut a ribbon, the Hour made a point of picking up local attempted to master (with very Connecticut – we’re talking over was on top of it. Far more im- newspapers wherever I find myself. mixed success). Local newspapers half a century ago – having a pa- portant, our local paper provided Although the Internet has forced thrive in many of these areas – less per route of one’s own was a status in-depth coverage of the daily fish- a cutback in the coverage of local dependent on the major interna- symbol in my part of town, and ing situation – a very big deal in a and regional newspapers, most tional wire services – and are con- kids competed fiercely to have one. waterfront New England town – as communities in North America sequently full of local life, colour, I confess that, a relative latecomer well as good coverage of local sports are still served by local papers that customs and opinions. Sometimes to the game in my neighbourhood, and school events, births, deaths offer a wealth of detail about local such local coverage seems odd by I only managed to carve out a very and marriages, and local politics. life. Maybe it’s the would-be an- Western tastes (I recall, for exam- small and temporary route of my Not bad for a medium-sized paper, thropologist in me (my college ma- ple, a serious discussion in some own, but frequently helped a friend and I expect most of its readers jor) but whether I’m in small-town Cameroonian newspapers of the with a much larger area deliver his didn’t feel any urgency to look fur- Iowa, Kentucky, Northern Ontar- phenomenon of “penis theft” papers. There was hardly a day ther afield for their daily news. io, Quebec or anyplace else, I find by sorcerers and witches and, in that we didn’t set out on our bikes The love of newspapers that endlessly fascinating the wealth of some Kuwaiti newspapers, fears like a couple of Pony Express rid- was awakened in me during detail that community newspapers expressed that Swine Flu was be- ers on a mission. Certain that our my delivery-boy years has re- provide about their readership. ing disseminated by Israel), but it customers were avid to know what mained a lifelong passion. As I’m an avid reader, among other always provides insights into local was going on in the world – and in I moved on to college and, later, bits, of local obituaries and wedding folks’ preoccupations, concerns, our local community – it was our graduate school – long before the announcements, both of which beliefs and aspirations. job to get the news to them. advent of the Internet – I devel- provide unique insights. Obituaries I wound up my diplomatic ca- I’m pleased to say that most oped the habit of devouring a tell us how local people have lived reer in Quebec City – three of days, notwithstanding snow, sleet, good newspaper with my morning their lives, what jobs they’ve held, the best years of my life – and hail, flat tires or broken spokes, the coffee. One of my fondest mem- what families they’ve raised, what I’m pleased to say that my daily news got through. ories of my graduate school years life experiences they’ve lived and perusal of the papers there – in Not content just to deliver the pa- in the Washington, D.C., area was what kind of memories they’ve left both French and English – was an pers, I also made a point of reading listening for the pre-dawn clunk behind. Wedding announcements important part of my Quebec ex- them and was intrigued even then of the Washington Post as it hit my give us a picture of the education- perience. French papers in Quebec by the sheer variety of newspapers driveway. I could rush outside, cof- al and work experience of younger retain an independence of spirit we delivered. Sure, there was our fee in hand, knowing that a whole people and where they hope to go and world-view that is quite dif- hometown staple, the Norwalk Hour, world of knowledge and informa- with their lives. This is fascinating ferent from their English counter- but there were also a variety of pa- tion lay at my feet. In those days, stuff that is usually well-supple- parts and effectively represent the pers from some of the larger near- the Washington Post, sadly winnowed mented by good coverage of local interests and concerns of the wider by towns, as well as a fair number in recent years by Internet compe- school and social events, business French-speaking community. of New York City newspapers that tition, provided superb coverage of and job information (even the clas- Continued on page 52

8 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Pour trouver l’information dont j’ai vraiment besoin, rien ne vaut la presse locale. idées bien arrêtées. Nous pouvions et internationaux, affaires, science peuvent en dire long), elles permet- Peter O’Donohue immédiatement dire lesquels étaient et plus encore. Sa section quotidi- tent d’avoir un portrait assez juste Consul général des États-Unis, Québec républicains ou démocrates, lesquels enne « Style » était pratiquement de ce à quoi peut ressembler la vie (retraité) couvraient surtout les crimes (la crim- un journal en soi, où l’on retrouvait dans la communauté X, Y ou Z. Mon histoire d’amour avec les inalité était galopante à l’époque), la d’excellents articles sur la littérature, Pendant mes 29 années de journaux ne date pas d’hier. situation internationale, les sports ou les arts, ainsi que sur un grand nom- carrière comme diplomate Je suis né sur la côte du Connecti- simplement les affaires locales. bre d’activités sociales et culturelles pour les États-Unis, les jour- cut, et là où j’ai grandi, il y a plus Le journal local faisait rarement de la région. C’était une véritable naux se sont avérés d’irrem- d’un demi-siècle, le fait d’avoir sa état des grands événements interna- mine d’information pour les habi- plaçables outils professionnels. propre ronde de journaux était une tionaux et des hauts et des bas de la tants des environs, ainsi que pour Peu importe où je me trouvais, au véritable marque de prestige. La guerre froide, mais lorsque le maire les résidents du Maryland et de la Canada (j’ai été en poste à Ottawa et concurrence était féroce, et je dois coupait un ruban, le Norwalk Hour Virginie qui souhaitaient demeurer à Québec), en Inde, au Cameroun, bien l’admettre, comme je m’étais était au premier rang. Qui plus est, en contact avec la capitale. en Bosnie, en Tunisie ou au Koweït, lancé dans la course un peu tard, il offrait un relevé quotidien détaillé Petits ou grands, les bons les journaux étaient des feuilles de j’avais dû me contenter d’une toute des conditions de pêche, ce qui est journaux en disent long sur la route qui me conduisaient au cœur petite ronde temporaire. J’ai toute- d’une importance capitale dans les communauté à laquelle ils s’adr- de la culture locale et me permet- fois souvent aidé un de mes amis qui villes côtières de la Nouvelle-Angle- essent. Toute ma vie, je me suis fait taient de m’exercer à déchiffrer la avait beaucoup de journaux à livrer. terre, ainsi qu’une bonne couver- un devoir de lire la presse locale de langue locale, une entreprise qui ne Pratiquement tous les jours, nous ture des équipes de sport locales, des l’endroit où je me trouvais. Bien fut malheureusement pas toujours enfourchions nos vélos à toute vitesse activités scolaires, des naissances, que l’arrivée d’Internet ait obligé de couronnée de succès. La presse lo- des décès, des mariages et de la nombreux journaux locaux et ré- tels des cavaliers en mission pour le cale est à cet égard fort généreuse. politique locale. Ce n’était pas mal gionaux à restreindre leurs activités, Pony Express. Animés par l’idée que Moins dépendante des agences de du tout pour un journal de taille la plupart des localités nord-améric- nos clients avaient soif de connaître transmission internationales, elle est moyenne, et je ne crois pas que les aines possèdent toujours un journal ce qui se passait dans le monde et par le fait même plus près de la vie lecteurs ressentaient le besoin d’al- local qui leur permet de se tenir au dans notre communauté, nous con- et des couleurs locales, de l’opinion ler voir plus loin pour connaître les fait des événements de leur commu- sidérions qu’il était de notre devoir du peuple et des traditions. Ce type nouvelles du jour. nauté. Que je me trouve dans une de livrer les dernières nouvelles. de couverture peut parfois paraître Mon amour de la presse, petite ville de l’Iowa, du Kentucky, Je suis bien heureux de vous dire étrange aux yeux des Occidentaux que malgré la neige, la grêle, le né à l’époque où je livrais les du Nord de l’Ontario, du Québec (je me souviens, par exemple, d’une verglas, les crevaisons et les rayons journaux, ne m’a jamais quitté. ou d’ailleurs, l’anthropologue que série d’articles parfaitement sérieux cassés, les journaux arrivaient Quand je suis entré à l’universi- j’aspirais autrefois à devenir (j’ai dans les journaux camerounais au presque toujours à bon port. té, bien avant l’arrivée d’Internet, fait des études d’anthropologie à sujet de soi-disant « vols de pénis », Je ne me contentais pas de livrer et plus tard, lors de mes études l’université) ne se fatigue jamais de perpétrés par des magiciens et des les journaux. J’en faisais aussi sys- supérieures, j’ai pris l’habitude de découvrir ce que la presse locale sorcières, ou de journaux du Kow- tématiquement la lecture et déjà à lire un bon journal, le matin, en bu- révèle au sujet de ses lecteurs. eït qui accusaient Israël d’être à l’époque, j’étais intrigué par les dif- vant mon café. L’un des meilleurs J’adore notamment lire les avis férents journaux que nous livrions. souvenirs de mes années d’études de décès et de mariage, qui sont très l’origine de l’épidémie de grippe Il y avait bien sûr le journal local, le supérieures dans la région de Wash- éloquents. Les avis des décès racon- porcine), mais il permet toujours Norwalk Hour, mais il y avait égale- ington est le bruit que faisait chaque tent la vie des gens. Ils parlent de d’en savoir plus les préoccupations, ment tous les journaux des villes matin le Washington Post qu’on livrait leur emploi, de leur famille, de leurs les inquiétudes, les croyances et les voisines de plus grande envergure devant ma porte. Je pouvais alors me expériences de vie et des souvenirs aspirations de la population locale. ainsi qu’un bon nombre de journaux précipiter au-dehors, tasse de café à qu’ils laissent derrière eux. Les avis J’ai terminé ma carrière de dip- new-yorkais, destinés à des lecteurs la main, en sachant qu’un monde de mariage nous font connaître les lomate dans la ville de Québec. Au aux horizons plus vastes. Chaque d’information et de connaissance jeunes, les études qu’ils ont faites, cours de ces trois années, qui ont journal avait ses grands thèmes, ses serait là, à mes pieds. Le Washing- leur travail, et ce qu’ils souhaitent été parmi les plus belles de ma vie, lecteurs, et, pour ainsi dire, sa per- ton Post, à ma grande tristesse mal- faire dans la vie. Toutes ces choses la lecture attentive des journaux an- sonnalité. La plupart d’entre eux re- mené dans les dernières années par sont fascinantes, et accompagnées glophones et francophones a beau- flétaient celle-ci dès la première page, la concurrence d’Internet, offrait à de bons articles sur les activités coup contribué à l’enrichissement tels des résidents de New York ou de l’époque une formidable couverture sociales et scolaires, les affaires et de mon expérience. Nouvelle-Angleterre bavards et aux de l’actualité : événements locaux l’emploi (même les petites annonces Suite à la page 53

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 9 Roots, home, community, and the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph

What is home? If you’re a member of my family, that’s a tough question to answer. I’ve lived in four different parts of the world – Asia, the U.S., Montreal, and now Quebec City. My extended family is spread out even further.

losing your roots. Pull up and you be- Sovita Chander come lost. You lose your culture, your President, Literary and Historical Society of Quebec Vice-president and co-owner, Caristix bearings, your language. Then there’s another choice, Is home the place where you which says, “My roots are every- put down roots? How do I begin where. Every place is home, because to answer that question for myself, I take it all with me. I fit anywhere.” when I have roots in all the places I’ve chosen this second path, and I’ve lived – and in India, where I’ve here’s what I’ve learned: the key to never even visited? laying down roots anywhere is find- Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle There are two possible ways to ing community. Getting to know answer these questions, for some- people. Making friends. Getting the one like me. lay of the land. The first is to say, “I’m in exile. I’ve The best way to do that is to been pulled up too many times to have learn the community news. Not true roots. So no place is home. I feel the wars and scandals and politics changes and small shifts that make This project touched on the at home nowhere in the world because of the day that you expect to find on up a community. These are the essence of community: bringing I fit nowhere.” That perspective would CBC, CNN or the BBC. Instead, stories that only community news- young people who need work ex- say: to take hold, roots must run deep. it’s about the everyday stories. The papers such as the Quebec Chronicle- perience together with their elders If you pull up stakes, you run the risk of everyday triumphs. The everyday Telegraph can tell. and others who need compassion- I’ve read about the school ate help. There was a lovely photo board, cultural activities, school accompanying the story, showing happenings, and so much all the fresh-faced students in their more in the Quebec Chronicle- scrubs, outside on a sunny summer Telegraph. One story in particular day. This story deserved coverage. stands out. It was about a group Yet I have a confession to make. It of St. Lawrence students in 2011. wasn’t just the idea of helping people They had been selected to take that made the article memorable for a training course to become pa- me. It was also because I saw my son’s tient-care attendants at St. Brigid’s. grinning face smack in the middle of the These students had spent three photo. You see, I saw his roots. They are weeks learning how to provide care here, at home, chez nous, in Quebec City. for residents – how to help with This is a story that only the meals, bathing, and many other dai- Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph ly needs that we all must accomplish could have told. I hope it keeps with dignity. They learned how telling these stories for another 250 to work with nurses and the other years. These stories are the soil in caregivers in a nursing home. which we sink our roots.

10 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Les racines, la maison, la communauté et le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph

Qu’est-ce qu’on appelle la maison? Pour les membres de ma famille, la réponse est loin d’être évidente. J’ai habité à quatre endroits dans le monde : en Asie, aux États-Unis, à Montréal et maintenant à Québec. Ma famille élargie est encore plus dispersée. idée, pour bien prendre, les racines Sovita Chander doivent être profondes. Si vous quit- Présidente, Literary and Historical Society of Quebec Vice-présidente et copropriétaire, Caristix tez le sol natal, vous courez le risque de perdre vos racines, et sans racines, La maison est-elle l’endroit où l’on vous êtes perdu. Vous perdez votre pose ses racines? Comment pour- culture, vos repères et votre langue. rais-je répondre à cette question, alors Cependant, il y a une autre que j’ai des racines dans tous les en- façon de voir, qui consiste à droits où j’ai vécu, et même en Inde, dire : « J’ai des racines partout. bien que je n’y ai jamais mis les pieds? Je suis toujours à la maison, parce mon Lorsqu’on est dans ma situation, chez-moi me suit partout. Je ne suis scandales et les politiques qu’on voit membres du personnel du CHSLD. il y a deux manières de répondre à étrangère nulle part. » Voilà le chemin tous les jours à CBC, à CNN ou à Ce projet reflétait l’essence du ces questions. que j’ai choisi, et voici ce qu’il m’a ap- la BBC, mais plutôt les histoires du mot « communauté » : il rapprochait La première est de se dire : « Je pris : pour s’enraciner, la clé est de s’in- quotidien. Les petites victoires, les des jeunes qui avaient besoin d’une suis en exil. J’ai été déracinée trop tégrer à la communauté. D’apprendre petits changements qui font le quo- expérience de travail et des aînés et souvent pour avoir de véritables à connaître les gens. De se faire des tidien d’une communauté. C’est le d’autres personnes qui avaient besoin racines, donc je n’ai pas de chez- amis. De prendre le pouls de l’endroit. genre d’histoire que seuls des jour- d’une aide empreinte de compassion. moi. Je ne me sens à la maison nulle La meilleure façon de s’y naux locaux comme le Quebec Chroni- L’article était accompagné d’une très part dans le monde, parce que je prendre est de suivre les nou- cle-Telegraph peuvent raconter. belle photo, prise à l’extérieur sous suis étrangère partout. » Selon cette velles locales. Pas les guerres, les La lecture du Quebec Chronicle- un soleil d’été, sur laquelle on voyait Telegraph m’en a appris beau- les jeunes étudiants dans leur uni- coup sur la commission scolaire, forme de travail. C’est une histoire qui les activités culturelles, les activités méritait d’être racontée. scolaires et bien d’autres choses. Je J’ai un aveu vous à faire. Ce n’est me rappelle un article en particuli- pas seulement l’idée d’aider les gens er, publié en 2011, qui traitait d’un qui a rendu cet article aussi mémo- groupe d’étudiants de St. Lawrence. rable pour moi. C’est aussi parce que Ils avaient été sélectionnés pour suivre j’ai vu le visage souriant de mon fils une formation de préposés aux béné- au milieu de la photo. Et qu’à ce mo- ficiaires au CHSLD St. Brigid’s. Ces ment, j’ai vu ses racines. Elles sont ici, étudiants avaient passé trois semaines chez nous, à Québec. à apprendre comment prendre soin Voilà une histoire que seul le des résidents en les aidant à se nourrir, Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph au- à se laver et à accomplir une multitude rait pu raconter. J’espère qu’il con- d’autres tâches quotidiennes avec tinuera à raconter de telles histoires pour dignité. Ils avaient aussi appris à tra- 250 autres années, car ces récits sont le vailler avec les infirmières et les autres sol dans lequel nous prenons racine.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 11 My QCT years: the daily, the weekly, and the future pearance. The canny metropol- evolution of the English-speaking and the rest figured out how to itans of the Gazette had long ago population of Quebec City and have fewer children. Among the opted for a deep blue. area. That is another story and a city’s small Chinese population, A major feature of the Quebec harder tale to tell. many had attended English-speak- Chronicle-Telegraph, and many oth- Personally, I have no clear ing churches and their children er town papers, was the syndicat- memory or hard evidence of English language schools. ed Saturday supplement, with its the paper’s transition from a You remember talk of “two richer paper and full colour. Not daily that included internation- solitudes?” Inasmuch as there

Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle weighty enough to be resented by al news to a weekly that dealt was truth to the notion, I think paperboys, it was loved for its colour only in local community news. it’s clear that there were more comics – Li’l Abner, Joe Palooka, Dick I know it was daily/international than two in Quebec City. The Tracy and the like. Pogo, I confess, in 1970 but then it gets foggy. As Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph had al- Joe Lonergan baffled me, while Mark Trail and a young man I took off to study in ways been a fine bridge and ca- President, Irish Heritage Quebec Mary Worth left me cold. If you were Halifax in 1970-71 and again in tered to all components of the looking for real humour, I guess the 1973-75. The Quiet Revolution English-speaking community of I delivered the Quebec Chroni- best was Grin and Bear It. Back to the had been percolating for well over communities. But the disappearing cle-Telegraph in the 1960s. My run daily edition, one nostalgic feature a decade by then, and you might act continued. took in Moncton and Park Ave- was Ripley’s Believe It or Not, a poor say it culminated on November 15, As its demographic base dwin- nue, Casot, de Manrèse, Saint-Cy- man’s portal to the incredible. 1976, with the election of the Par- dled, the paper got into difficulties. rille, Lemesurier, Learmonth and The true glory of the QCT of ti Québécois. That “revolution” Dave Cannon, Ross Rourke and Grande Allée and consisted of my memory was its local cov- put paid to the English-speaking later Karen Macdonald did their about 40 customers. This, howev- erage. Any local activity of signif- community as I knew it, and the best for the greater community to er, paled in comparison with my icance (though perhaps significant Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph followed keep the institution alive, but the Montreal Gazette runs – upward of only to the locals) found its way into suit. The Charter of the French whole operation kept shrinking. 120 customers and three times the the Chronicle, which in turn found its Language, enacted in the PQ’s first As for the English-speaking popu- geography. The Chronicle was an way through thousands of doors. I term in office, made French the lation, newcomers trickled in and evening paper and easier on the was only one of scores of young business language in the province. out. Bill 101 did its work. Some shoulder, for each copy was only people who carried the Chronicle. Bill 101 prevented the inflow of the newcomers who stayed were puz- about one-sixth the weight of a Ga- And, in Upper Town at least, every immigrants who may have wished zled by our history while others no zette. My contacts were Mr. Moun- pharmacy and tobacconist’s had its to enter English-speaking schools. doubt often looked askance at the tain and later Mr. Monaghan. stack of Chronicles. Do you remem- Easily one-half of the English/ community’s nostalgic concern for They came around every two ber the ads – Maurice Pollack, Scots community trickled away be- what had been. weeks or so to pick up the lion’s The Canadian Import Company? tween 1960 and 1976. The Jewish Many members of the En- share of the money I had collected And the theatres – the Empire, the community I would say dropped glish-speaking community have from my customers. Things ran so Cartier and the Capital? Or items by at least eighty percent. They worked in some capacity for the smoothly that I don’t remember making reference to groups like the had been faithful customers and Chronicle. And no doubt every one a real conversation with either of Killarney Club, the I.O.D.E, the advertised their businesses regular- of us has found our name some- them beyond the requisite civilities, Girl Guides, the Scouts, the Cubs ly in the paper. Did they feel that where, sometime in its columns. hello and goodbye. Mr. Moun- and school cadet corps? their businesses had peaked? And Blame Pauline Marois and her tain, despite his name, was not of The Chronicle of today continues it must have been increasingly dif- predecessors if you will. But we’ve mountainous size. Mr. Monaghan to report on the activities of the En- ficult for the younger generation ourselves to blame as well, if we was stocky in comparison, with glish-speaking communities. Some to find a Jewish life-partner. As don’t support our own institutions. the Gaelic word for “turf ” (mona) might see the paper in its present the demographic pool shrank, was The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph is one embedded in his name and his fea- version as meager next to the pa- it becoming impossible not to see of them. The church we attend is tures. The Chronicle’s delivery bags per of a half-century ago. That is your children partner with Gen- another, as are the schools our chil- were white, an unhappy choice; irrefutable, but it only reflects the tiles? The Irish, for their part, had dren go to. What are people with- thanks to the newsprint, they soon change in the demographics and been marrying French Canadians out their institutions, and what are assumed a dirty white/grey ap- the socio-economic and political for centuries; some moved away institutions without people?

12 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Mes années au QCT: le quotidien, l’hebdomadaire et l’avenir ronchonner les camelots, il était ap- les nouvelles internationales à un phones et inscrivaient leurs enfants Joe Lonergan précié pour ses bandes dessinées en hebdomadaire centré exclusive- aux écoles anglophones. Président, Irish Heritage Quebec couleur : Li’l Abner, Joe Palooka, Dick ment sur les nouvelles locales. Je sais Vous souvenez-vous du dis- J’étais camelot pour le Quebec Tracy et compagnie. Je dois l’avouer, qu’il s’agissait encore d’un quotidi- cours sur les « deux solitudes »? Chronicle-Telegraph dans les années je ne comprenais rien à Pogo, et en « international » en 1970, mais Il y avait bien une certaine vérité à 1960. Ma route couvrait les avenues Mark Trail comme Mary Worth me après, mes souvenirs s’embrouillent. cette notion, mais il y en avait plus Moncton, du Parc, Casot, de Man- laissaient de marbre. Pour les am- Je suis parti étudier à Halifax en que deux à Québec. Le Quebec Chron- rèse, le boulevard Saint-Cyrille, l’ave- ateurs d’humour, le meilleur était 1970-71, et de nouveau de 1973 à icle-Telegraph a toujours été un pont nue Lemesurier, la rue Learmonth et sans doute Grin and Bear It. Dans les 1975. À cette époque, la Révolution entre les différents éléments de la la Grande Allée, pour un total d’une éditions quotidiennes, je me souviens tranquille avançait tranquillement communauté des communautés an- quarantaine de clients. Cependant, avec nostalgie de Ripley’s Believe It or depuis plus de dix ans déjà, et on glophones. Malgré tout, l’effritement ce n’était rien en comparaison à mes Not, le portail du pauvre vers l’ex- peut dire qu’elle a culminé le 15 no- s’est poursuivi. routes pour la Montreal Gazette : plus traordinaire. vembre 1976 avec l’élection du Parti Sa base démographique de 120 clients et un territoire trois À mon souvenir, la vraie force Québécois. Cette « révolution » a s’érodant, le journal a connu des dif- fois plus étendu. Le Chronicle était du QCT était sa couverture lo- été le chant du cygne de la commu- ficultés. Dave Cannon, Ross Rourke un journal du soir et il tirait moins cale. Tout événement local import- nauté anglophone telle que je l’avais et plus tard Karen Macdonald ont l’épaule, parce que chaque exem- ant (du moins, important pour les connue, et le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph fait tout leur possible pour garder plaire pesait environ un sixième d’un gens du coin) était mentionné dans le en a évidemment souffert. La Charte cette institution en vie pour le bien exemplaire de la Gazette. Mes con- Chronicle, qui était lu dans des milliers de la langue française, établie dans le de la communauté, mais le journal tacts étaient M. Mountain, et plus de foyers. Nous étions une foule de premier mandat du PQ, a fait du a continué de perdre des plumes. français la langue des affaires dans tard M. Monaghan. Ils venaient me jeunes à livrer le Chronicle. De plus, en Quant à la population anglophone, voir aux deux semaines pour pren- haute-ville à tout le moins, toutes les la province. La loi 101, quant à elle, quelques nouveaux se sont installés dre la part du lion de l’argent que pharmacies et les tabagies avaient leur a empêché les immigrants d’inscri- et d’autres nous ont quittés. L’effet j’avais recueilli auprès de mes clients. pile de Chronicles. Vous souvenez-vous re leurs enfants dans les écoles de de la loi 101 s’est fait sentir. Certains Les choses allaient si rondement que de ces publicités : Maurice Pollack, langue anglaise. des nouveaux qui se sont établis ici je ne me rappelle pas avoir eu une The Canadian Import Company? Plus de la moitié de la commu- étaient intrigués par notre histoire, vraie conversation avec aucun d’en- Et des cinémas : l’Empire, le Cartier nauté anglaise et écossaise a plié ba- tandis que d’autres devaient regarder tre eux, hormis les politesses d’usage, et le Capital? Ou des articles faisant gage entre 1960 et 1976. Quant à la de travers la nostalgie qui habitait la bonjour et au revoir. M. Mountain, référence à des groupes comme le communauté juive, je dirais qu’elle a communauté. malgré son nom, n’avait pas la taille Killarney Club, I.O.D.E, les guides, perdu au moins 80 % de ses mem- De nombreux membres de d’une montagne. M. Monaghan, lui, les scouts, les louveteaux et les corps bres. Ils avaient été des clients fidèles était plutôt trapu et le mot gaélique de cadets scolaires? et annonçaient régulièrement leurs la communauté anglophone pour « tourbe » (mona) figurait aussi Le Chronicle d’aujourd’hui contin- commerces dans le journal. Avaient- ont travaillé d’une manière ou bien dans son nom que dans son ue de relater les activités des com- ils l’impression que les belles années d’une autre pour le Chronicle. apparence. Les sacs de livraison du munautés anglophones. Certains étaient derrière eux? Par ailleurs, il Et il ne fait aucun doute que chacun Chronicle étaient blancs, un choix verront dans la mouture actuelle du devait être de plus en plus difficile d’entre nous a déjà vu son nom im- mal avisé : l’encre du journal aidant, journal un pâle reflet de ce qu’il était pour les jeunes de se trouver une primé quelque part dans ses pages. ils prenaient bientôt une couleur il y a un demi-siècle. C’est irréfutable, douce moitié juive. Devant le rétré- On peut bien jeter le blâme à Pauline blanc sale ou grise. Les astucieux mais ce n’est qu’une conséquence cissement de la communauté, était-il Marois et à ses prédécesseurs, mais métropolitains de la Gazette, quant de l’évolution démographique, so- devenu inévitable de voir ses enfants nous devons aussi porter notre part à eux, avaient depuis longtemps cioéconomique et politique de la se marier à des non-juifs? Pour leur de blâme si nous n’appuyons pas nos adopté le bleu foncé. population anglophone de Québec part, les Irlandais se mariaient déjà propres institutions. Le Quebec Chroni- Un des attraits majeurs du Que- et ses environs. Voilà une autre his- aux Canadiens français depuis des cle-Telegraph est l’une d’entre elles. Nos bec Chronicle-Telegraph, et de plusieurs toire, bien plus difficile à raconter. siècles; certains ont déménagé, et les églises en sont d’autres, tout comme autres journaux locaux, était le sup- Personnellement, je n’ai pas autres ont compris comment avoir les écoles que fréquentent nos enfants. plément du samedi, imprimé en conservé de souvenirs précis moins d’enfants. Parmi la petite Qu’est-ce qu’une communauté sans couleur sur du papier de meilleure de la transition qui a vu passer communauté chinoise de la ville, plu- ses institutions, et que sont les institu- qualité. Pas assez lourd pour faire le journal de quotidien abordant sieurs fréquentaient les églises anglo- tions sans communauté?

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 13 Never a dull moment at the QCT I started working for the QCT in the fall of 1979 on a part-time basis while completing a journalism degree at Université Laval. I was reasonably fluent inF rench after studying at Ottawa University and I thought that living in Quebec City for a year would take my language abilities up a notch … then I met a local girl and well, you know the story, I never left town. Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle and feature stories. We had a David Johanson good team of freelance writers Former managing editor and regular contributors. Pam I began full time for the newspa- Cheers, a Quebec City native, per the following spring. The busi- covered community events, as ness had recently been purchased did Ron O’Dowd, also from a by four partners, lawyers Ross local family. Freelance photog- Rourke, Jean Lemelin, and Dave raphy was supplied by Jacques Cannon and broadcaster Bob Boissinot and Scott Kingsland, A real challenge in providing She told me in an interview that Dawson. They were quite com- who was the AV man at St. Law- news coverage for the English “Prime Ministers, Members of mitted to the project and fun to rence College. Dave Cannon community was the fact that Parliament, counts and empress- work for, as they gave the staff lots wrote a column called “The Law it is so geographically spread es” had been among her clients of room to be creative. The office and You.” out, from rural communities such over a 60-year career. She also was located in the same building as “Never a dull moment” would as Valcartier to the diaspora around had 5,000 outfits and 600 hats. the lawyers had their office at 980 best sum up my three years at the city. When we journalists were Somehow she stands out more Holland Avenue. the QCT. stretched too thin, we could count than most of the politicians. It’s always amusing to reflect One of our most colourful con- on the help of many community Perhaps the most difficult aspect on the cost of living as you go tributors was Leo McCullen, a retired events contributors who did the of the work, apart from the tyranny back in time. I remember that the building inspector. He liked to say reporting for us, typed an article of deadlines, was the printing tech- cost of a copy of the QCT at the that “history is everywhere.” One and brought the story in. This was nology available at the time. We corner store was 25 cents, a yearly morning he came flying into our long before the advent of email. worked with Velox sheets and offset subscription $12. An editorial was offices on Holland Ave. with a first One of the great pleasures of printing. Without the advantage of written to justify these figures! edition of the Quebec Gazette; one of journalism is of course meeting word processing, corrections were One of the major innovations his former colleagues had found people from all walks of life. time-consuming and everything was was to start in May of 1980 a tour- a copy of the very first edition of Through his contacts at CKMI done on a cut-and-paste basis. After ist supplement called Bonjour Québec. the paper and it was in absolutely television station, Bob Dawson the mad dash to press at the Journal de The centre-fold of the QCT be- mint condition. It had been used chanelled many stories to us in the Québec, we welcomed “Happy Hour” came a map of Old Quebec, sur- as insulation in the wall of a house form of professional hockey play- late on Tuesday afternoons. rounded by ads from restaurants, on Avenue Royale in Beauport. If ers, artists, singer-songwriters, The newspaper played an im- bars and other tourism-related I remember correctly, it was dated businessmen and an assortment portant role at that time as a voice businesses. The feature went a long Thursday, June 21, 1764. Leo wrote of other “characters.” One of for the English-speaking commu- way to help stabilize finances. a lot of articles for the paper. He those was Madame Henriette nity and of course, it still does. I worked as managing editor was a friend of David Cannon, one Belley, a fortune teller who drew Best wishes for the ongoing and also did some reporting of the owners at the time. cards and interpreted dreams. success of the QCT.

14 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 On ne s’ennuyait jamais au QCT J’ai commencé à travailler pour le QCT à l’automne 1979; je rappelle bien, la date inscrite sur le de ces personnages était madame journal était le 21 juin 1764. Leo Henriette Belley, une diseuse de travaillais à temps partiel tout en étudiant le journalisme a écrit de nombreux articles pour bonne aventure qui tirait les cartes à l’Université Laval. Je parlais relativement bien français le journal. C’était un ami de David et interprétait les rêves. En entre- Cannon, un des propriétaires de vue, elle m’a affirmé que pendant après mes études à l’Université d’Ottawa, et j’avais dans l’époque. ses 60 ans de carrière, elle avait été l’idée de vivre un an à Québec pour améliorer ma maîtrise Lorsqu’on cherche à offrir une consultée par « des premiers minis- de la langue… mais j’ai rencontré une fille du coin et, vous couverture médiatique à la com- tres, des députés, des comtes et des munauté anglophone, l’un des impératrices ». Elle avait quelque me voyez venir, je ne suis plus jamais reparti. grands défis auxquels on est con- 5 000 habits et 600 chapeaux. Je fronté est son éparpillement; on la ne sais pas pourquoi, mais elle m’a pour la santé financière du journal. trouve en effet autant dans des vil- laissé un souvenir plus fort que la David Johanson J’ai travaillé comme rédacteur lages comme Valcartier que dans la plupart des politiciens. Ancien rédacteur en chef en chef, mais j’ai aussi fait des re- diaspora autour de la ville. Lorsque Outre la tyrannie des dates de J’ai commencé à travailler à portages et quelques topos. Nous la rédaction ne suffisait plus à la tombée, l’aspect du travail qui était temps plein pour le journal dès le avions une bonne équipe de pi- tâche, nous pouvions compter sur sans doute le plus difficile était la printemps suivant. L’entreprise gistes et de collaborateurs réguliers. l’aide de nombreux collaborateurs technique d’impression que nous venait d’être achetée par quatre Pam Cheers, native de Québec, locaux, qui écrivaient des articles utilisions à l’époque. Nous travail- associés : les avocats Ross Rourke, couvrait les événements locaux, sur les événements dans leur sec- lions avec des feuilles de Velox et Jean Lemelin et Dave Cannon, et tout comme Ron O’Dowd, lui teur et nous les envoyaient. C’était l’impression offset. Sans l’avantage l’animateur Bob Dawson. Le pro- aussi natif de la région. Nos pho- bien avant l’arrivée du courriel. des logiciels de traitement de texte, jet leur tenait beaucoup à cœur et tographes pigistes étaient Jacques Un des grands plaisirs du les corrections étaient laborieuses et ils étaient des patrons merveilleux, Boissinot et Scott Kingsland, qui journalisme est, bien entendu, tout était fait à la main en coupant et car ils laissaient aux employés le était responsable de l’audiovisuel le fait de rencontrer toutes sort- collant. Après la ruée vers les presses loisir d’être créatifs. Nos bureaux au Collège St. Lawrence. Dave es de gens. Grâce à ses contacts du Journal de Québec, nous prenions étaient situés dans le même édifice Cannon écrivait une chronique in- à la station de télévision CKMI, un verre bien mérité le mardi en fin que ceux des avocats, au 980, ave- titulée The Law and You. Bob Dawson nous apportait bon d’après-midi. nue Holland. « On ne s’ennuyait jamais », nombre de filons à exploiter sous Ce journal jouait à l’époque Il est toujours amusant de voilà comme je résumerais la forme de joueurs de hockey un rôle important en tant que voix songer au coût de la vie jadis. mes trois années au QCT. professionnels, d’artistes, d’au- de la communauté anglophone, Je me souviens qu’un exemplaire L’un de nos collaborateurs les teurs-compositeurs-interprètes, un rôle qu’il continue de jouer du QCT coûtait 25 sous chez plus colorés était Leo McCullen, d’hommes d’affaires et d’un vaste aujourd’hui encore. le marchand de journaux, et un un inspecteur en bâtiment à la éventail de « personnages ». L’un Longue vie et bon succès au QCT! abonnement d’un an, 12 $. Un retraite. Il aimait à dire que « l’his- éditorial avait été publié pour jus- toire est partout ». Un matin, il tifier ces prix! est arrivé à toute allure dans nos L’une des grandes innovations bureaux de l’avenue Holland avec a été le lancement en mai 1980 en main la première édition de la d’un supplément touristique ap- Quebec Gazette : un de ses anciens pelé Bonjour Québec. La page cen- collègues avait trouvé un exem- trale du QCT contenait une carte plaire de la toute première édition du Vieux-Québec, entourée de du journal, en parfaite condition. publicités de restaurants, de bars Il avait été utilisé comme isolant et d’autres commerces liés au tour- dans le mur d’une maison de l’av- isme. Cette page a fait beaucoup enue Royale, à Beauport. Si je me

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 15 A lifelong connection to the QCT The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph has been part of my life for about 40 years. The QCT was always a point of reference in our household growing up, connecting our family in Shannon with the rest of the English-speaking community farther afield. about itself that could only be Richard Walling found in the QCT. At the time, Executive Director, Jeffrey Hale Community the paper was owned by David Partners; former QCT general manager Cannon and its editor was Karen We would look for articles of in- Macdonald. I worked closely with terest concerning community events, Karen and the paper, and I came such as the Shannon Irish Show, or to realize the importance of the school activities about St. Patrick’s QCT to the very vitality of the Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle High School, which I attended. English-speaking community of When I was around 11, the Que- the Quebec City region. bec Chronicle-Telegraph became my For in a time when the Internet first employer. I was a paperboy for was non-existent, the QCT was the then-daily QCT, delivering it to the main vehicle through which about 20 households in Shannon. one got a sense of community. It In 1972, about a year into my po- was through the QCT that various sition, the paper became a weekly. organizations found out about each I continued to deliver it for a few other. The QCT was where the non and I tried out many different munity information and continues to years once a week. I have fond major issues facing the community approaches, and finally entered into make me and my family feel part of memories of the QCT because as were discussed, such as the closing a partnership with Karen Macdon- the English-speaking community in a youth it provided me with mon- of schools. The QCT told us who ald and her husband François Vézi- the Quebec City region. My hope is ey to buy things I could not have about a new baby born and who na who eventually became the own- that the QCT will continue to be part afforded otherwise. For example, it had died in the community. It was, ers. Karen and François believed in of my family’s life and the communi- took me almost a year to save up in effect, all about community life. the paper and its essential role in ty’s life for many generations to come. enough to buy a Ping-Pong table, In 1987 I moved from VEQ the community and brought back a On the 250th anniversary of the which was a great source of enter- to become general manager of sense of stability and some growth Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph let me say tainment and fun for many years. the QCT – a position I held until to the paper. congratulations to the Ray and Sta- The first time I had my picture 1991. For part of this period I also At this time, I transitioned to cie Stanton, and to all those currently in a newspaper was in the QCT assumed the role of editor; in both become executive director of Jef- involved in the paper. They are part in 1974; as a cadet, I was chosen of these roles I was exposed to the fery Hale Community Partners of a long list of people who over the to represent Base Valcartier at a challenges facing the QCT. The pa- (then known as Holland Centre). years have stood up and worked to gathering of cadets in England that per’s primary challenge was to stay That was in 1991, and I occupy keep the QCT alive. In so doing they year. After university I returned to alive – to maintain a tool essential to the position to this date. I still look contribute to the very life of our Quebec City and got a job with our community, at a time when the to the QCT as an essential partner community. They deserve not only Voice of English-speaking Quebec, community was shrinking (thus the of the community and of the work our congratulations but our contin- first as director of health and social readership was declining) and other that goes on here. It is as relevant ued support moving forward. services, then as executive director. forms of media such as the Internet today as it was in the 1970s, or for The QCT’s 250 years is some- At this point the QCT be- were in full expansion. There was that matter in 1764 when it was thing to be proud of. It is testimo- came more than a point of nevertheless a belief that we had first published under the name ny to a community that has had reference for me. Now it was to make the QCT work, and that if The Quebec Gazette. its low points and challenges but an essential partner in reach- the paper disappeared it would be I am a proud subscriber of remains strong today because ing out to the community and a direct reflection on the vitality of the QCT and read it every week. of institutions such as the Quebec providing it with information the community. Owner David Can- It remains my main source of com- Chronicle-Telegraph.

16 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Le QCT : une référence pour la vie Le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph fait partie de ma vie depuis près de 40 ans. Dans ma jeunesse, le QCT était un point de référence pour notre famille à Shannon, car il nous liait au reste de la communauté anglophone de la région.

comme directeur général. Richard Walling À cette époque, le QCT est Directeur général, Partenaires communautaires Jeffery Hale; ancien Directeur Général devenu plus qu’un point de référence pour moi, il est dev- Nous guettions les articles sur les enu un partenaire essentiel qui événements dans le village, comme me permettait de communiquer le Irish Show de Shannon, ou sur avec la communauté et de lui fournir les activités scolaires à l’École sec- de l’information sur elle-même ondaire St. Patrick, où j’ai étudié. qu’elle ne pouvait trouver nulle part Quand j’avais autour de 11 ans, ailleurs. À l’époque, le propriétaire tiel pour notre communauté, à un fondation sous le nom de The le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph est deve- du journal était David Cannon, et la moment où cette communauté al- Quebec Gazette. nu mon premier employeur. J’ai été rédactrice en chef, Karen Macdon- lait déclinant (entraînant par le fait Je suis un fier abonné du QCT camelot pour le QCT à l’époque où ald. J’ai travaillé en étroite collabora- même une baisse du lectorat) et où et je le lis chaque semaine. C’est il avait encore un tirage quotidien, tion avec Karen et avec le journal, et d’autres formes de médias, comme toujours ma principale source j’en assurais la livraison à quelque j’en suis venu à réaliser pleinement l’Internet, étaient en pleine ex- d’information sur la commu- 20 familles de Shannon. En 1972, l’importance du QCT pour la vitalité pansion. Nous avions néanmoins nauté et il continue de nous procurer, environ un an après mes débuts, de la communauté anglophone de la la conviction que le QCT devait à ma famille ainsi qu’à moi-même, ce le journal s’est mué en hebdoma- région de Québec. survive, car la vitalité de la com- sentiment d’appartenance à la com- daire. J’ai continué à le livrer une À l’époque où l’Internet n’ex- munauté souffrirait grandement munauté anglophone de la région fois par semaine pendant encore istait pas encore, c’est le QCT de sa disparition. David Cannon de Québec. J’espère que le QCT con- quelques années. J’ai de beaux sou- qui nous donnait l’impression et moi avons tenté diverses ap- tinuera à faire partie de la vie de ma venirs du QCT, parce qu’avec mon d’être liés au reste de la com- proches avant de nous associer à famille et de la communauté pour de salaire de camelot, j’ai pu m’achet- munauté. C’est par le QCT que Karen Macdonald et à son mari nombreuses générations. er des choses que je n’aurais pu me diverses organisations prenaient François Vézina, qui sont devenus En ce 250e anniversaire du permettre autrement. Par exemple, conscience l’une de l’autre. Le propriétaires par la suite. Karen et Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, permet- j’ai économisé pendant presque un QCT était le lieu où se discutaient François croyaient au journal et à tez-moi de féliciter Ray et Stacie an pour acheter une table de ping- les grands enjeux touchant la com- son rôle essentiel pour la commu- Stanton et tous ceux qui partici- pong, qui a été source de plaisir munauté, comme la fermeture nauté; ils ont su insuffler une belle pent actuellement à la création du et de divertissement pendant de d’écoles. Le QCT nous apprenait stabilité et une certaine croissance journal. Ils s’ajoutent à la longue longues années. qui venait de naître et qui nous avait au journal. liste de gens qui se sont battus et La première fois que ma pho- quitté. Bref, il était complètement À cette époque, j’ai quitté mes ont travaillé au fil des ans pour gar- to a paru dans un journal, c’était axé sur la vie de la communauté. fonctions pour devenir directeur der le QCT en vie. Par leurs efforts, dans le QCT, en 1974. Jeune cadet, En 1987, j’ai quitté VEQ pour général des Partenaires commu- ils contribuent à la vitalité de no- j’avais été choisi pour représent- devenir directeur général du QCT, nautaires Jeffery Hale (qui s’appelait tre communauté. Ils méritent non er la base de Valcartier à un ras- poste que j’ai occupé jusqu’en alors Holland Centre). C’était en seulement nos félicitations, mais semblement de cadets qui avait 1991. Pendant un certain temps, 1991, et j’occupe toujours ce poste. aussi notre soutien indéfectible. lieu en Angleterre cette année-là. j’ai aussi occupé le rôle de rédac- Le QCT est toujours à mes yeux un Soyons fiers des 250 ans du Après l’université, je suis revenu teur en chef, et dans ces deux rôles, partenaire essentiel de la commu- QCT. Cet anniversaire témoigne de à Québec et j’ai travaillé à Voice j’ai été exposé aux difficultés aux- nauté et de tout ce qui s’y réalise. la vitalité d’une communauté qui a of English-speaking Quebec, tout quelles le QCT était confronté. Le Il est aussi pertinent aujourd’hui connu des difficultés, mais qui de- d’abord comme directeur de la grand défi du journal était de rester que dans les années 1970, ou meure forte grâce à ses institutions, Santé et des services sociaux, puis en vie, de maintenir un outil essen- même qu’en 1764, année de sa comme le Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 17 A love affair

R. Clive Meredith Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle Former QCT copy editor The following is an extract from in all weathers, in all seasons: A Quebec Scrapbook, published by R. Clive Meredith in 1989. Buade Street; seven o’clock on a drab Sunday morning. It’s snowing slightly. As I observe the premises on the corner of rue du Trésor, I see nothing to indicate that in other “Can anything match the thrill times this entire building throbbed of catching up on news from with everything associated with the printing and publishing of a daily home, or the delight in reading, newspaper. from a distance of 500 miles, For this was once the home of the names of places beloved?” the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. Was there more than one edi- tion a day in those glory days? ly I would devour my copy – even never be, and put all its efforts into America’s Oldest Newspaper still I can’t recall. But I do remember the calls for tenders! Then there being what it could be: the voice of provides vital information to the carrier boys making sure the Chron- were the “Social Notes.” Here I a community which, while smaller, community it serves. It maintains icle found its way every evening to could always count on seeing the stood just as tall as ever. a cherished sense of heritage and the homes of its many subscribers. odd familiar name – including, oc- My love affair was as vibrant it constitutes a centuries-old sym- One of those homes was mine – casionally, my own! in 1986 as it had been ten, twen- bol of the English presence in the 121 (later 1045) Moncton Avenue. In time I graduated, came back ty, forty years previously, and queen of the world’s cities. I have known the Chronicle – have home, found a job, married a very indeed it remains so today. To have had a hand in all this read it, written for it and loved it – nice lady, started raising a family The QCT may be a shadow of has been an honour, a privilege, for as long as I can remember. and...pursued a love affair with a its Buade Street self, but North and great fun. My earliest remembrance, actu- newspaper. ally, is of a typo in a list of Grade 4 At the Chronicle, however, things students in St. George’s School who were changing. The sixties and had passed their year. A “C” had seventies brought an Anglo exodus. been copied as an “O” and the name Valiantly, the staff struggled to might as well have been the only one keep publishing on a daily basis. on the page: Olive Meredith. Eventually this became impossi- At the age of twelve I was sent ble, and we mourned the passing to an Ontario boarding school, of the old familiar daily. From its and I made sure the Chronicle came ashes, however, there rose a new, with me. Can anything match the tabloid-form weekly. thrill of catching up on news from With the change of ownership, home, or the delight in reading, the new proprietors stared long from a distance of 500 miles, the and hard at reality. Result: a paper names of places beloved? Faithful- that stopped being what it could

18 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Une histoire d’amour compagne. Y a-t-il quelque chose R. Clive Meredith de plus plaisant que de recevoir Ancien réviseur du QCT des nouvelles de la maison ou de Extrait de In all weathers, in all sea- lire, malgré les 500 milles qui vous sons: A Quebec Scrapbook, publié par R. séparent, le nom de lieux qu’on Clive Meredith en 1989. aime tant? Je dévorais toujours mes Rue Buade, sept heures du ma- exemplaires de la première à la tin, par un dimanche gris. Il neige dernière ligne… même les appels un peu. d’offres! Il y avait aussi la section Observant le bâtiment sis au des Social Notes. J’étais toujours coin de la rue du Trésor, je ne certain d’y trouver un nom famil- vois rien pour indiquer qu’à une ier, y compris le mien, à l’occasion! autre époque, cet édifice vibrait J’ai fini par obtenir mon au rythme de l’impression et de la diplôme, je suis revenu à la maison, publication d’un quotidien. j’ai trouvé un travail, j’ai épousé C’était là l’ancienne demeure une femme merveilleuse, j’ai com- du Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. mencé à élever une famille et… j’ai Y avait-il plus d’une édition entamé une relation passionnelle par jour à cette époque glo- avec un journal. qui, bien que plus petite qu’avant, The side entrance to the former rieuse? Je ne me souviens plus. À cette époque, toutefois, n’avait rien perdu de sa fierté. Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph building Mais je me souviens des camelots le Chronicle connaissait de J’éprouvais autant d’amour on rue du Trésor which in 1988 led upstairs to the Balzac Bistro. qui veillaient à ce que le Chronicle grands bouleversements. Les pour le journal en 1986 que dix, parvienne chaque soir dans les foy- années 1960 et 1970 avaient vu This sketch by Elizabeth Abbott appears vingt ou quarante ans aupara- in Clive Meredith’s book In all weathers, ers de ses nombreux abonnés. un exode de la population anglo- vant, et je l’aime toujours autant in all seasons. Un de ces foyers était la mi- phone. Aux prix d’efforts titan- aujourd’hui. Le QCT n’est peut- enne : le 121 (et plus tard le 1045), esques, la rédaction réussissait être plus que l’ombre de ce qu’il avenue Moncton. encore à publier une édition quo- était à la grande époque de la rue J’ai connu le Chronicle – je l’ai lu, tidienne, mais un jour, cela est de- Buade, mais le plus vieux journal j’y ai écrit et je l’ai aimé – d’aussi venu impossible, et nous avons dû en Amérique du Nord continue de loin que je me souvienne. nous résigner à la fin de notre cher fournir de l’information vitale à la Mon premier souvenir du jour- quotidien. De ses cendres est né un nal est celui d’une coquille dans nouvel hebdomadaire en format communauté qu’il sert. C’est un une liste d’élèves ayant terminé tabloïde. lien précieux à notre patrimoine leur quatrième année à l’école St. Le journal a changé de main, et et un symbole plusieurs fois cente- George’s. Un « C » était devenu un les nouveaux propriétaires ont re- naire de la présence anglaise dans « O », résultant en ce nom qui me gardé la réalité en face. Résultat : la reine des villes du monde. sautait au visage : Olive Meredith. un journal qui a cessé d’essayer D’avoir pu participer à cette À douze ans, j’ai été envoyé dans d’être ce qu’il ne pouvait plus être aventure aura été pour moi un un pensionnat en Ontario et je me pour tout miser sur ce qu’il pouvait honneur, un privilège et un grand suis assuré que le Chronicle m’y ac- être : la voix d’une communauté plaisir.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 19 Reflections of a print man Several years ago, acting on one of those impulses driven by the notion that one day we might regret not carping the diem, my wife and I became prospective owners of the

Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. with countless stories to tell. I’d landed freshly out of university to emphasize “community” as the Peter Black Alas, with two children to clothe to seize the chance to become a re- driving motivation of the paper to Producer/Studio Director, CBC Radio and feed, the idea of selling our porter. This was the era of Wood- an even greater level. It was there Our stint as potential media bar- house and sinking what little we ward and Bernstein of Watergate that the phrase “Westmount dog ons didn’t last long – indeed about had into a mad scheme to operate fame. And, okay, gonzo journalism bites man” became legend, with as long as it took to have an early a paper – even a historic gem of madman Hunter S. Thompson, the editorial staff bent on a mission evening coffee. After then-owners Canadian journalism – somehow too, was a role model for us bud- to ferret out a local connection to Karen Macdonald and François didn’t seem right. ding scribes. any and all news events. Vézina patiently explained the My interest – I wouldn’t go as I’ll never forget that job inter- It’s not all that different in my economic underpinnings of the far as to say dream – in becoming a view with the editor. He was an current longstanding role with the venerable paper, it became clear newspaper publisher is based on the almost comically surly man, in a public broadcaster based here in that operating the QCT was a la- fact that, even though I have been tiny, messy office complete with a Quebec City, where all of us got bour of love for them, not profit. working in the “electronic” medium framed portrait of Sir Roy Thom- the regional religion. The telling of We learned that not only could of radio for over 20 years, I still con- son, the Baron of Fleet Street, stories about the community – after we not hope to make a nickel sider myself an ink-stained wretch scowling down at me. Incidentally, all, we are called the Quebec Com- with the paper, but to become the at heart – a print man. years later, I would learn that the munity Network and some of us owners we’d likely have to buy the To be a print man it helps a lot same Roy Thomson had owned still have the refrigerator magnets to house in the wilds of Sainte-Foy if you’ve actually seen a newspaper the Chronicle-Telegraph in its last prove it – is our raison d’être, passion, where Karen and François lived. being printed. years as a daily. I found a certain joy and legislated mandate. That’s because they had built an My first job as a reporter was with irony in the fact that for several I come from a small town and addition for the newsroom, includ- the newspaper I had hawked as a boy years I wrote a column in the QCT, had parents who were involved in ing a darkroom – it was only the in the innumerable little taverns of the thereby working for two former the community, be it visiting shut- dawn of digital – for chief photog- rough-and-tumble mining town where Thomson holdings in my career. ins, singing in the church choir, vol- rapher Mike Reshitnyk. I grew up, collecting a quarter a copy Back to that beast of an editor. unteering at the hospital or serving At the time Mike was one of a from the late afternoon crowd of off- For all his nasty traits, he did drill on the library board. Perhaps that’s small but dedicated staff at the pa- shift workers quaffing a brew before into the green reporters under his why I feel so at home among the per, which also included affable ad heading home for dinner. My career tutelage (and thumb) the funda- community the QCT serves. man Ron Devost and the ubiquitous, as a newsie didn’t last long, though the mental dictum of local journalism: Though I’ve long abandoned indefatigable reporter and editor wonder and excitement of watching “Names (spelled correctly, damn any notion of being a newspaper Michèle Thibeau. Then there was the papers roll off the massive, thun- it!) sell newspapers.” Stripped of its mini-baron, I am pleased and re- columnist and proof-reader Clive dering presses in the floor below the crass profit motive, this means “It’s lieved the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph Meredith. A compilation of his col- editorial offices stuck with me. the community, stupid.” has found benevolent publishers umns In all weathers, in all seasons was Years later, I got my first job as That lesson was reinfo rced in who understand not only the his- an invaluable introduction for me a reporter at that same newspaper, another of my print-man incar- toric importance of the venerable to the historic lore of another era in having taken a major pay cut from nations. As the editor of The West- rag but share the passion for com- Quebec City, and to a delightful man the stultifying civil service desk job mount Examiner, I was called upon munity newspapers.

20 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Réflexions d’un homme de presse Il y a plusieurs années, agissant sous le coup de l’instinct, persuadés que nous nations d’homme de presse. En regretterions de ne pas avoir carpé le diem, ma femme et moi sommes devenus des tant que rédacteur en chef du Westmount Examiner, j’ai dû mettre acheteurs potentiels du Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. encore plus l’accent sur la com- munauté comme raison d’être du Malheureusement, avec deux salaire par rapport à l’abrutissant journal. C’est à cette époque que Peter Black enfants à nourrir et vêtir, l’idée de emploi de bureau que j’avais ob- Producteur et réalisateur, CBC Radio la phrase « Un homme mordu par vendre notre maison et d’investir tenu à la sortie de l’université pour un chien à Westmount » est entrée Notre règne de barons de presse nos maigres économies dans un la chance de devenir journaliste. dans la légende, et que la rédaction potentiels n’a pas duré bien long- plan rocambolesque d’achat d’un C’était l’époque de Woodward et se donnait pour mission de trouver temps, à peine le temps d’un café journal, tout joyau du journalisme Bernstein et de l’affaire du Wa- un lien avec la communauté dans au début de la soirée. Après que les canadien soit-il, ne nous a pas tergate. Et admettons-le, le jour- tous les événements. propriétaires de l’époque, Karen parue du meilleur aloi. nalisme gonzo du grand maboul Cette façon de voir est assez sim- Macdonald et François Vézina, Mon intérêt (je n’irais pas Hunter S. Thompson était aussi un eurent patiemment expliqué les ilaire à celle qui prévaut chez mon jusqu’à dire rêve) envers l’édition modèle pour nous, aspirants scribes. employeur de longue date, notre rouages économiques du vénérable d’un journal me vient du fait que, Je n’oublierai jamais cette entre- journal, il nous est apparu évident diffuseur public ici à Québec, où bien que je travaille dans le médi- vue avec le rédacteur en chef. Un nous avons tous la religion de la que le QCT était pour eux plus une um « électronique » de la radio homme d’une mauvaise humeur passion qu’une source de profits. région. Le fait de raconter des his- depuis plus de 20 ans, je me con- caricaturale, dans un minuscule toires touchant la communauté – Nous avons appris que non sidère toujours comme un passion- bureau en désordre que complétait seulement nous ne ferions pas un après tout, nous sommes le Quebec né aux mains pleines d’encre, un une photo encadrée de Sir Roy sou avec le journal, mais que pour Community Network, et certains d’en- homme de presse. Thomson, le baron de Fleet Street, en devenir les propriétaires, nous tre nous ont encore des aimants de Évidemment, pour être un hom- et qui me toisait avec mépris. In- serions sans doute obligés d’achet- frigo pour le prouver – est notre me de presse, il est bon d’avoir déjà cidemment, des années plus tard, er la maison blottie dans la nature raison d’être, notre passion, notre assisté à l’impression d’un journal. j’ai appris que ce même Roy de Sainte-Foy où vivaient Karen et joie et notre mandat législatif. Mon premier emploi de report- Thomson avait été propriétaire François. Ceci parce qu’ils avaient Je viens d’une petite ville et mes er était pour le journal que j’avais du Chronicle-Telegraph lors de ses bâti une annexe à la salle de rédac- parents étaient impliqués dans la vendu jeune garçon dans les in- dernières années comme quotidi- tion qui comprenait une chambre communauté : ils visitaient les gens noire (le numérique commençait nombrables petites tavernes de la en. J’ai vu une certaine ironie dans seuls, chantaient dans la chorale à peine) pour le photographe en petite ville minière où j’ai grandi, le fait qu’ayant écrit une chronique de l’église, faisaient du bénévolat à chef Mike Reshitnyk. récoltant 25 sous par exemplaire dans le QCT pendant plusieurs an- l’hôpital et siégeaient sur le conseil À l’époque, Mike était l’un des vendu à la foule de travailleurs nées, j’aurai travaillé pour deux an- de la bibliothèque. Peut-être est-ce quelques employés du journal, peu qui quittaient le travail en fin ciens journaux de Thomson dans là ce qui explique que je me sente nombreux, mais dévoués, parmi d’après-midi et vidaient leur bière ma carrière. autant chez moi dans la commu- lesquels on trouvait aussi le sym- d’un trait avant de prendre le che- Mais revenons à ce terrifiant rédac- nauté que sert le QCT. pathique publiciste Ron Devost et min de la maison. Ma carrière de teur en chef. Malgré tous ses défauts, Même si j’ai depuis longtemps l’infatigable reporter et rédactrice camelot n’a pas duré longtemps, il a bien entré dans le crâne des petits abandonné toute notion de devenir en chef Michèle Thibeau, qui était mais la magie et l’excitation de voir bleus sous sa tutelle (et son joug) les un mini-baron de la presse, je suis partout à la fois. Il y avait aussi le les journaux sortir des immenses et diktats fondamentaux du journalisme heureux et soulagé que le Quebec chroniqueur et réviseur Clive Mer- bruyantes presses qui siégeaient à local : « Les noms (écrits sans faute, Chronicle Telegraph ait su trouver des edith. En lisant une compilation l’étage, sous la salle de rédaction, maudit!) vendent des journaux ». Si éditeurs au grand cœur qui non de ses chroniques In all weathers, in ne m’ont jamais quitté. on met de côté la notion de profit un seulement comprennent l’impor- all seasons, j’ai découvert le Québec Des années plus tard, j’ai décro- instant, on peut lire : « Ce qui compte, tance historique de ce vénérable d’une autre époque, mais aussi un ché mon premier emploi de report- c’est la communauté. » journal, mais qui sont en plus de homme charmant ayant mille his- er à ce même journal, encaissant Cette leçon s’est vue renforcée véritables passionnés du journal- toires à raconter. une importante diminution de dans une autre de mes incar- isme régional.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 21 Following in Neilson’s footsteps bridges between different commu- passed away before it became the nities, bringing people together. dynamic institution it is now, but he That was what François and I would be so proud to see how signif- enjoyed most during our 14 years icant it is for the community today. with the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph Similarly, we often speak proud- – moving among communities, ly of how English-speakers are building bridges. We felt welcome staunch federalists in Quebec, and everywhere – at city halls both in when they travel elsewhere in Can- Shannon and in Quebec City, at ada, they just as staunchly defend Presbyterian and Baptist church- Quebec – acting as ambassadors

Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle es, synagogues, and at the Festival for the French language and the d’Été and the Shannon Irish Show. uniqueness of Quebec’s culture, That capacity also makes our savouring that je ne sais quoi that community especially important makes it a distinct society.. to the Quebec City region. An It’s this willingness to bridge English-speaking community is the cultural divide between An- a valuable asset to the region. It’s glophones and Francophones encouraging to see how our lead- that I so admired in John Neilson. the Catholic parish of Quebec ership has taken advantage of that I saw a little of that willingness in Karin Macdonald City. Neilson was married to Ma- special place our community holds Philippe Couillard during the re- News Director/Station Manager, Global Montreal; former QCT owner and editor rie-Ursule Hubert, and together in the city. Community organiza- cent election campaign when he they had 10 children. The story tions like Voice of English-speak- bravely (and surprisingly) praised When I first discovered John goes that the boys were brought ing Quebec and the Eastern Que- bilingualism, saying repeatedly that Neilson through the history of the up as Presbyterians while the girls bec Learning Centre understand all Quebecers want their children Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, I felt privi- were raised Roman Catholics. that. Many of their activities cre- to be bilingual. His message is that leged to be following in his footsteps. During his 71 years Neilson ate and maintain bridges between there is a place for all in Quebec. At the time, my husband wore many hats. Besides owning French and English and the many English-speakers struggled with François Vézina and I were the The Quebec Gazette and its printing other communities that call Que- identity and place in this province newspaper’s new publishers, try- press, he owned the principal book- bec City home. once again over the last year and a ing to learn everything we could shop in the Canadas until 1820. Neilson’s biographers in the half. The election of the Parti Québé- about our little gem. While Neilson And at various times in his life he Dictionary of Canadian Biography de- cois in September 2012 and the ex- was not the founder of The Quebec was a farmer, a politician and a scribe him as one of the “earliest tremely divisive debate around the Gazette, he was definitely this news- militia officer. Neilson was fluent- exemplars of the ‘Canadian’ in Charter of Values had many Que- paper’s most illustrious publisher. ly bilingual and moved between the modern sense: bilingual, con- becers once again asking themselves Even more importantly, for me at both the English and the French nected with people of various ori- if they belonged. Of course, we be- least, he represented everything communities with great ease. As gins, optimistic about the country’s long. John Neilson belonged too. that was great about being “an An- a politician he worked closely with future.” That same description Now we have the chance to glo in Quebec City,” a designation Louis-Joseph Papineau against the applies to so many Quebec City build for the future. We have to I am still very proud to bear. union of Upper and Lower Can- Anglos I know today. make sure everyone knows the Born in Scotland in 1776, John ada, until they had a falling out. An old friend of mine, the late important role we played in the Neilson first came to Quebec City Papineau wanted fast action from Owen Carter, used to smugly city’s history and why we are to help his elder brother Samuel Great Britain and feared the assim- point out that “Quebec City valued contributors to the com- with his publishing business. He ilation of French Canadians, while Anglophones” were different. munity today. was a proud Presbyterian – there’s Neilson proposed a more moder- Our ability to collaborate at all That’s part of the legacy of the a plaque for him at St. Andrew’s ate approach. levels, regardless of language, was, Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph – an insti- Church in Old Quebec – but That image, of a statesman he said, a very special trait in our tution that has been a testimony he was buried at St. Andrew’s in moving seamlessly among community. Carter helped fight to the vitality and contribution of Valcartier Village, his place in the many different communities, is the battle to keep the Jeffery Hale Quebec City’s English-speaking cemetery marked by an impressive what so many of us Anglo-Que- Hospital open and connected to the community for the past 250 years. tombstone. He also had a pew in becers have aspired to – building English-speaking community. He Long live the QCT!

22 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Dans les traces de John Neilson officier de la milice. John s’exprimait qu’avec d’autres communautés de ciété distincte. Karin Macdonald parfaitement dans les deux langues la ville. C’est cette volonté de rassem- Chef des nouvelles/directrice de station, Global Montreal; ancienne propriétaire et était aussi à l’aise chez les franco- Dans le Dictionnaire biographique du bler anglophones et francophones et éditrice du QCT phones que chez les anglophones. Canada, on décrit John Neilson com- que j’admire tant chez John Neilson. Comme homme politique, il s’est Lorsque, en m’intéressant à l’his- me l’un des « premiers prototypes J’ai perçu un peu de cette volonté opposé à l’union du Haut-Cana- toire du Québec Chronicle-Telegraph, du “Canadien” au sens contempo- chez Philippe Couillard au cours da et du Bas-Canada aux côtés de j’ai découvert celle de John Neilson, rain : bilingue, lié à des personnes de la dernière campagne électorale Louis-Joseph Papineau, jusqu’à ce je me suis tout de suite sentie priv- de diverses origines, croyant en lorsqu’il a rassemblé son courage qu’une querelle mette fin à leur as- ilégiée de suivre ses traces. l’avenir de son pays ». Cette défini- pour faire l’éloge du bilinguisme (à sociation. Papineau souhaitait que À l’époque, mon mari François tion pourrait convenir à beaucoup la surprise de plusieurs), en disant à la Grande-Bretagne agisse rapide- Vézina et moi étions nouvellement des anglophones de Québec que je plusieurs reprises tous les parents du ment et craignait que les Canadiens éditeurs du journal et voulions tout connais. Québec souhaitaient que leurs en- français ne soient assimilés. Neilson, savoir sur le petit bijou que nous Un vieil ami aujourd’hui décédé, fants deviennent bilingues. Ce qu’il pour sa part, proposait une ap- avions entre les mains. John Neilson Owen Carter, disait souvent d’un voulait dire, essentiellement, c’est qu’il proche plus modérée. n’est pas le fondateur de la Québec air suffisant que les « anglophones existe une place pour tous au Québec. Cette image d’un homme d’État Gazette, mais il est sans aucun doute de Québec » étaient différents. No- Au cours de la dernière année et qui passait sans difficulté d’une le plus célèbre de ses éditeurs. De tre capacité à collaborer dans toutes demie, les anglophones du Québec communauté à l’autre représente plus, et c’est ce qui compte pour les sphères sans égard à la langue se sont beaucoup interrogés sur leur ce à quoi nous, Anglo-Québécois, moi, il représente tout ce qu’il peut y était selon lui l’une des caractéris- identité et sur leur statut. L’élection sommes si nombreux à aspirer : tiques particulières de notre com- du Parti Québécois en septembre avoir de bien à être un anglophone bâtir des ponts entre les commu- à Québec, un titre que j’ai toujours munauté. Owen s’est battu pour 2012 et les débats extrêmement nautés, rassembler les gens. que l’hôpital Jeffery Hale demeure houleux autour de la charte des porté avec grande fierté. C’est ce que François et moi Né en Écosse en 1776, John ouvert et qu’il conserve ses liens valeurs ont fait se demander à de avons le plus apprécié au cours des avec la communauté anglophone. nombreux Québécois s’ils avaient Neilson s’est d’abord rendu à Qué- 14 années passées à la tête du Qué- bec pour aider son frère Samuel à Il est décédé avant que l’hôpital ne vraiment leur place ici. Bien sûr bec Chronicle-Telegraph : côtoyer les devienne l’institution dynamique que nous avons notre place ici. Tout s’occuper de sa maison d’édition. différentes communautés et tisser John était un fier presbytérien. Une qu’il est aujourd’hui, mais il serait comme John Neilson avait la sienne. des liens. Nous nous sentions les extrêmement fier de constater à Nous avons aujourd’hui la plaque à son nom a d’ailleurs été bienvenus partout : à l’hôtel de ville installée à l’église St. Andrew, dans quel point le Jeffery Hale occupe chance de bâtir l’avenir. Nous dev- de Shannon et de Québec, dans les aujourd’hui une place importante ons veiller à ce que tout le monde le Vieux-Québec, et une impres- églises presbytériennes et baptistes dans notre communauté. connaisse le rôle que nous avons sionnante pierre tombale marque et dans les synagogues, au Festival Au Québec, les anglophones joué dans l’histoire de la ville et l’endroit où il a été enterré dans le d’été de Québec et au Shannon sont généralement considérés com- les raisons qui font de nous un cimetière St. Andrew de Valcart- Irish show. me d’ardents fédéralistes. Cepen- atout pour la communauté. ier. Il payait également son banc à C’est cette faculté d’adapta- dant, lorsqu’ils voyagent ailleurs Cela fait partie de l’héritage du la paroisse catholique de Québec. tion qui rend notre communauté au Canada, c’est le Québec qu’ils Québec Chronicle-Telegraph, une insti- John a épousé Marie-Ursule Hu- si importante pour la région de défendent avec ferveur. Ils jouent tution qui témoigne depuis 250 ans bert, avec qui il a eu 10 enfants. On Québec. La présence d’une com- le rôle d’ambassadeurs du français de la vitalité et de la précieuse con- raconte que ses garçons ont reçu munauté anglophone est un atout et du caractère unique de la culture tribution de la communauté anglo- une éducation presbytérienne, alors précieux et il est encourageant de québécoise, qui, grâce à son petit je phone à la ville de Québec. Longue que ses filles ont été élevées dans la voir à quel point nos leaders arrivent ne sais quoi, fait du Québec une so- vie au Québec Chronicle-Telegraph! religion catholique. à tirer profit de ce statut privilégié. Au cours des 71 années de sa Les organismes communautaires vie, John Neilson a revêtu de nom- comme l’Eastern Quebec Learning breux chapeaux. En plus de pos- Centre et Voice of English-speak- séder le journal The Quebec Gazette ing Québec l’ont bien compris. et ses presses à imprimer, il a été Plusieurs de leurs activités permet- propriétaire de la plus importante tent en effet de créer et d’entretenir librairie canadienne jusqu’en 1820. des liens entre les communautés Il a aussi été agriculteur, politicien et francophones et anglophones ainsi Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 23 The birth of the press in quebec subscriber list contained only 143 Charles André Nadeau names. Five years later, it reached 225. historian In the summer of 1776, following the New France never had a news- end of the city siege by the American paper. Six months after the Treaty patriots, which had caused a tem- of Paris was signed on February porary interruption of service, the 10, 1763, confirming the transfer owners indicated a willingness to re- of the colony to Great Britain, two sume publishing if they could obtain young printers from Philadelphia, at least 200 regular customers. Thus William Brown and Thomas Gilm- the number of customers did not ore, formed a partnership and came increase significantly in the paper’s to Quebec City to practise their first decade. Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle trade. Until 1778, they published The British administrators the only newspaper in the province. were the first to recognize the ad- These 14 years represent the labo- vantages of the new publication, rious birth of the press in Quebec. and they promptly made use of it. On June 7, 1764, Thomas Gilm- The edition of July 5, 1764, contained ore landed in Quebec City with a call for tenders for the refurbishing of the equipment necessary for the Château Saint-Louis, the governor’s operation of a printing shop – a residence. However, the government manual press, specialized tools, ink, saw The Quebec Gazette as the ideal paper and typographic characters. tool for an even more important Such products were not yet available function: disseminating directives and in North America, and Gilmore announcements to the public. The made arrangements with his London October 4, 1764, edition contained York State) was put in place, without was an excellent way to learn a sec- suppliers to ensure the regular an order from Governor Murray which Brown and Gilmore would ond language. However, the amateur provisioning of the office. defining what constituted a legal not have been able to provide news translators filled the French version The first task of the new enterprise publication for the purpose of provin- to their readers. of the paper with Anglicisms, barba- was the creation of The Quebec Gazette cial ordinances: it included a public Half The Gazette’s subscribers were risms and mistakes. It seems that only - La Gazette de Québec. The first weekly proclamation made by the provost French-speaking, then known as the French-Canadians were able to edition appeared on June 21, 1764, marshal or his deputy in the three Canadiens. A bilingual newspaper, of learn the other language properly. printed on 14” by 9.5” paper, and the main cities, Montreal, Trois-Rivières necessity, required a good translator. One of the obstacles to the dis- format was an in-folio of four pages. and Quebec, and publication in The Neither Brown, of Scottish origin, tribution of the newspaper was The first half of the regular publica- Quebec Gazette. A few months later, nor Gilmore, born and raised in its cost. The first annual subscription tions contained news items and was this regulation was amended to order Ireland, was sufficiently proficient in amounted to 15 shillings, which seems divided into two columns, English every parish priest to subscribe to French to fill this need. The colony reasonable compared with American on the left and the French translation the newspaper and read to his required translators for other reasons, weeklies of the period. But in the dif- on the right. The other half included congregation all pertinent ordinances too, in particular for the publishing of ficult post-war economic conditions local advertising. published in its pages every week. official proclamations and the admin- of the early British regime, the monetary The Gazette described itself as a The postal service was of prime istration of justice. An announcement situation presented quite a different vehicle for information and entertain- importance to the publishers of the in the third edition of The Gazette by outlook. The rent paid by Brown ment and a service to the public. The first provincial newspaper. The point a man named Galway, indicates that and Gilmore for their shop was 14 front page of the first issue stated that of contact for its distribution and a few enterprising individuals had and a half shillings per week, almost the publishers’ objective was to keep the sale of advertising in other local- established residence in the colonial the equivalent of a single annual readers apprised of developments in ities was the post office. During the capital to take advantage of the situa- subscription. Their weekly room the political affairs of Europe, and four years of military government tion. Brown and Gilmore hired some and board was 13 shillings. In such a particularly England. (1760 to 1764), a courier system of these newcomers on a yearly con- context, the cost of the paper appears The Gazette had a limited reader- linking Quebec City, Montreal and tract. In their prospectus, they stressed prohibitive and partly explains the ship during its first years. The initial Albany (later the capital of New the fact that the bilingual newspaper limited number of regular customers.

24 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 William Brown and Thomas Bearing in mind that from No- did so anonymously. Their favourite ship. Among its benefits, the newspa- Gilmore published a newspa- vember to May no shipping reached genre was poetry. During this peri- per brought the colony improved com- per, but they did not employ any Quebec City, the printers told their od the newspaper was the only print munications regarding administrative journalists and were not report- readers in the first edition that it would medium where poets could present and economic activities; it heightened ers themselves. For the first two often be necessary to present texts of their texts, as we see from the im- readers’ interest in world affairs, partic- pages, they borrowed, stole, cut and an entertaining and educational na- posing compilation of Sister Jeanne ularly European; it provided a means copied content from the London pub- ture, which, in the parlance of the d’Arc Lortie, Les textes poétiques du for readers in both language groups to lications. During his trip to England time, meant literary works. Thus, Canada français 1606-1867. Between gain some knowledge of a second lan- to acquire a press, Gilmore took out readers from both cultures were invit- 1760 and 1790, no poetry was guage; and it was the only vehicle that subscriptions to various British news- ed to submit compositions, and many published other than in the Quebec published poetry by local writers. papers, including the London Magazine, weekly and two Montreal papers. On the other hand, The Quebec the London Gazette, the Morning Chronicle The first French poem appeared on Gazette did not encourage or develop and the St. James Chronicle. Among its benefits, August 2, 1764. But very few Cana- local journalism, it published little The advertisers themselves wrote the newspaper brought the diens sent in verse for the columns of local news, and it abstained from the advertisements comprising the colony improved communications the local press. In the 1,325 editions taking a stance in provincial politics. second half of the Quebec City of The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Access to its pages did not generate weekly. Local news items were prac- regarding administrative and Québec printed before December 1790, much popular involvement. On these tically non-existent, being limited to economic activities; it heightened there were 320 poems published, points, the period from 1764 to 1776 shipping news and quotidian matters readers’ interest in world affairs, only 24 of which were in French. proved rather a developmental phase. such as lost-and-found items and obit- particularly European; it provided In 1768, Brown and Gilmore re- The large majority of contributors uaries. During the second year, there imbursed their debt to William Dun- to the paper, in the form of letters were sometimes short items relating a means for readers in both lop, their sponsor in Pennsylvania. to the editor or literary texts, came Canadian news, mainly brief reports language groups to gain some The printing shop’s accounting books from the English-speaking minority, on trials. Thus, journalistic writing knowledge of a second language; showed the publishers were in the The Canadiens seemed content rather made little progress during the early black. The newspaper had become to observe. For them too, this was a years of The Quebec Gazette. and it was the only vehicle that a useful addition to colonial life, even beginning phase, perhaps the seeds of Contributions from the public published poetry by local writers. though it didn’t attract a large reader- a not very quiet revolution. were also slow in coming. A few read- ers did venture to send in articles, but generally signed their writings using a pen name. These early personal expressions were primarily political in nature. The first such article, in the ninth edition of the paper, described the miseries endured by garrison children and called for the govern- ment to intervene. However, Brown and Gilmore printed few texts about local issues. Rather, they stated that their weekly was not an instrument for the benefit of the political factions, and insisted on publishing only what was they considered “proper,” a word that reveals their unwillingness to attract the attention of the authorities, whether civil or religious. Such edito- rial restraint can largely be explained by the fact that the printing office re- ceived government subsidies. Indeed, on the front page of The Gazette the royal coat of arms was displayed, reminding the public of the paper’s semi-official role. On rare occasions, people in the English-speaking com- munity sent in political articles. The Canadiens on the other hand, preferred to address religious topics. (Image from Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph archives) The first edition of The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Québec, was published on June 21, 1764. Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 25 TM

North America’s Oldest Newspaper - Since 1764

www.qctonline.com Quebec City $1.32 plus GST and QST Outside Quebec City $2.00 plus GST and QST th year, No. 27 Québec WEDNESDAY, July 6, 2011 , 247 twitter.com/QCTonline Canada Post Publication no. 40026512 - EDITION VALID UNTIL July 13, 2011 - Search Archives 1764-1970 log onto www.oldestnewspaper.com

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Quebec City, Sunday, July 3, 2011

Label / étiquettes Photo by Jay Ouellet Jay by Photo

26 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 27 Please join us for our 250th Anniversary RATING 250 Y ELEB ronicling Our Comm EARS C of Ch unity A Look Back at Noteworthy News How the happenings of North America’s oldest newspaper fit into historic news, events, and the history of newspapers

Friday, June 20, 2014 When: 1535-1536 Jacques 1656 Opregte Haarlemsche Courant at 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.Cartier first explores the Circa 59 BC The Roman Empire from Haarlem is first printed. Since Cocktail Reception modernday Quebec City published Acta Diurna, government 1942, it has been the Haarlems Dagblad: announcement bulletins, as ordered region, and overwinters at the mouth of the Saint- Oprechte Haerlemse Courant 1656. by Julius Caesar. They were carved The Morrin Centre Where: Charles River This paper considers itself to be the in metal or stone and44, posted Chaussée in des Écossais public places. oldest newspaper still publishing. Québec, QC G1R 2H41556 The government of 2nd and 3rd centuries AD In China, Venice first published the monthly Notizie scritte 1690 In Boston, Benjamin Harris publishes tipao (newssheets) were commonlySVP used among court officialsPlease during R the by June(written 9th,notices) 2014 which Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and late Han dynasty; during(418) the 650-1764 same or [email protected] one gazetta (a Venetian Domestick, considered to be the first coin of the time). This era, the first movable type printing newspaper in the American colonies was developed in China price was the origin of gazette, which eventually Pre-European contact Diverse First became synonymous September 5, 1760 The Huron-Wendat of Lorrette(ville) Nation cultures live in the with “newspaper.” Quebec City region (now known as Wendake, a reserve within Quebec City) sign 1605 The German- a treaty of peace and friendship with Britain, represented language Relation aller 1430s Johannes Gutenberg by Brigadier General James Murray revolutionizes printing technology Fürnemmen und gede- through innovation and invention nckwürdigen Historien is first printed. This is February 10, 1763 France cedes New France, including often recognized as the Quebec City, to Britain. Prior to this point, printing presses first newspaper. were forbidden in Quebec.

circa August 5, 1763 William Brown January 12, 1793 Brown’s and Thomas Gilmore sign an nephew, John Neilson 59 BC agreement to open a printing inherits The Quebec Gazette shop in Quebec City and to publish a newspaper July 3, 1608 Samuel de Champlain establishes a strong 1820-1831 Construction relationship with local First Nations and founds the of the Citadelle takes place June 21, 1764 First edition settlement that will become Quebec City under the direction of of The Quebec Gazette - Lieutenant Colonel Elias La Gazette de Québec, 1620 The first English-language newspaper,Corrant out of Walker Durnford of the a bilingual weekly Italy, Germany, etc., is published in Amsterdam British Royal Engineers

January 28, 1774 William 1631 The first newspaper in France is published as the May 2, 1832 The Quebec Brown becomes sole owner Gazette de France Gazette becomes a daily of The Quebec Gazette 1645 Ordinari Post Tijdender, now known as Postoch July 23, 1840 The Act of Inrikes Tidningar, is first published in Sweden. The oldest Union merges Upper and newspaper still in existence, it now publishes solely online. Lower Canada into the Province of Canada, which remains a British colony March 23, 1752 John Bushell publishes the first edition of Canada’s until 1867 first newspaper, theHalifax Gazette, which was government-controlled as were all papers in Canada until the late 1890s. October 29, 1842 The Quebec Gazette ceases being a bilingual publication

28 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 1844 Montreal serves as the November 11,1871 British troops August 1, 2007 Pierre Little and Peter White become A Look Back at Noteworthy News capital of the Province of withdraw from the Citadelle and owners of the QCT Canada until 1849, when the Quebec City How the happenings of North America’s city’s parliamentary buildings 2008 Quebec City celebrates its 400th anniversary oldest newspaper fit into historic news, are burned down in response to November 2, 1874 Merger of The events, and the history of newspapers articles published in The Gazette. Quebec Gazette and The Morning November 15, 2010 Ray and Stacie Stanton acquire Chronicle under the name of The majority ownership the QCT May 18, 1847 First edition of Morning Chronicle The Morning Chronicle, founded November 2011 Ray and Stacie Stanton become sole by Robert Middleton and January 8, 1935 Elvis Presley is born owners of the QCT Charles Saint-Michel June 21, 2014 The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph celebrates November 11, 1850 Robert June 15, 1937 The Quebec its 250th anniversary and role in perpetuating 250 years of Middleton becomes sole owner Chronicle-Telegraph absorbs English-language newspaper heritage in Quebec City of The Quebec Gazette The Quebec News

1852 Quebec City becomes June 21 1939 The Quebec 1984 Cirque de Soleil is founded the capital of the Province of Chronicle-Telegraph celebrates Canada, remaining so until 175th anniversary 1985 The ramparts of Vieux- 1856, and then resumes the Québec are declared a World role from 1859-1866 September 10, 1939 Heritage Site by UNESCO The Parliament of Canada, under the name ‘Historic District June 21, 1864 The Quebec in the country’s first independent of Old Québec’ Gazette celebrates its 100th declaration of war, declares war anniversary on Germany 1992 The Canadian Confederation celebrates its 175 anniversary July 1, 1867 The provinces and 1947 Gabrielle Roy’s Tin Flute colonies of Canada confederate, wins the Governor General’s January 1, 1993 Karen Macdonald becoming the Dominion Award for fiction and François Vézina become of Canada owners of the QCT

June 22, 1960 Jean November 9, 1875 First Lesage’s Liberal government edition of The Daily Telegraph, 2014 wins the Quebec general founded by James Carrel election with 51 of 95 seats and 51 per cent 1886 Construction concludes of the popular vote on the National Assembly July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 lands on the moon August 5, 1914 The Governor August 1960 The Beatles March 8, 1891 Frank Carrel General declares a war between begin performing under November 3, 1971 The Quebec inherits The Daily Telegraph Canada and Germany the name that would make Chronicle-Telegraph becomes a weekly them international rock 1893 Château Frontenac June 29, 1925 Merger of the Quebec and roll icons opens for business Chronicle and Daily Telegraph October 3, 1973 Herb Murphy acquires the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph January 23, 1961 The August 2, 1914 Félix Leclerc July 2, 1925 First edition of Thompson Conglomerate December 16, 1979 David Cannon, is born The Chronicle-Telegraph; only becomes sole owner of Bob Dawson, Jean Lemelin and Ross English-newspaper in Quebec the QCT City since this date Rourke become co-owners of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph November 22, 1963 U.S. February 5, 1934 The Chronicle- President John F. Kennedy Telegraph renamed The Quebec is assassinated Chronicle-Telegraph March 30, 1968 September 21, 1934 Leonard Céline Dion is born Cohen is born

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 29 Please join us for our 250th Anniversary BRATING 250 YE CELE of Chronicling Our Community ARS A History by Charles André Nadeau When: Friday, June 20, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Understanding the Cocktailhistory ofReception the press in Quebec City is Where: The Morrin Centre fundamental to envisioning44, Chaussée des Écossais its future. HistorianQuébec, Charles QC G1R 2H4 André Nadeau has provided Please RSVP by June 9th, 2014 an invaluable service(418) 650-1764 to those or [email protected] interested in who did what, when, where, and remarkably, he has quite often deciphered why. The following biographies and articles detail just how inextricably the QCT and its forerunners are bound up in the fabric of our city, province, and nation.

See page XX for historical biographies bibliography.

The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph office moved to St. Malo Industrial Park in 1949.

For brevity’s sake, The Quebec Gazette-La Gazette de Québec is referred to as The Gazette following its first appearance in each article. Similarly, the names of the other newspapers referenced are shortened to two words after their first appearance.

30 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography

The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph William (QCT) owes its origins to the first newspaper ever published in the province of Quebec, The Quebec Brown Gazette - La Gazette de Québec. It was The Father of Printing in Canada first issued on June 21, 1764, and by virtue of this fact, the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph is considered to be North America’s oldest contin- ually operating newspaper. William Brown is the man be- hind the creation of The Quebec Gazette. From his home in colonial Philadelphia he wrote to Governor James Murray to request autho- rization to publish a newspaper in the recently conquered British province. Before travelling to Que- bec City, Brown drafted a prospec- tus in order to attract subscribers. Only one copy of this document remains in existence. It is consid- ered a treasure of Canadian cul- tural history and is preserved in the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Li- brary at the University of Toronto. Brown was born in Nunton, in health reasons. Brown first set foot a stable occupied these premises; the council area of Dumfries and in Quebec City on September 30, it was later converted to a theatre Galloway in Scotland. He was 1763, after a rather adventurous and then a restaurant. sent to America at the age of 15 trip on horseback which led him The printing shop was moved and studied at William and Mary through Springfield, Massachu- frequently during its early years. College in Williamsburg, Virginia. setts, Albany, New York, around On May 25, 1765, it was located At age 17, he began to learn the Lake Champlain and to Montreal. on Parloir Street. On May 5, 1774, printing trade in Philadelphia. He Once in Quebec City, Brown its location was listed as “behind later was sent to Bridgetown in set up his printing office in rented the cathedral,” probably near the

Illustration by Bethann G. Merkle Barbados to set up a printing shop, quarters on St. Louis Street. The Bishop’s Palace, at the top of Côte but he came back shortly after for address given in the first edition de la Montagne. On May 4, 1780, of The Gazette is “Two doors high- the address given is “the middle of er than the Secretary’s office.” the Big Hill,” which is later indicat- Noted historian Gilles Gallichan ed in the January 28, 1890, edition estimates that the location was op- as 5 Mountain Hill. posite present-day Place d’Armes, William Brown never married. more precisely, on a site now occu- He died suddenly on March 22, pied partly by the Château Fronte- 1789, at the age of 52. The March nac and partly by the restaurant Le 26, 1789, edition of The Gazette re- Petit Château. As recently as 1959, ported the event and mentioned that on the day of his funeral his re- mains were accompanied by a great number of respectable citizens to the place of interment in St. Matthew’s burial ground on St. John Street. His nephew, Samuel Neilson, who had come from Scotland a few years earlier, inherited the busi- ness. The March 26, 1789, edition is the first one showing Samuel Neilson as publisher.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 31 Biography

Thomas Gilmore William Brown had a partner in drick Peck. He disembarked in Mary Lillicoe and the couple had the founding of The Quebec Gazette. Quebec City on June 7, 1764, and a son, also called Thomas. Thomas Gilmore had been work- the partners set up shop in the St. The relationship between Gilmore ing as an apprentice in Philadelphia Louis Street location rented from and Brown soured after 1768. On at the same printing shop as Wil- J. Thompson. October 4, 1770, Gilmore signed liam Brown. When Brown returned At the outset, the business re- a promissory note for £250, and from Barbados and drew up the ceived £50 a year to publish the Brown demanded payment twice Quebec City project, he renewed colonial government’s official an- before the Court of Common his relationship with Gilmore. On nouncements in The Gazette. In Pleas. Gilmore, an alcoholic, died August 5, 1763, the two young men addition, the shop printed various at 32; he was buried on February signed a partnership agreement. forms, calendars and posters for 3, 1773. In a telling omission, The While Brown made his way the local merchants and, occasion- Quebec Gazette made no mention of north on horseback, Gilmore ally, pamphlets and books. the death of one of its founders. sailed to England to acquire the Little is known about Thom- Gilmore’s widow proved a difficult Engraving circa 1770 by equipment necessary for the new as Gilmore. It is believed that he partner. Brown bought her share of Daniel Chodowlecki (1726-1801) enterprise. In London, he pur- was born in 1741 in the village the business on January 28, 1774, chased type from the foundry of of Stone, near Dublin in Ireland, and printed a notice to that effect 18th century manual printing press William Caslon, and a press, ink or perhaps in Philadelphia. On in the February 3, 1774, edition of thought to be similar to the one Thomas and paper from the shop of Ken- November 6, 1768, he married the newspaper. Gilmore brought to Quebec from England.

32 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography

Benjamin FRANKLIN The Quebec Gazette of May 2, 1848, stated that the 1763 prospectus produced by William Brown had been printed in Benjamin Franklin’s shop in Philadelphia. This is unlikely. Brown and Gilmore worked for William Dunlop, the man who also lent them £450 to set up their business, and common sense would indicate that the document was put in print in Dunlop’s office.

William Dunlop was however structure for transporting overland Benjamin Franklin’s brother-in- mail. They set up post offices in law, and if one wishes to establish Montreal, Trois-Rivières and Que- a connection between the founder bec City. They contracted Hugh of The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Finlay, a Quebec City merchant, Québec and the famous American, to handle the mail, and they im- this relationship is a better possi- plemented the procedures already bility, particularly as it is believed in place in the American colonies. that Dunlop was Brown’s uncle. Finlay continued the work. He But, more to the point, Benjamin hired mailmen and postal workers Franklin did in fact play a role in and arranged for a monthly couri- Quebec City, one that benefitted er from Montreal to New York to Brown and Gilmore – he established coincide with the schedule of the a postal service in the province. regular packet-boat sailing to and The English merchants who from Britain. had set up businesses in the colony On June 10, 2013, in recognition often complained about the lack of its beginnings, Canada Post un- of facilities for the transmission of veiled a new stamp showing a por- their letters and commercial pa- trait of Benjamin Franklin and a rep- pers between Quebec, Montreal resentation of Quebec City in 1763. and the American cities. At that Franklin was back in the province time, Franklin, as one of the Dep- in 1776 to try to convince the Cana- uty Postmasters General in North diens to join in the revolution against This portrait of Benjamin Franklin in 1759, by Benjamin Wilson, is presently in the America, was asked to set up a England. But that is another story. White House collection. postal system in Quebec. Franklin surveyed the road be- tween New York and Quebec City with an associate. The two men discovered the existence of a sys- tem of relay stations (road hous- es) already in place along the St. Lawrence River. Starting in 1734, these stations had been set up at 14-kilometre intervals on the new- ly opened King’s Road. Travellers could change horses at these stops while making the four-to-five-day trek between Quebec and Montre- al. This network greatly facilitated Franklin’s job. He and his colleague did not have to create an infra-

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 33 Biography

Colonel Benedict ARNOLD Unwillingly and unwittingly, Benedict Arnold became a contrib- utor to the ancestor of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. A special edition of The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Québec, on March 14, 1776, con- tained extracts from two letters written by Arnold. At that time, the American Revolution was under- way and Quebec City was under siege by American rebel forces. In the fall of 1775, Colonel Ben- edict Arnold led an armed contin- gent of 700 men through the forests of Maine and the region of Beauce, following the Kennebec and Chau- dière rivers. The journey was an or- deal and the soldiers nearly starved to death. Finally, in early Novem- ber 1775, they set up camp on the Plains of Abraham and awaited reinforcements. They were joined by Brigadier General Richard Montgomery and his men. Without artillery, the American commander estimated that only attacking during a snowstorm could lead to the cap- ture of the city. Such an assault took place on New Year’s Eve, 1775, and ended in complete disaster. Mont- gomery was killed, Arnold wound- ed, and 431 men taken prisoners. Despite his injury, Arnold took command of the remaining men The caption of this reproduction of a painting by Thomas Hart (1776) reads: “COLONEL ARNOLD, Who commanded the Provincial Troops went and maintained the siege around against QUEBEC, through the Wilderness of Canada and was Wounded in storming that City, under General Montgomery.” The painting is in Quebec City. Two messages that he the Anne Brown Collection at Brown University. had written to his superiors were in- ened the troops that I have had November 30, 1775. He and his This was not the only time The Que- tercepted by the British, and Gover- the greatest difficulty to keep them employees were issued rifles and bec Gazette - La Gazette de Québec was nor Guy Carleton decided to pub- together. Our whole force since the joined the militia taking part in the forced to stop printing. The first time lish extracts from them to boost the attack amounts to no more than defence of the besieged capital. Af- was on October 31, 1765, during morale of the city’s defenders and 700 men. We were for some time ter a British fleet and a large army the Stamp Act crisis, a key event discourage rebel sympathizers. The in expectation of an attack from arrived in early May 1776, the at- that led to the American Revolution, letters are dated January 6 and 14, the garrison consisting of 1,500, but tackers withdrew, and were chased and publication did not resume until 1776. The following extract from they have as yet thought proper to south of the border on July 2, the May 29, 1766, when it was learned the second letter was printed in The continue in their stronghold and we day the American Congress voted that the Act had been repealed. Quebec Gazette: have effectually blocked them up.” for independence. In 1776, the paper’s circulation “The charge which has devolved The American siege of Quebec Brown wanted to resume pub- resumed on 8 August. That day, the upon me has been a most arduous forced William Brown to suspend lishing in May 1776, but Governor headline at the very top of the front task; our last disaster so disheart- publication of his newspaper on Carleton denied him permission. page read: “The Resurrection No. 2.”

34 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography

John Neilson Samuel Neilson had only a brief career as owner of The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Québec. On January 12, 1793, less than four years after inheriting his uncle’s printing shop, he died, just 22 years old. His younger brother John was his successor.

Born in 1776 in Dornal, Scot- Dalhousie (see A Tale of Two Ga- land, John Neilson joined the print- zettes). In 1827, Samuel even faced ing shop on Côte de la Montagne four counts of libel. The charges in 1791, and was only 16 when he were eventually dropped after the unexpectedly became its propri- departure of the Governor. Suffer- etor. Being so young, he was made ing from tuberculosis, Samuel dis- a ward of the Reverend Alexander solved his partnership with Cowan Spark, the pastor of St. Andrew’s on April 30, 1836, and bequeathed Presbyterian Church, until he the printing shop to his brother reached the age of majority. William a month later. Samuel As he gained in experience died on June 17, 1837. and maturity, John Neilson made From that date forward, al- changes to his newspaper. On Jan- though the paper stated it was uary 7, 1808, he introduced an en- “Printed and Published by William larged format. Ten years later, he Neilson,” it was actually John Neil- changed publication of The Gazette son who, under power of attorney from once a week to twice a week, in 1837, took on the daily man- Mondays and Thursdays. agement of The Quebec Gazette - La In its first half-century, the Gazette de Québec. He ran it until his newspaper founded by Brown death on February 1, 1848. His and Gilmore did not get involved remains lie in the cemetery of St. in politics. After the War of 1812, Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Photo of John Neilson by J.E. Livernois however, there was a gradual Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier. Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec change in approach at the paper. Fluently bilingual, John Neilson had married Marie-Ursule Hubert in Trois-Rivières in 1797. During the time of Governor James Craig, Neilson became a friend of the Canadian Party. In 1818, he ran for election in the constituency of Quebec and won. He remained in the Lower House until 1834. In 1822, to avoid a conflict of interest situation, John Neilson sold his business; two-thirds of the shares went to his son Samuel and one-third went to William Cowan. Under Samuel’s management, The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Québec came into conflict with Governor

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 35 Biography

Philippe AUBERT DE GASPÉ The association of Philippe Aubert de Gaspé with The Quebec Gazette-La Gazette de Québec is representative of the relationship that existed between the provincial administration and the newspaper founded by Brown and Gilmore from its beginning in 1764 until the creation of an official government medium in 1823. Aubert de Gaspé was the sheriff of the district of Quebec from May 9, 1816, to November 4, 1822. In this capacity, he placed many announcements in the Gazette related to the sale of confiscated property, the maintenance of the peace and the proclamation of special events.

The April 24, 1820, edition of The Quebec Gazette/La Gazette de Qué- bec reported an important event in which Aubert de Gaspé was in- volved in the performance of his duties. King George III of Great Britain was dead, and his second son ascended the throne under the name of George IV. In his capacity as sheriff, it was the responsibility of Aubert de Gaspé to proclaim Philippe Aubert de Gaspé circa 1820 the news through the streets of Encyclopédie du Patrimoine culturel Quebec. The newspaper notice Amérique français tells of the matter, indicating also the other authorities who accom- panied him on the occasion. The announcements of Aubert de Gaspé in The Quebec Gazette/La Gazette de Québec lasted barely over five years, not because the newspa- per lost its affiliation with the colo- nial administration (see article titled A Tale of Two Gazettes) but because the young man lost his job, being in debt to the Crown for a large sum. He found himself on the brink of ruin and he eventually sought ref- uge in the family manor in Saint- Jean-Port-Joli. His creditors caught up with him a few years later and he spent, as he himself stated “three years, four months and five days” be augmented regularly, especially newspaper is related to this change the reporter concluded that “great in the Quebec Gaol (later convert- in view of the increased workload. in his vocation. In 1837, De was the disappointment of the sub- ed into Morrin College and now Demands had to be submitted fre- Gaspé’s son published a book en- scribers over M. de Gaspé’s histori- known as the Morrin Centre). quently and patience shown until the titled L’influence d’un livre. But there co-poetic mish-mash.” This kind The owners of the Gazette also necessary funds were finally voted. is no doubt that the novel owed of remark discouraged the young had money problems in their rela- Aubert de Gaspé benefited much to the father. The work was novelist, but the father, having tionship with the government. But somewhat from his stay in prison, subjected to much criticism. In the much reflected and done extensive in this case the fault was the admin- becoming involved with literature. February 10, 1838 edition of The research later produced the highly istration’s. The subsidies needed to His second contact with Neilson’s Quebec Gazette/La Gazette de Québec, successful Les Anciens Canadiens.

36 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography

Louis Joseph Papineau. Head-and-shoulders cabinet portrait, originally taken c 1860s. A note on the reverse reads: ‘ ‘Galerie Historique Canadienne.’ Fondée en 1893 par Albert Ferland, artiste et publiciste cana- dien, Montreal, Canada.’

Source: British Library’s Canadian Copyright Collection.

Louis-Joseph PAPINEAU During the 1820s, Louis-Joseph Papineau occasionally wrote letters that were published in The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Québec. However, in any discussion about the history of the newspaper, Papineau deserves mention more because of his interaction with the publisher, John Neilson, than because of his correspondence with the paper.

When Neilson was elected to Papineau thanked him publicly for Samuel Neilson had trans- tasked him to produce an inde- Lower Canada’s Parliament in his services. But soon a split began formed The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette pendent French edition that would 1818, it was under the banner of to develop between the two men, de Québec into a daily starting on compete with the local publications the Canadian Party, then led by as Neilson sought means of recon- May 2, 1832. The bilingual format in French. Macdonald included Papineau. The two men shared ciliation with the administration. In was maintained in a new way. The a significant portion of religious the same views about the social March 1833, he wrote “The consti- Monday, Wednesday and Friday content in La Gazette de Québec in structure of the province, and tution had first been betrayed by the editions were published in En- an attempt to satisfy local interest were particularly in favour of the governor and the Legislative Coun- glish and the Tuesday, Thursday in the subject. The experiment seigneurial system. They comple- cil, and is now being betrayed by and Saturday sheets came out ended in failure, six months later. mented each other, Neilson being the Assembly.” The break came in in French. Ten years later, John On October 29, 1842, the news- a patient man, and a foil to the 1834 following the adoption of the Neilson decided on a totally new paper became The Quebec Gazette, fiery Papineau. They worked well 92 Resolutions, which Neilson con- approach with regard to his an exclusively English-language together as delegates of the House sidered too radical. He consequent- French-speaking readership. He tri-weekly. Thus ended 79 years of of Assembly when they travelled to ly lost his seat at the next election. hired Ronald Macdonald and bilingual reporting. London to protest the Union Bill Neilson’s political demise co- of 1822 proposing the legislative incided with the end of his son union of Upper and Lower Can- Samuel’s leadership of the family ada. As the decade progressed, newspaper because of illness. Back however, Neilson began slowly to at the helm of The Gazette, John dissociate himself from Papineau Neilson used his pen to combat the and his position. extreme views of the Patriot party. Nonetheless, in the 1820s, Neil- The period following his return as son proved a valuable member of publisher is generally recognized the Canadian Party and The Que- as the high point in the life of the bec Gazette supported their political newspaper and its moment of program. On March 29, 1830, greatest renown.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 37 Biography

Robert MIDDLETON The present day Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph is the result of the merger of three major newspapers over the past 250 years. The second of the trio, The Morning Chronicle, was founded by Robert Middleton and Charles Saint-Michel. Number 1, volume 1 of the paper appeared on May 18, 1847.

The office of The Morning Chron- the only member of the editorial icle was also on Mountain Hill, at staff and as such, was lead writer, number 25. In the summer months news editor, financial reporter, and the paper was a daily and, from ear- much more. ly November to the end of April, it In 1847, the political crisis about appeared three times a week. responsible government brought Shortly after his arrival from En- Middleton to found a new publi- gland in 1832, Robert Middleton cation – The Morning Chronicle – in joined the staff of The Quebec Ga- which he would defend the views John Neilson died on February 1, Bibliotheque and Archives Canada zette - La Gazette de Québec. He quick- of Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hip- 1848, and Ronald Macdonald be- MIKAN number 3330653 ly rose through the ranks in the polyte Lafontaine against editori- came editor of The Quebec Gazette un- Credit: Jules-Ernest Livernois business. Quebec City journalist alists such as John Neilson. With til 1849. William Neilson stayed on and author George Gale recalled his colourful and direct style, Mid- as the paper’s printer and publisher that early in his career at Neil- dleton became well reputed and until May 1, 1848, when his brother, son’s office, Robert Middleton was much respected as a journalist. John Neilson Jr., acquired full owner- ship. At that time The Gazette also be- came a daily in the summer and was printed three times a week in winter. Only two years after Middleton founded The Morning Chronicle, John Jr. managed to lure him to The Gazette as editor and part-owner starting on May 1, 1849. Middleton sold his share of The Morning Chronicle to his partner Saint-Michel on April 10, 1849. The Brown and Neilson family connection to The Quebec Gazette ended on November 11, 1850, when John Jr. in turn sold his share of the partnership to Middleton, making him sole owner.

38 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography

John J. FOOTE At the Morning Chronicle a weekly edition was started on May 18, 1848, for distribution in the Eastern Townships.

After Middleton returned to The Quebec Gazette, his former partner Charles Saint-Michel managed The Morning Chronicle. He changed the name to Morning Chronicle Commercial and Shipping Gazette on November 4, 1850.

Middleton’s Gazette remained a his brother in Quebec City. He was portunity to buy The Quebec Gazette. (From the June 21, 1939, tri-weekly until May 29, 1856, when considered a typical English gen- When John J. Foote took over 175th anniversary souvenir booklet it again became a daily. To help tleman of the old school. He died the paper founded 110 years earlier of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph) finance the venture, Robert Mid- on April 19,1897, at the age of 65. by William Brown and Thomas dleton went into partnership with In the latter half of the 19th Gilmore, he merged it with his This portrait is said to be of one of the two Foote brothers, early editors of The Morning Thomas Dawson. Unfortunately, century, the advent of steam- own sheet. The last edition of Chronicle before it was amalgamated with the change proved unsuccessful and powered, iron-hulled ships brought The Quebec Gazette was dated the Daily Telegraph in 1925. The original The Gazette returned to a three-times- on a crisis in the timber trade and October 30, 1874. used to hang in the business office of the a-week circulation on May 6, 1857. shipbuilding industry, with the The November 2, 1874, edition Chronicle-Telegraph on Buade Street. Its On March 16, 1860, Samuel result that the English-speaking came out anew as a daily with a present location is unknown. If anyone B. Foote’s name appeared on the population of Quebec City began new name. The Morning Chroni- knows anything about the whereabouts masthead of both the Morning and to decline. The moving of the cle Commercial and Shipping Gazette, of this painting, please contact the the Weekly Chronicle as owner and national capital to Ottawa and the marked “Volume XXVIII” and Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. editor. The new proprietor invit- departure of the British garrison “Number 10810,” indicated a ed his brother John to join him from the Citadel compounded continuation of The Chronicle with as a partner on January 20, 1863, the exodus. Furthermore, at this no apparent change caused by the and John Foote became the editor. time the navigable channel of the merger with the old Quebec Gazette. In 1878, Samuel sold his share to St. Lawrence was made deeper to However, in a rectangle the width his brother and left for Montreal allow ocean-going ships access to of a column, this brief notice was where he founded the Shareholder, a Montreal, and a new railway was printed in regular-sized type and financial publication. located on the south shore; both repeated in subsequent editions: John Jackson Foote was born in these events encouraged a growing Tavistock in the county of Devon, number of Quebec City financiers MORNING CHRONICLE England, on February 15, 1832. As and professionals to seek their Established 1847 a young man, he spent three years living further west. Consequently, ------in Dublin, Ireland, learning the local newspapers experienced sig- QUEBEC GAZETTE wholesale tea business. After em- nificant drops in readership. When ESTABLISHED 1764 igrating to Canada, he settled in Robert Middleton died on August ------London, Ontario, and later joined 27, 1874, John J. Foote saw the op- Incorporated 1874

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 39 Biography

Image from the Quebec Saturday Budget, March 14, 1891.

James CARREL Almost a year from the day the A popular personage in his own back to its original name on De- ner of Du Trésor Street. These last copy of The Quebec Gazette was right, James Carrel was highly re- cember 15, 1891. Frank Carrel also quarters were destroyed by fire in printed, a new daily newspaper spected in the press milieu. He was acquired respect as a newspaper 1907 and the paper had to move appeared in Quebec City. On also involved in municipal politics, man, but his style was very different temporarily, but it returned after November 9, 1875, the first edition and served as an alderman for from his father’s (see “Frank Carrel the construction of the splendid of The Daily Telegraph, selling for one the Montcalm ward. When he and The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph” building still in existence at the penny, did not have any subscribers. Its founder, James Carrel, relied died, over 2,000 people joined his on page 46) same location. only on competitiveness among funeral procession from St. Mat- The Daily Telegraph was the third On July 8, 1909, Frank Car- his paper boys to distribute the thew’s Church on St. John Street in the triad of major newspapers rel formed the Telegraph Printing four-page newspaper, whose orig- to Mount Hermon cemetery in at the origin of the present-day Company to own and manage The inal format was even smaller than Sillery on March 12, 1891. Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. Its first Daily Telegraph. He became its presi- the present-day Quebec Chronicle- James’s son Frank, who inherit- and only true home since 1875 dent and remained in this post until Telegraph. In its first year the publi- ed the business, changed the sheet was on Buade Street at the cor- the creation of The Chronicle-Telegraph. cation came out twice a day and rapidly met with success. In 1876, there were even three daily editions. Unlike The Morning Chronicle, The Daily Telegraph was liberal in philos- ophy and was aimed at the working class. Born in Quebec City, James Carrel was of Irish descent and had been raised in the poor neigh- bourhood of Saint-Roch. His news- paper supported the labour move- ment and generally called for better conditions for working men. James Carrel renamed his publication The Quebec Daily Telegraph on December 2, 1879, and enlarged the format. He took advantage of this change to double the price to two cents.

40 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography FRANK Adapted by Charles André Nadeau from an article by historian Jean-Marie Lebel, published in CARREL Cap-aux-Diamants magazine, Number 23, Fall 1990 On March 8, 1891, at age 47, “palace of the press,” to use an ex- on newsstands. It was published James Carrel died unexpectedly. pression of the time. by the Chronicle-Telegraph Com- An editorialist described him as pany, owned jointly by Carrel and “the genial, the wholesouled James A true gentleman the Price family. Representing Carrel, the friend of the poor, the Carrel was a true “British” gen- compromises between Conserva- oppressed and the workingman, the tleman. An elegant, attractive man tive and Liberal positions and the ardent advocate of the Irish cause.” of dignified bearing, he frequented wealthy with the working class, the the smart people of the city’s upper new publication as aimed to be the The young publisher crust, unlike his father, who had al- communications vehicle of all local Ownership and management of ways remained close to the work- English-speakers. In 1932, Carrel the newspaper fell to the deceased’s ing people. became president of the company. only son, Frank Carrel. It was a Always active in his community, Two years later the paper’s name great challenge for a 20-year-old Carrel founded the Quebec City was changed to the Quebec Chroni- of delicate health. However, the section of the Rotary Club in 1912 cle-Telegraph. In 1937, after working young publisher gave new energy and, from 1930 to 1934, he was more than half a century in the and impetus to the daily, writing the President of the Literary and His- newspaper trade, Carrel retired. (Photo by J. E. Livernois from the Bibliothèque editorials for many years. He called torical Society of Quebec. A group of local businessmen et archives nationales du Québec) for the construction of a bridge A nature lover and a member purchased the newspaper and its and improvements to Old City that of exclusive fishing clubs and golf premises. Frank Carrel (1870-1940), publisher of The would help it enter the 20th cen- clubs, he gladly agreed to become Daily Telegraph, which became the Quebec tury. An admirer of Wilfrid Lau- honorary sponsor of the associa- An unofficial ambassador Chronicle-Telegraph. rier, Félix-Gabriel Marchand, and tion for the protection of fish and Carrel made an effort to boost Behind the successive merg- Simon-Napoléon Parent, Carrel game. On more than one occasion, tourism in his articles and talks. In ers and traditions of 250 years of defended the Liberal Party against he called for a stop to the abuse of 1893, he published Carrel’s Illustrat- press history stands Frank Carrel. regular Conservative attacks. horses in Quebec City, particularly ed Guide & Map of Quebec. Updated on Mountain Hill. and published anew almost yearly, At the time of Frank Carrel’s birth A palace of the press this tourist guide became the “Mi- in 1870, he and his family lived in a The year 1907 brought ordeals The happy wanderer chelin guide” of visitors to Quebec small flat above his father’s printing and renewal to The Telegraph. In An observant tourist sensitive to City for more than half a century. shop. Young Frank grew up amid Marseille on February 24, Frank local customs, Carrel wrote reports In 1894 and 1896 he was the driving the hustle and bustle of the press Carrel was preparing to sail to Egypt of his travels and sent them to The force of the first grand winter carni- world. He recalled, “I started work when a telegram informed him that Telegraph for publication. He lat- vals which drew wealthy American on the old Telegraph at 11 years of fire had destroyed the newspaper’s er collected the articles in a book visitors to Quebec City. age, at the big salary of $2.00 per office and printing shop. called Canada’s West and Farther West In February 1918, Premier week, filling the job of handy mes- Carrel set up temporary quar- (1911) and a second book called A Lomer Gouin appointed Frank senger, clerk, etc.” ters in an old building at the back Round the World Cruise (1917). Carrel to the Legislative Council.* of Cyrille Duquet’s jewellery store Although others saw the appoint- The working man’s newspaper on Fabrique Hill. Sometimes light- Newspaper mergers ment merely as a well-deserved In the fall of 1875, his father, ning does strike twice and, on No- There were 15,500 Anglophones “golden handshake” from a grate- James Carrel, shook up the staid vember 28, 1907, the temporary in the city in 1881, but only 8,500 ful politician, Carrel took his new Quebec City press by founding The quarters also caught fire. by 1921. In 1903, The Mercury was role seriously. He went on rounds Daily Telegraph, a penny daily aimed Undeterred, Carrel decided to forced to close its doors. The Morning of the villages in his division (Golfe) at the working class. An Irish rebuild on the site The Telegraph had Chronicle was more financially stable, and lobbied the various govern- Protestant from the working-class occupied, since its founding, at the but it too was having hard times. ment agencies on behalf of the ar- neighbourhood of Saint-Roch, corner of Buade and Trésor streets. The Daily Telegraph’s circulation ea’s citizens and businessmen. James Carrel learned his trade He hired architect Georges-Émile dropped from 12,000 in 1910 to Carrel knew “the right people” at The Mercury. The Telegraph de- Tanguay to design a building adapt- about 5,000 by the early 1920s. In and, with his diplomatic skills, he also manded better working conditions ed to his publishing business (print- 1924, the Price Brothers and Carrel became an unofficial ambassador for and took the side of the turbulent ing the newspaper, book-binding, began to discuss the unthinkable: a the Canadian press. In 1927 he served Quebec Ship Labourers’ Benev- and job printing). In Montreal, La merger of The Morning Chronicle and as the Canadian delegate at the world olent Society. Within a year its 40 Presse, La Patrie and the Star were The Daily Telegraph. press conference held in Geneva under or so paper boys were selling 3,000 housed in large, modern buildings. On July 2, 1925, the first edition the auspices of the League of Nations. copies a day. In Quebec City, Carrel built a true of The Chronicle-Telegraph appeared Continued on page 52

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 41 Biography

James McPHERSON LE MOINE In the 19th century, newspapers often changed their names or moved to a new address. This was certainly the case for The Morning Chronicle. On February 4, 1888, John J. Foote dispensed of the lengthy title of Morning Chronicle Commercial and Shipping Gazette and brought back the original appellation. Three months later, he added the word Quebec at the beginning. Six days later, the Weekly Chronicle received the same modification. On June 1, 1892, J.J. Foote re- Years ago” to the Morning Chronicle vived the name The Quebec Gazette Commercial and Shipping Gazette. In to replace the Quebec Weekly Chronicle. 1900, he wrote “Fur, Fire and The newspaper even resurrected Feather” in The Quebec Chronicle. In the numbering of the publication the same newspaper, however, his founded by William Brown and most important contribution was Thomas Gilmore. It was marked a 14-part series on the history of Volume 113, Number 12,240. For the local harbour. “The Port of the occasion, Quebec City author Quebec, its Annals, 1535-1900” and barrister James McPherson Le appeared between November 3, Moine wrote a note for the paper: 1900, and March 9, 1901. “St. Louis street, its storied past. More recently, in 2014, the On, on we go past the imposing Quebec Chronicle Telegraph spoke of new Court House, just completed James McPherson Le Moine in on the site of the former one, dat- two articles, one announcing the ing back to 1814 and destroyed by launching of his final work, enti- fire in 1871. In this neighbourhood tled Glimpses and Reminiscences, and also in 1764, Brown and Gilmore the other a review of the book. printed, 24 years before the London Containing his memoirs, the book Times, the first number ofThe Quebec was, in fact, the well-researched Gazette, two doors higher than the and highly documented work of Secretary’s office, wherever the lat- his nephew Roger Le Moine, who Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec ter may have been.” This note ap- assembled the various documents peared at the top of the front page. to create the publication. came The Quebec Chronicle and Gazette. The well-known and respected The revival of the name The Along with these name changes, McPherson Le Moine wrote a few Quebec Gazette did not last very long. there was also a change of address. times in the pages of the forerun- Following the death of J.J. Foote, the The original location had been ners of the Quebec Chronicle-Tele- new owners again changed the title 25 Mountain Street at the corner graph. On November 8, 1860, he of the daily, on October 17, 1898, of Sault-au-Matelot, and a building submitted an article entitled “Que- this time to The Quebec Chronicle. at 9 Buade Street became the bec and its Environs two Hundred The next month, the weekly be- paper’s new home. 42 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography

Painting of Major-General Sir David Watson by William Orpen National Gallery of Canada

Sir David WATSON The death of J.J. Foote in 1897 almost signalled the end of The Quebec Morning Chronicle. The heir to the estate, John Trevor Foote, became proprietor and editor, but he seemed neither interested in nor capable of operating the paper. A forward-looking staff member, David Watson, persuaded Quebec City lawyer Charles Andrew Pentland to purchase the daily. Watson and Pentland, with others, created the Chronicle Printing Company, which then bought the newspaper from the Foote family. The new management issued ed to the Legislative Council in appointed managing director and, to Canada on July 1, 1919, he pur- the first edition on October 17, 1893. Sharples died on July 30, despite his absence for the duration chased the remaining shares of the 1898, under the name The Quebec 1913, and was succeeded by J.T. of the Great War, he kept the title Chronicle Printing Company and Chronicle. The company’s president Ross, the vice-president. until August 1, 1921. became president. Arthur G. Pen- was John Sharples Jr., a business- David Watson joined the staff Well before the war Watson en- ny, editor of The Quebec Chronicle, man and politician who had been of The Quebec Morning Chronicle in listed as a private in the 8th Royal became vice-president. Under Sir mayor of Sillery and was appoint- 1891. On April 2, 1901, he was Rifles, a Quebec City militia reg- David’s leadership, the newspaper iment; he obtained a commission grew in size and circulation, at- in 1900 and by 1910 was a major. tracted more advertisers, and be- On February 12, 1912, now a lieu- came highly profitable. tenant-colonel, he took command While Major-General Watson of his regiment. In August 1914, was still fighting the war in Europe, at the age of 45, he volunteered the office of The Quebec Chronicle on to join the first contingent of the Buade Street was one of the busi- Canadian Expeditionary Force nesses severely damaged in the an- and was given command of its 2nd ti-conscription riot that took place Infantry Battalion. For his perfor- on March 20, 1918. mance in battle, he was promot- On the evening of February 9, ed to brigadier-general in August 1922, Sir David Watson suffered a 1915 and became leader of the paralytic stroke while playing cards 5th Infantry Brigade. In 1916, as at the Garrison Club. He died nine major-general, he commanded the days later. His funeral was marked by 4th Canadian Division. a 13-gun salute. He was another of David Watson was knighted in the esteemed pillars of Quebec City 1918 for his contribution to the society who owned a newspaper in war effort. Shortly after his return the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph family.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 43 Biography

circa 1924 Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

Sir William PRICE Sir William Price was not very interested in purchasing The Quebec Chronicle and its weekly counterpart The Quebec Chronicle and Gazette. He had, however, given assurances both to Sir David Watson that he would protect Lady Watson’s interests, and to the Hon. Arthur Meighen that he would safeguard the partnership between the Conservatives and the paper. In his will, Sir David Watson had decline in the city’s English-speak- ilar ideologies and favoured oppos- Price Brothers, was named presi- given instructions to sell the Chroni- ing population led to lower circu- ing political parties, the decision was dent. A disappointed Frank Carrel cle for the benefit of his estate. The lation, and now there was no room made to amalgamate the sheets. Ne- became vice-president. shares were recalled, the company for two dailies in the capital. For the gotiations were conducted between On July 2, 1925, the first edition was dissolved and the estate admin- already struggling Quebec Chronicle, Brigadier John H. Price, who was of The Chronicle-Telegraph came off istrator James Craig, Watson’s son- matters were exacerbated by the ac- Sir William’s eldest son, and Frank the presses in the modern build- in-law, took control of the paper. cidental death of Sir William Price, Carrel. Another new company was ing at the corner of Buade and Time passed. Craig waited to be on October 2, 1924. formed: the Chronicle-Telegraph Du Trésor. On February 5, 1934, approached by Sir William, who Although The Quebec Chronicle and Printing Company, and J. Leonard the paper’s name was changed to was stalling in hopes that he would The Daily Telegraph espoused dissim- Apedaille, managing director of The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. not have to buy the paper. At The Daily Telegraph, Frank Carrel also bided his time, hoping to be offered the publication at a low price. On January 17, 1923, Sir Wil- liam Price finally bought the news- paper through a new corporation known as the Quebec Chronicle Printing Company. J.H. Stephens, assistant comptroller at Price Bros, was appointed president, though he had no knowledge of the press industry. Arthur G. Penny stayed on as editor and P.J. Egan as manager. The new business turned out to be rather short-lived. The continued

44 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography (image from the Dunn family archives) Major Gwyllym Dunn was a part-owner and editor of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph from 1937 to 1967.

Gwyllym DUNN Quebec Newspapers Limited. The merger of The Quebec Chronicle and The Daily Telegraph in 1925 was not accomplished After World War II, the manage- without difficulties. ment found it necessary to expand and modernize the production fa- The paper ceased publishing a Quebec Investment Co. Frank O’Meara and the Price family. cilities. The Buade Street building morning edition and came out at Carrel claimed that the gesture At the end of 1950, Arthur G. was nearly 50 years old and, for the midday and at 4:00 p.m., thus re- broke the terms of the merger Penny, who had been editor since purposes of running a mid-twen- quiring only one staff. Personnel agreement. The Price family then 1917, retired. Dunn then took over tieth-century newspaper, was now cuts ensued, resulting in financial had to sell him control of the vot- the position until his death at age obsolete. Also, for the company’s savings, but also leading to down- ing shares. Carrel assumed the 82, on December 28, 1967. fleet of vehicles, there were too few graded positions or job loss for presidency and E.G. Smith be- Gwyllym Dunn was another convenient parking spaces. employees of both previous news- came vice-president and general prominent citizen of Quebec City. The new home of the Que- papers. Problems adjusting to new manager. Five years later, Carrel He had fought in World War I and bec Chronicle-Telegraph was built in work procedures were also inevita- felt ready for retirement. was generally referred to by his the Saint-Malo district, at 255 ble. The biggest challenge, howev- On June 12, 1937, the part- rank of Major. Dunn operated a Saint-Sacrement Avenue. Con- er, was ideological. It had been un- nership of Gwyllym Dunn, J.S. small weekly called The Quebec News struction began in May 1948, and derstood that the paper would be O’Meara and H.S. Quart acquired which, during the previous provin- on September 14, 1949, Premier Conservative on the federal scene 50 percent of the company. The cial election, he had made into a Maurice Duplessis came for the and Liberal at the provincial level, Price family held the rest. Dunn be- daily. Once in control of the Chron- official opening of the premises a difficult balancing act. In practice came president and O’Meara was icle-Telegraph Printing Company, of the newspaper that stood firm- this proved unsatisfactory to all. his second. Quart later sold his share Dunn re-organized it and merged ly behind him. The Buade Street In 1932, the Chronicle-Tele- to his two colleagues. On July 8, his little paper with the Quebec Chron- edifice was converted to a modern graph Printing Company made a 1949, the Thompson Conglomerate icle-Telegraph. On August 11, 1942, store and rented to new tenants in loan from its reserve fund to the purchased all the shares belonging to he changed the company name to the summer of 1950.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 45 Biography Roy H. THOMPSON When newspaper magnate Roy Herbert Thompson bought part of the holdings of the parent company of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph in 1949, he did not become involved in its day-to-day operation.

At the time, his media empire ed television broadcaster Robert included more than 200 newspa- Dawson and lawyers David Can- pers and Thompson was mainly, if non, Jean Lemelin and Ross Ro- not exclusively, concerned with the urke. The office was then moved to bottom line, leaving the directors 980 Holland Avenue where the law to manage the business. He was firm also had its premises. not present at the official ceremo- On January 1, 1993, Karen ny in 1949 marking the inaugura- Macdonald and François Vézina tion of the paper’s new office in started publishing the Quebec Chron- Saint-Malo. icle-Telegraph from an office located On January 23, 1961, Charles in their home at 3484 Chemin G. Dunn sold his shares of Quebec Sainte-Foy. Newspapers Ltd. to the Thompson Pursuing new career opportu- Group, which then became the sole nities in Montreal, Macdonald owner. Dunn remained president and Vézina moved the office to of Quebec Newspapers and edi- 1248 Chemin Sainte-Foy on July 1, tor of the paper. J.H. Monaghan 2007, and a month later they sold replaced Dunn after his death in the paper to Pierre Little and Peter December 1967. White. The newspaper’s office was On November 3, 1971, the Que- moved again on March 1, 2009, to bec Chronicle-Telegraph once again its present location at 1040 Avenue became a weekly like its predeces- Belvédère. sor, The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de In November 2010, Raymond Québec. Herbert Murphy bought it Stanton purchased majority shares on October 3, 1973. Six years later, of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. His on December 16, 1979, Murphy in wife, Stacie Stanton is the editor and, turn sold it to a group that includ- together, they are the publishers. Roy Herbert Thomson, Lord Thomson of Fleet Alexandra Studio / Library and Archives Canada / PA-052566

46 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 “Thank you for your email concerning the marking of the 250th year of the founding of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. This is indeed a landmark of Congratulations some significance and we congratulate you on the longevity of its publication.” from far and wide – Alan Lawson, The Queen’s Prizes Office, London, England

“It’s interesting to see a continuously published paper since 1764 – WOW. Impressive. If [the QCT] were a local paper, I’d subscribe to it SOLELY because “What a wonderful paper the a subscription would be preserving a bit of heritage. Old trees deserve to be Chronicle [sic] has become! protected …. and so do other parts of our heritage. Once gone – it’s gone forever. The publishers should be proud of being part of it.” Congratulations to the – John Bouma, Virginia whole team! – Colette Gosselin

“I don’t know how you guys (girls) “I have recently been enjoying the increasing diversity of content in the do it but you really do put out an QCT. Having lots of writers is definitely a good thing - each one comes interesting and diversified paper.” with his or her own interests and different contacts. It is great to see so – Lise Lafond many distinct aspects of our community reflected in your pages.” – Jan Anderson, Community Organizer at Jeffery Hale Community Services

“I grew up in Quebec City, and the Chronicle [sic]

has been in my family’s home for generations. It is a “I am so glad the QCT covers school events. publication I really respect. Thank you for the role It really helps our kids feel that they belong to you continue to play in our– Stephen community.” Burke, Chairman of the a larger English-speaking community that Central Quebec School Board values them.” Happy Anniversary! –Carmen Bowles, Sixth grade teacher, Happy 250th Quebec

Chronicle-Telegraph! Holland Elementary School We love you! – Kathy Magher, Frampton Irish

“I have for some time been going to write and commend you for an exceptionally excellent job you all do to produce the Chronicle [sic]. Your current format is interesting, informative and a great window into this fascinating city of Quebec and all the wonderful people that inhabit it particularly the Anglos.

I have always been very proud to have grown up in this wonderful city and to have lived many of my summers in the area as well. Each week I look forward to receiving my Chronicle [sic] and finding out what’s been going on. It truly helps me to feel still very much connected. I thank you very much! Keep up the good work!” Pat Lyon Reynolds

“We receive the QCT newspaper at our office and it is one “In my view, the QCT has greatly improved because of your wider of the only ways for people without computers to find out range of interests, and coverage of so many exciting cultural events what`s happening in Quebec City and the surroundings. in the larger community of this stimulating and beautiful city. Many thanks!” I also refer to your website–Maureen on a regular Small, basis.” Project Coordinator, Megantic English-speaking Community – Esther Greaves Development Corporation

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 47 48 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 250 years in the QCT office Timeline researched and compiled by Charles André Nadeau

21 June 1764 Office on rue Saint-Louis near top of rue du Trésor (Chateau Frontenac) 25 May 1765 Printing Office moved to Parloir Street 5 May 1774 Printing office moved “behind the cathedral” 4 May 1780 Printing office moved to halfway up Mountain Street (Côte de la Mongagne) 22 March 1789 Death William Brown. Samuel Neilson owner The Quebec Gazette 26 May 1900 The Quebec Chronicle office moves to Buade Street. 22 February 1907 Fire in The Daily Telegraph older building Buade Street/du Trésor 28 November 1907 Fire in temporary office The Daily Telegraph on Fabrique Hill 20 March 1918 Office The Quebec Chronicle wrecked during conscription riot 14 September 1949 Official opening new office 255 St.-Sacrement. 2 January 1980 Office moved 980 Holland avenue and later rue Ste-Anne 1 January 1993 Office moved to Sainte-Foy ? 1 July 2007 Office moved 1248 Chemin Ste-Foy, Suite 101 1 March 2009 Office moved 1040 Belvedere, Suite 218

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 49 A tale of two by Charles André Nadeau Gazettes In 1823, the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph “The first edition of The Quebec was published under its initial name Gazette, on June 21, 1764, of The Quebec Gazette. On October 30 of that year, another newspaper bear- displayed at the top of its front ing the same name appeared sudden- page the royal coat of arms, ly in the city. The proprietors of the indicating the paper’s official original publication naturally felt like role as communication organ victims of identity theft, protested vehemently in public and undertook of the colonial government.” legal action to oblige the interloper to change the title of his weekly. What liam Cowan. John Neilson, Samuel’s should have been a straightforward father and the previous proprietor, case for the courts, however, turned had been elected to the Lower Can- out to be rather complex and delicate, ada Parliament in 1818 and now, be- as the person behind the creation cause he was both a parliamentarian of the new sheet was the Gover- and the publisher of the Executive’s nor-in-Chief of the British colonies in official medium, he found himself North America, Lord Dalhousie. in a situation of conflict of interest. The first edition of The Quebec To avoid losing the government con- Gazette, on June 21, 1764, displayed at tract, he sold the weekly on April 29, the top of its front page the royal coat 1822. This satisfied the Governor of arms, indicating the paper’s offi- who, on July 3rd of that year, named cial role as communication organ of Samuel Neilson King’s Printer. Ac- the colonial government. The news- cordingly, the next day’s The Quebec paper, nevertheless, belonged to Wil- Gazette included, below its logo on liam Brown and Thomas Gilmore the front page, the words “Printed by who, on August 5, 1763, had signed Authority.” an agreement to operate a printing In 1822, the merchants’ party of shop in Quebec City. Before ventur- Lower Canada, supported by Gov- ing into this undertaking, Brown had ernor Dalhousie, proposed a political written to Governor James Mur- union of the two Canadas. In Lon- Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1970-191-1 ray to seek permission to operate a don, the Secretary of the Colonial Artist: Gordon, John Watson, 1788-1864. Sir, newspaper and to request govern- Office, Lord Bathurst, introduced Engraver: Lupton, Thomas Goff, 1791-1873. ment support. Murray’s reply is not a bill in the House of Commons Depicted: Dalhousie, George Ramsay, 1770-1838. Earl of, Dalhousie known, however, money was paid proposing the legislative union of to the owners of the Gazette starting the two provinces. Petitioners for the mit consultation with the people of went to London to present the case. immediately in 1764 for the publica- project viewed such arrangement both colonies. Their mission had relatively little im- tion of ordinances and other proc- as an essential condition for the The Quebec parliamentarians de- pact, but the energetic opposition of lamations of the colonial adminis- economic development of the St. bated the matter and, ten days later, certain members of the British House tration. After Gilmore died, Brown Lawrence Valley. They saw it also as the Legislative Assembly adopted a of Commons led to a decision not to eventually became sole owner of the a means to ensure Anglophone con- resolution authorizing a delegation to reintroduce the bill. business and later was named king’s trol of the Assembly and, eventually, London in order to officially present It was at the conclusion of this printer. This title was not passed on French-Canadian assimilation. On the almost unanimous opposition of political episode that Samuel Neil- to Brown’s successor, but The Quebec January 11, 1823, at the opening Lower Canada’s representatives to son received, on October 10, 1823, Gazette remained the written voice of of the legislative session of Lower the union bill. Exceptionally, even a letter from the provincial secretary the government throughout the 59 Canada, Lord Dalhousie said in his the Legislative Council supported this informing him that his title of King’s years it existed prior to the appear- throne speech that the English cab- resolution. Having in their possession Printer had been withdrawn. Neil- ance of its eponymous competitor. inet had proposed the change to the a petition of some 60,000 signatures, son and Cowan accepted the deci- In 1823, The Quebec Gazette was constitution in the past year, but that the Speaker of the House, Louis-Jo- sion without protest and removed owned by Samuel Neilson and Wil- the bill had been withdrawn to per- seph Papineau, and John Neilson the words “Printed by Authority”

50 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 (Image from Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph archives) (Image from the Bibliothèque of the National Assembly) The Quebec Gazette - La Gazette de Quebec first edition, June 21, 1764 The Quebec Gazette - Gazette de Québec was “Published by Authority” from 1823 to 1848. from the next edition of their paper. as publisher, was an employee of zette” or “Neilson’s Gazette.” Society of Quebec. Fisher was its But on October 30, much to their the colonial administration. John Lord Dalhousie seems to have first treasurer. surprise, another Quebec Gazette-Gazette Neilson joined his son in the fight to wanted to keep the name of William Fisher’s Quebec Gazette continued de Québec “Published by Authority” regain sole ownership of the name. Brown’s paper because, in England, publication until October, 26, 1848, was put in circulation in the colonial The House of Assembly submitted the official reporter of the Acts of when the Canada Gazette took over capital. To add insult to injury, this the matter to a special committee, Government was the London Gazette. as the government’s official medium. new publication was produced by which admitted it was “really at a The Governor chose John Charl- The true successor of Lord Dalhou- the printing shop of Thomas Cary loss to comprehend in what man- ton Fisher to be the publisher of the sie’s weekly, however, is the Gazette & Company, owner of The Quebec ner the Governor, Lord Dalhousie, newly “authorized” Quebec Gazette. officielle du Québec, founded on January Mercury, the main competitor of Neil- could suppose himself authorized Fisher had been an editorialist in 16, 1869. son and Cowan. This theft of prop- to dispose of the Quebec Gazette as if it New York before coming to Canada In a way it can be said that the erty could not be ignored. had been the property of the Execu- and was a member of the New York Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph and the Gazette The debate that followed in both tive.” Nevertheless, the Neilson clan Literary and Historical Society. He officielle du Québec are family related. It periodicals turned on whether the lost its battle in court and had to live promoted the creation of a similar can also be said that the Quebec Chron- original owner of The Quebec Gazette, with this unwanted sibling. Their pa- society in the colonial capital and in icle-Telegraph played a supporting role William Brown, was receiving a per kept its name, however, and was January 1824, Governor Dalhousie in the creation of the Literary and salary or payment and whether he, known by its readers as “The old Ga- founded the Literary and Historical Historical Society of Quebec.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 51 Continued from page 8 interests of its readership and provid- and to find out who has died, who’s Continued from page 41 The English papers we read in ing a platform for that community’s marrying who, what the issues in the A few months before his death, Quebec City play a similar role for members to express their identity and local schools are, what’s going on in Carrel played a key role in ensuring the English-speaking community “live” their traditions. Like every good the crime report and when the salm- Quebec women received the right to and, naturally, I have to give a spe- community newspaper, the QCT is an on are running. It’s my community vote. On April 25, his speech in favour cial word of mention to the Quebec indispensable part of the intellectual now, and these are the things I real- of women’s right to vote, made to a Chronicle-Telegraph. As the city’s only and spiritual web that binds the com- ly need to know. My local paper is packed gallery in the Legislative Coun- locally produced English-language munity together. Long may it thrive! where I’ll find my answers. cil*, contributed to the unexpected paper, proud to be “North Amer- I live today, in retirement, in a – Peter O’Donohue adoption of the women’s suffrage bill ica’s Oldest Newspaper” (since small community on the coast of U.S. Consul General, Quebec City (retired) (13 votes to 5). 1764), it continues to fill an invalu- Northern California. I love it here, Shortly thereafter, Carrel began to able role for the area’s Anglophone but life-long habit forces me to re- cut back on his activities. By July 1940, and bilingual communities. This main at least partly engaged in the he was bed-ridden at Saint-Sacrement community, while reduced in size outside world. So I hop out of bed at hospital and on the 30th, he died at age and economic power from its hey- dawn every morning and rush into 69. His remains lay in state at little Saint day decades ago, is still an import- town to buy one of the few available Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in the ant presence in the Quebec City copies of the New York Times, a paper Old City. On the morning of August area’s cultural and intellectual life. that I think represents the best of 1, the funeral procession proceeded The QCT’s coverage of com- American journalism in its coverage towards Mount Hermon Cemetery munity, social, educational and of world and national events (and in Sillery, where Carrel was interred in cultural activities, I found, were to someone who grew up forty-five the family plot. an important contributor to the miles from New York City, it is prac- English-speaking community’s tically a hometown newspaper). But *From 1867 until 1968, the Legisla- ability to function as a cohe- then I turn to my local community tive Council of Quebec (Conseil législatif sive and enduring entity. Like newspaper (a weekly) or one of the du Québec) was the unelected upper house community newspapers everywhere, few regional papers, so I can know of the bicameral legislature in the province the QCT provides an important ser- better what my new neighbours are of Quebec. The Legislative Assembly was vice – identifying the concerns and up to, what their preoccupations are, the elected lower house.

52 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Suite de la page 9 Chronicle-Telegraph est un élément Les journaux francophones du indispensable de cette grande trame Québec ont une indépendance intellectuelle et spirituelle qui lie les d’esprit et une vision du monde dif- membres de la communauté. Sou- férente de celle de leurs homologues haitons qu’il fasse partie de notre anglophones et représentent bien quotidien encore longtemps! les intérêts et les préoccupations de Je suis aujourd’hui à la retraite et la communauté francophone. je vis dans une petite communauté La presse anglophone de la ville du nord de la côte californienne. The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph team and de Québec joue un rôle similaire J’adore cet endroit, mais par hab- the anniversary organizing committee extend our pour la communauté anglophone, itude, je continue à m’intéresser à et je me dois naturellement de men- ce qui se passe à l’extérieur. Je me most sincere thanks to the whole community for tionner tout particulièrement le lève donc à l’aube tous les matins your on-going support and interest in the living Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. Paru pour pour acheter l’un des quelques ex- heritage we collectively maintain here at the la première fois en 1764, le QCT est emplaires disponibles du New York newspaper. In addition, special thanks are due to non seulement le seul journal anglo- Times, un journal qui selon moi the following individuals and organizations who phone produit à Québec, mais aussi incarne le meilleur du journalisme le plus ancien journal d’Amérique américain pour sa couverture des contributed to celebratory events and projects: du Nord. Il joue encore aujourd’hui événements nationaux et interna- un rôle précieux pour les commu- tionaux (et pour quelqu’un qui, Special edition launch and nautés bilingue et anglophone de comme moi, a grandi à 70 ki- historical plaque celebration Québec. Cette dernière, dont la lomètres de New York, le New York taille a beaucoup diminué et dont Times est pratiquement un journal Launch le pouvoir économique n’est plus local). Je me tourne ensuite vers Stephen Burke, Central Quebec School Board ce qu’il était lors de son âge d’or il y l’hebdomadaire local ou vers l’un Elizabeth Perrault, Morrin Centre quelques décennies, a toujours son des journaux régionaux pour voir Jay Sewell, blues musician importance dans la vie culturelle et ce qui se passe chez mes voisins. Shirley Nadeau and Stacie Stanton, QCT intellectuelle de la région de Québec. Cela me permet de connaître les La couverture que fait le QCT des affaires qui préoccupent la commu- activités communautaires, sociales, nauté, de savoir qui est décédé, qui Historical plaque on 27 rue Buade éducatives et culturelles contribue va épouser qui, et d’avoir un aperçu Normand Gouin, owner of former QCT building grandement à assurer la cohésion du milieu scolaire, des crimes qui Ville de Québec: Mayor Régis Labeaume, et la durabilité de la communauté ont été commis et du moment où Françoise Paradis and Annie Blouin, Service de la culture anglophone. Comme les journaux commencera la pêche au saumon. Shirley Nadeau, Charles André Nadeau, and Marie White, QCT locaux de partout dans le monde, Je vis ici maintenant. Ce sont ces le QCT offre aux lecteurs un service choses-là que j’ai besoin de savoir, et Community Picnic important : il exprime leurs préoc- la presse locale est là pour me don- cupations et leurs intérêts et leur ner des réponses. The Blair family musicians offre une plateforme qui leur per- Jan Anderson, Jeffrey Hale Community Partners met d’exprimer leur identité et de – Peter O’Donohue Stephen Burke, Central Quebec School Board faire vivre leurs traditions. Et com- Consul général des États-Unis, Jeanne Nivischuik, Be Active Quebec (VEQ) me tout bon journal local, le Quebec ville de Québec (retraité) Cathy Nolan, Quebec City Reading Council Alan Stairs, 78th Fraser Highlanders bagpiper Holland Elementary School Bethann G. Merkle, Shirley Nadeau, and Stacie Stanton, QCT Congratulations on 250 years Commemorative video Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph! Justyna Lemieux-Lefebvre (videographer) George Lamarre Joe Lonergan (former QCT delivery boy) Sharon Macleod and her children Alexandre Michèle Thibeau and Leah Huard (subscribers) Doris Fritschmann Charles André Nadeau (historian) Elizabeth Perrault, Morrin Centre Ron Devost Michèle Thibeau (former QCT editor) Chalmers-Wesley United Church Bethann G. Merkle, QCT (producer)

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 53 250 years; now THAT’S something to celebrate

Thanks so much for bringing us community news for all those years and for another 250 to come!

54 | Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 Biography REFERENCES (pages 28-44)

AUDET, Francis-Joseph. “William Brown (1737-1789), premier imprimeur, journaliste et libraire de Québec, sa vie, ses œuvres” in Mémoires de la Société royale du Canada, 3e série, no. 26, section 1 (1932), pp. 97-112.

BLACK, Fiona A. “L’importation et la disponibilité du livre” in Histoire du livre et de l’Imprimé au Canada, vol. 1, under the direction of Patricia Fleming, Gilles Gallichan et Yvan Lamonde. Montréal, Presses de l’Université de Montréal, 2004.

DELISLE, Jean. “La traduction” in Histoire du Livre et de l’Imprimé au Canada, vol. 1, under the direction of Patricia Fleming, Gilles Gallichan and Yvan Lamonde. Montréal, Presses de l’Université de Montréal, 2004.

FAUTEUX, Aegidius. The Introduction of Printing into Canada: A Brief History. Montreal, Rolland Paper Company, 1930.

GALLICHAN, Gilles. “L’édition gouvernementale au Québec depuis le XVIIIe siècle” in L’Imprimé au Québec: aspects historiques (18e – 20e siècle) under the direction of Yvan Lamonde, Québec, IQRC, 1983.

GERVAIS, Jean-Francis. “GILMORE, Thomas,” in Canadian Biographical Dictionary, vol. 4, Université Laval/University of Toronto, 2003.

HARE, John and Jean-Pierre WALLOT. “Les Imprimés au Québec (1760-1820)” in L’Imprimé au Québec: aspects historiques (18e – 20e siècle) under the direction of Yvan Lamonde, Québec, IQRC, 1983.

REESE, William S. “The First Hundred Years of Printing in British North America: Printers and Collectors”, A Paper read at the annual meeting of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, October 1989. http://www.reeseco.com/papers/first100.htm.

Quebec 250th Anniversary Edition v June 21st, 2014 | 55 Congratulations on your 250th anniversary !

For 250 years the Quebec Chronicle Telegraph (QCT) has been the go-to information source for our English-speaking community at large! This longstanding newspaper is recognized for its reliability, credibility, professionalism and caring.

The QCT is a cornerstone of our community and a vital source of information. They understand our vibrant community because they are an integral part of it. The CQSB (Council of Commissioners, Administrators, Principals, Teachers, Professionals and Support Staff) is proud to extend its heartfelt congratulations to the QCT on reaching this phenomenal milestone and wishes them continued success!

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