People celebrated the rich cultural diversity of Lac La Biche County on the grounds of the Lac La Biche Mission on Monday, July 1 to celebrate Canada’s 157th birthday.
The day of fun activities to mark Canada Day, held annually at the historic site, got underway with a mass in the historic church-which celebrated its centennial last year-that included music in French.
Afterward, the opening ceremony got underway at the stage set up on the grounds close to Lac La Biche Lake. The national anthem was sung in both French and English by Alexis Cloutier while Elvera Tremblay sang a rendition of ‘Oh Canada’ in the Cree language.
People, many of whom were wearing Canadian flags and red and white clothing to show their national spirit, sat and stood to listen to speeches from Lac La Biche County Paul Reutov, Lloyd Prefontaine, president of the Lac La Biche Mission, and Crystal Plamondon, a member of the Mission board. Another strong symbol of Canada-the Mounties-was on display as well at the event, with a member of the Lac La Biche RCMP detachment on hand for the opening ceremony who also walked around talking with those in attendance.
This year’s Canada Day event featured something for everyone from young children to adults. Various activities were on offer for kids including face painting, glitter tattoos, crafts, a fishpond, colouring and bouncy houses. Furthermore, Edmonton-based entertainer, ventriloquist and magician Joe Goslin, who operates The Joe Show, put on a lively, interesting show for families that included puppets and interacting with kids in the audience.
Following The Joe Show, powwow dancer Charlie Quintal, dressed in colourful traditional Indigenous regalia, performed on stage. There was also live musical entertainment later in the afternoon.
While a concession tent served up delicious hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and other fare, local vendors were onsite to sell their products. Lac La Biche County Fire Rescue Services staff were also around to give people advice about being safe and to provide information about the FireSmart program.
Celebrating culture at the Mission
The Lac La Biche Mission site has hosted Canada Day celebrations for more than 25 years. The site is a provincial and national historic resource, with a history that includes the region's first printing press and the first commercial wheat field. THe Mission site was also home to an Indian residential school and a community school. The site features the foundations of a former Catholic rectory, as well as a convent, a laundry building, farm outbuildings, a modern information centre, a church and an old school house. For those who were interested in learning more about the historic church and laundry house on the grounds, Canada Day tours were available.