---

Oct. 1st, 2007 all-candidates meeting in Alexandria

Voters went to the polls for a provincial election in the fall of 2007. The Glengarry Public Affairs Forum hosted a meeting with some of the candidates in that election at the Sandfield Centre, in Alexandria on Monday, October 1. 

Here are images and sound files from that meeting

TOP >>

---

Mixed Member Proportional Representation 
electoral system 

October 1st -- Fair Vote Canada member Tom Manley presented the case for a Mixed Member Proportional system being recommended by the Ontario Citizens Assembly. Whether or not Ontario should change to the MMP system was on the provincial election ballot as an electoral reform referendum question.

 Here are images and sound files from that presentation

TOP >>

---

First Nations artist Wayne Rector 
tells the aboriginal creation story.

Here are images and sound files from that presentation

TOP >>

---

Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society celebrates 30th anniversary

By Louise Sproule

ALEXANDRIA – A 30-year tradition of great fiddle music was celebrated with what else but more great fiddle music and the release of a 30th anniversary CD. A celebration, along with a CD launch, took place at the Bonnie Glen on December 23. . .>>

<< . . . The new CD, entitled, "Tapadh Leat", means "Thank you", in Gaelic. In the CD liner notes, the group thanks everyone in the community for listening to them over the years, thanks family members for their patience and especially thanks leader, Allan MacPhail, who founded the Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society on November 13, 1977. That is the date when MacPhail invited some Scottish fiddling enthusiasts to his home to discuss a longtime dream. That day, it was decided to form a group dedicated to reviving and enhancing Celtic violin music in Glengarry. Over the years, the group has performed on television programs and made many public appearances. In 1979, the Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society was included in a special commemorative recording of Cape Breton fiddling and in later years, a second recording.

In the early 1980s, the Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society earned the distinction of being the only strathspey and reel society outside of Scotland.

Charter members of the group include: Cliff Britton; Malcolm Dewar; Catherine Olive DeFreitas (piano); Lorne Lawson; Alana MacPhail Morris (piano); Duncan (Farmer) McDonald; Hugh Allan MacMillan; Allan MacPhail; Donald Joseph MacPhee; Lucien Ranger and the Reverend Bruce Bross. Other members have included Gary Cooper; Brian MacLean; Finlay McDonell; Bernard McDonell; Duncan (Dougie) MacDonald; Darryl MacLeod; Donaldson MacLeod; Ian MacLeod; David MacPhee; Donald Pettigrew and Coral Young. The tartan worn by the members is called "Cameron of Erracht.

Two albums exist: "Violins of Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society" and, "A Glengarry Gathering."

Another tradition the group maintains is sponsoring Celtic fiddle lessons that Donald Joseph MacPhee has been teaching for more than 25 years. Although Donaldson MacLeod was not able to play on the recording due to work commitments, many say he has been the driving force in the past 10 to 15 years, planning and carrying out the annual fiddle workshops held at the Alexandria Curling Club every April and also arranging for the group’s performance at the annual Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan service.

In addition to performances by the Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society, many other local entertainers took to the stage to round out the afternoon at the Bonnie Glen.

The 30th anniversary CD is available from Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society members and is also on sale at the Fassifern Store.

Current members featured on the new CD include: Allan MacPhail, David MacPhee, Donald Joseph MacPhee, Bernard McDonell, Coral young, Duncan (The Farmer) Macdonald, Duncan (Dougie) MacDonald, Hugh Allan MacMillan and the Reverend Bruce Ross on violins; Jackie Smith on bass; Catherine Olive (MacPhee) DeFreitas on piano. Contributors also include Donaldson MacLeod, Neil MacDonell and Lorne Lawson. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered at nearby Bolab Audio Productions in Fournier (owned by Bobby Lalonde).

A strathspey is a dance tune in 4/4 time, similar to a hornpipe but slower and more stately, and containing many snaps. A Scotch snap is a short note before a dotted one. An example of a strathspey would be the song, "The Bonnie Banks O’ Loch Lomond.

A reel is a dance and a type of tune. The reel is one of four traditional Scottish dances. The other three are the jig, the strathspey and the waltz.

Click here to hear two sample tunes from the Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society’s new CD.

TOP >>

---

Long-time Vankleek Hill resident Marcel Paquette 
recalls his visits to the recently-restored 
Higginson Tower as a small boy.  

Local voices are a part of an interpretive program being designed for the Higginson Tower

Vankleek Hill resident Marcel Paquette is one of several people lending their voices to a bilingual interpretive program developed for the historic Higginson Tower in Vankleek Hill.  Researcher Ruth Martin interviewed Paquette and several other people about their memories of the tower, growing up in the Vankleek Hill area.

The results of Martin’s research into the history of the tower is being  used in a multimedia  interpretive program played in the tour during tourist visits. The program was made possible thanks to a $9,900 Local Initiative grant from the Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation (Community Futures).

The Higginson Tower Committee has raised more than $300,000 for restoration of the 175-year-old  Higginson Tower. 

Here are Marcel Paquette's reminiscences 

TOP >>

---

The Ottawa Riverkeeper

On September 17, 2007 the Vankleek Hill and District Nature Society invited Ottawa's Riverkeeper Meredith Brown to come to Vankleek Hill to speak about her work and her organization. Brown made a powerpoint presentation in the theatre of the Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute.

 

Here are images and comments from that presentation

TOP >>

---

Treasures in our midst: 
The historic pipe organs of Eastern Ontario

The Review published an article featuring the historic Casavant organs of Eastern Ontario and to accompany that article, audio recordings of two of the region's heritage organs were posted on the Review's website.

Ste-Anne-de-Prescott’s 1897 Casavant organ Opus # 85:
Ottawa organist Gilles Maurice Leclerc performs an improvisation on a theme provided to him by fellow organist Dr. Bruce Wheatcroft at a recital the celebrate the designation of the instrument as being historically significant by the RCCO and the OHS. The sound clip begins with an introduction by Dr. Wheatcroft in English and a French translation by Lucie Brunet to set up Leclerc's improvisation.

St-Eugene’s 1893 Casavant organ Opus # 38:
Internationally acclaimed organist Dr. Bruce Wheatcroft performs Noël Écossais (A. Guilmant) as part of the Amaryllis Women’s Choir Christmas Concert which took place in the church on December 2, 2007.

Go to that on-line feature, including these two sound files

TOP >>