Statement made on 30 September 2009 by Senator Lucie Pépin (retired)
Hon. Lucie Pépin:
Honourable senators, July 4 marked the 375th anniversary of the city of Trois-Rivières. Residents will celebrate their civic pride until December.
This anniversary year does more than pay tribute to the people who built Trois-Rivières. It also showcases the city's attractions to local residents and visitors.
The capital of the Mauricie region, Trois-Rivières is the second-oldest French-speaking city in North America. It was founded on July 4, 1634, by the Sieur de Laviolette at the request of Samuel de Champlain.
In 1663, Trois-Rivières became the seat of one of the three governments of New France.
The city was later captured as part of the British conquest and was even briefly occupied by Americans from the Boston area, who were later defeated at the city gates in 1776.
Trois-Rivières became the seat of a judicial district in 1792 and a bishopric in 1852. Its role as an episcopal city led to the establishment of a number of religious communities, which for many years provided hospital care and education. A number of educational institutions still reflect the presence of these communities.
In the wake of the fur trade, Trois-Rivières became an industrial city, with the arrival of the first heavy industry in Canada, the Forges de Saint-Maurice.
This activity would be supplanted in the mid-19th century by the development of the lumber industry, followed by paper manufacturing, which earned Trois-Rivières the title of "paper capital of the world".
The decline of heavy industry contributed significantly to the diversification of the local economy, and new poles of economic development were identified, including services, cultural activities, tourism and post-secondary education.
The recent merger of municipalities in Quebec created a new city of Trois-Rivières, which has a total population of 125,000. This merger has repeatedly been held up as a success story.
Trois-Rivières is a booming city, stronger than ever, that looks to the future with confidence.
I would like to offer my congratulations to Yves Lévesque, the Mayor of Trois-Rivières, and Jean Fournier, the chair of the committee organizing the 375th anniversary celebrations, and to all the people who have helped make this anniversary year a brilliant success, gaining recognition for the city and raising its profile.