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Paddling Portaging & Pageantry
Doreen Guilloux
$30.00
Part One: A Centennial Project Is Born
Chapter One: From An Idea To A Centennial Project
It's the call of the wild, it's the lure of adventure. It's the sense of history and of bonding with nature. It's the challenge and it's the freedom from societal demands. It's all of these things that speak to those who have a paddlers heart.
Those who love to paddle seek each other out and gather to talk about their latest adventure, the race won or lost by a second, the roar of the rapids, the call of the wild, the sun in their faces and the wind at their backs. It was no different in 1962 in Flin Flon, Manitoba. Flin Flon was special. It was home to several world-class champion paddlers and a beehive of semi-professional canoe racers and canoe builders. Talk of paddling and racing was as common in Flin Flon as talk of hockey was in Alberta.
At this particular time, Gene Rheaume who was serving as Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories (1963-1965), was visiting his brother Jim at Flin Flon. Jim Rheaume had been a paddler since he was a kid and had won many canoe races. Jim Rheaume was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce for Flin Flon. Norm Tyson, a jeweller and watchmaker in Flin Flon was also the chief timer for many of the canoe races in the area. Tyson was also an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and had provided all the timing equipment for local canoe races as part of his advertising program. Also living in Flin Flon was John Nikel who was a fur trader at Le Pas. He had lived in the area for some time and had learned to paddle when he paddled upstream in the summer to meet the trappers and trade for fur. Nikel loved the sense of being a part of the fur trader industry, an industry that was instrumental in opening Canada to its first immigrants and its development as a nation. He recognized that the canoe was the means by which the fur trade expanded into the tremendously vibrant industry it was. Without the canoe, that part of our colorful past would be written much differently in the history books.
These gentlemen all ended up at the local watering hole in the hotel in Flin Flon to share a brew and, naturally, to talk about canoeing. Gene Rheaume was a great idea man and mentioned that Ottawa was all aflutter with talk about Centennial Projects for the upcoming celebrations of Canada's hundredth birthday in 1967. He mentioned that although there were several projects already proposed there was nothing to celebrate the human history of Canada. The more he thought about this, the more he envisioned that there would be no better way to celebrate the centennial than a re-enactment of the voyageur fur trader brigades racing from Ruperts Land to the 'China Rapid'. In other words, starting at Rocky Mountain House and ending at Montreal. This could be accomplished in the form of a modern-day canoe brigade across Canada. He felt this would bring alive an important part of Canadian history for present day Canadians.
Gene was talking to the right audience. The words 'canoe brigade' or 'canoe race' were all that were needed to get these men excited and investigating. Ideas flowed and possibilities were examined. Gene managed to get some old maps from the Government library and they began to check out the historical routes of explorers and traders such as David Thompson. They wanted to see if it were possible to plan a route across Canada that would represent the historic trade routes and at the same time be passable today. Gene thought it would be best if they could plan a route that would involve as many of Canada;s provinces as possible in an attempt to help bring west and east together.
As the idea grew they envisioned a race across Canada with every province and territory being represented by a team - a race that would become a nation-wide Centennial celebration. But, was this even possible? Could a project of this magnitude get approval? Would there be people who would be willing to put in the time and money necessary for the project? Gene knew that in order to present a project such as this to the Centennial Commission for approval they would have to do their homework. The proposal would have to be planned well enough that both the Federal Centennial Commission and the Provincial Centennial Commissions would get behind the project.
Gene Rheaume approached Judy La Marsh, then Secretary of State for Canada, and Centennial Commissioner John Fisher, with the idea and suggested that financing for this major event could be accomplished by running a lottery, although it would require a special act of parliament. There was some skepticism, mostly regarding logistics and safety.
The Flin Flon Chamber of Commerce was very interested and decided the best thing to do would be to invite Fisher to Flin Flon to talk about the idea. Nikel had the job of picking him up at the Le Pas airport. Now, Nikel is a very persuasive man and he used the travel time to good advantage; after all, Fisher was now a 'captive' audience. Sure enough, before they reached Flin Flon Nikel had persuaded Fisher that the idea of a centennial canoe race across Canada was a must-do project. To the delight of those who had already been working on this project, the green light to proceed was met with cheers!
The first public word of this canoe race suggested that it be carried out with two-man teams. Several people including Don Starkell, a paddler and author from Manitoba, suggested to the Centennial Committee that a two-man race would not be a good idea because the winners of the race could be predicted very early in the race. World class paddlers such as Norm Crerar and Gib McEachern could easily pull ahead at the beginning of the race. Knowing who would win would cause interest in the race to be short-lived. It was also suggested that instead of a two-man race this Centennial race should take on more of a voyageur flavor by recreating the route of the original fur traders and by using the huge voyageur-style canoes.
Nikel was then invited to Ottawa to talk about this centennial project with the Federal Centennial Commission. As a result, Nikel was asked to put the project together and to be sure to include at least ten teams from across Canada using the voyageur-style canoe. The Federal Government offered to put up one million dollars toward the project. They said they would provide Army assistance for communications and timing under the direction of Colonel William Matthews as Chief Voyageur. The Army Signal Core would be involved throughout the entire race. Each team would be supplied with an Army Truck and fuel and the Army would take care of repairs along the way. The Federal Government would also provide coast guard escorts for the huge and dangerous crossing of Lake Superior.
Tyson from Flin Flon provided the timing equipment (on loan from Omega) for the 1967 race. He trained the centennial staff in its use. He also did the timing for the first three days of the race from Rocky Mountain House to Edmonton.
The lottery suggestion was dropped in favor of asking each province and territory to put up a fifteen thousand dollar entrance fee. This was a huge amount in 1967. Other money was also solicited from communities and municipal governments along the route.
A quote from the Toronto Daily Star of Wednesday, May 24, 1967 by Gary Dunford reports that:
'the centennial commission and the birthday bureaucracy it has spawned in the provinces, has spent $450,000 to underwrite the official cross-country canoe race of just under three thousand two hundred miles. '
But, this was to be much more than just a canoe race. This was to become the biggest centennial celebration in Canada. The approval had come, now the work to organize the event began.
A publication entitled 'The 1967 Voyageur Canoe Pageant' said: 'The year was 1967, Canada's one hundredth birthday. It was the year to see the country; Canadians crossed it in all directions, in a variety of ways on foot, by car, train, bicycle, hot air balloon and canoe. The most ambitious of all those exploits was The Centennial Voyageur Canoe Pageant. It also claimed that, 'Nobody else has ever attempted such a feat before or after, in Canada, or America. The race stands alone as one of the country's biggest sporting achievements. Yet, like so many Canadian accomplishments, it has remained a quiet one nobody has ever told the story about this great race.'
Here then, is an attempt to do just that! This story about the longest canoe race in the world is really a story about Canada, the past and present, our rivers, and communities and of the canoe and of the voyageurs who paddled them.
Chapter Two
The Logistics Of The Pageant
Planning The Route
In order to plan a route for the race Nikel needed help. He had heard about Vic Maxwell and Bob McBride of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, and knew they had done some canoe racing so he contacted Maxwell. Together they further investigated notes from explorers such as Anthony Henday, Simon Fraser, and Henry Kelsey. David ThompsonÕs books were also investigated to help plot a route. Maxwell also invited the Abel brothers, Albert & George of Calgary, Bob McBride of Rocky Mountain House, and Dave Ellery and Archie Griffith of Drayton Valley to a meeting to discuss the route, study maps and figure out possible laps or legs for the race. Maxwell was a history buff and had spent a lot of time studying the old voyageur routes. He was very excited to be helping to plan a route for this historical event. Eventually they figured they had a route that was not only possible but also historic and exciting.
Nikel did further investigation by having the Air Force fly him, by helicopter, over the route and by actually walking some of the tougher portages such as the nine-mile long Grand Portage. He had to know how long each part of the race would take because it was imperative to stay on schedule in order to meet any commitments that would be made with different communities and governments who would become involved in the race.
Safety was a major issue, especially as this was an event sponsored by the Federal Government. The Centennial Commission arranged for safety boats to accompany the paddlers over the entire route. This was facilitated by enlisting the help of the Royal Canadian Mountain Police, Ontario and Quebec Provincial Police, Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard, the Canadian Navy, Lands and Forests and other government agencies, and by private individuals and boating clubs. Helicopters and aircraft were also used in certain sections of the race. Each community hospital along the way was alerted. To make sure medical help was always close at hand a trained first-aid team accompanied the entire pageant. Much of the immediate safety was available through the Army Signal Core who accompanied the paddlers for the entire distance.
Safety boats were a major consideration because the voyageurs could come up against several dangerous situations such as: low water temperature, medical problems, rock damage, damage from rapids, deadheads (trees sticking partly out of the water that were jammed in the riverbed causing an immovable obstacle), fog, and storm action.
Water temperature could be critical especially at the beginning of the race and again in Lake Superior where the surface temperature is barely forty degrees Fahrenheit and the water below is much colder. Paddlers would have to be removed from the water quickly to prevent hypothermia or heart attack.
Medical factors could mean that paddlers might have to be removed from a canoe mid-stream or removed from a portage where a limb may get broken.
Shallow water over shale rock can result in a great deal of canoe damage. It cuts deeply into the fiberglass and could cause a team to stop and need repairs.
Should a canoe swamp in the rapids, it could roll crosswise to the current and be pushed up against a rock or other obstacle, which might cause the canoe to be broken in half. If a paddler, swimming with the canoe got between the canoe and the rock he would be crushed.
If a canoe fills with water while right side up it adds another two thousand pounds to the canoe, add that to the speed of a set of rapids and itÕs like a freight train gone wild.
Fog was another concern, especially on Lake Superior. The fog clears off about the time the huge swells begin so it could be a fifty-fifty chance for which hazard to challenge.
Therefore, a trained team of medical and rescue personnel would be required for the entire race.
Of historical interest and importance, it should be noted that CanadaÕs unique east/west waterways made it possible to paddle from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to Montreal, Quebec with only seventy miles of portages and a total of three thousand two hundred eighty three miles in total distance. This unique route made it possible for mail service to be in effect in the late 1700Õs and the early 1800Õs because the voyageurs could carry the mail along this fur trade route from Montreal, deep into the fur trade areas in the west. In contrast, the first east/west mail service in the United States wasn't available until the Pony Express of the 1860's. Our waterways then, were a true highway across the width of our great country. The waterways in the United States include many north/south routes and no direct east/west route is available.
Further work would need to be done after getting the governments and communities on board. There were only three federally sanctioned centennial events in 1967: one was the Centennial Canoe Pageant as described herein. The second was the Centennial Train, which went from coast to coast with cars depicting the history of Canada. The train stopped at towns all across Canada so as many people as possible could get a chance to look at the displays. The third was a caravan of eight trucks with similar displays as the train. The caravans, however, were able to go into the smaller communities which were off the train route.
Selling The Race to The Communities and Provinces
The selling of the idea of a Centennial Canoe Pageant to all the provinces and the communities along the route was the most daunting task of all. John Nikel was up to the challenge! They had picked the right man for the job!
Nikel went to each Provincial Centennial Commission to convince them to get on board. Some were eager to participate. Some would only agree if certain conditions were met and one refused to get involved at all even though a team would be representing it. Two provinces, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, did not enter teams. Their two provinces had no voyageur tradition and were off the voyageur route. Getting a team together would be difficult. Other centennial projects were more appropriate for them.
Each province would be asked to provide the $15,000 entry fee as well as to outfit their team with canoes, paddles, costumes, tents and other equipment.
Luckily for the project, Nikel is an excellent salesman - a wheeler-dealer. His acumen as a businessman was well known and he had a brother/partner, George, who could continue running the business in his absence. NikelÕs years as a fur trader helped him make the necessary deals and provided a personal link to the idea - necessary components in his endeavor to get the provinces to cooperate, to fund provincial events, and most importantly, to fund a team. In return for sponsoring a team or an event each province and community demanded something different in return.
The Alberta Government Centennial Commission headed by Ambrose Hollowach, Secretary of State, said they would give their full support if the paddlers could be in Edmonton on the long weekend in May, to meet Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandria, (cousin to Queen Elizabeth II), and her husband Angus Ogilvy, who were to be in Edmonton as part of a centennial year tour of Canada. The Alberta Centennial Commission wanted the voyageurs to be part of the ceremonies involving her.
The Honorable Duff Roblin from Manitoba wanted the voyageurs to be in Winnipeg on July 1st at exactly 10 a.m. on the Legislative Grounds to be part of their Centennial celebrations.
The British Columbia Government was reluctant to sponsor a team. The race would not even start in their province so they didn't see that getting involved would give them good return for their dollar. Finally, it was decided that the Alberta team would meet with the British Columbia team on the Alberta/British Columbia border. Ceremonies would be performed just as they were in the fur trader days and British Columbians would have a chance to be part of the race from the beginning. The two teams would then paddle to Rocky Mountain House together to begin the cross-Canada race, thus, paddling from British Columbia to Montreal.
Kenora, Ontario wanted a guarantee that the voyageurs would arrive there on July 10th because that was when all their centennial celebrations would take place. They told Nikel they would give him funding but only if they were definite about that date.
Nikel went to every community along the route where the canoes would stop. He gave them money from the Federal or Provincial Commissions to help sponsor centennial events. He also asked the Chamber of Commerce in each community to chip in as well. Each municipality was approached to help the communities plan special events for the centennial upon the arrival of the centennial canoes. In many of the communities prize money was offered to the voyageurs to put on a sprint race. These races varied in length and prize money.
In order to get Quebec on board the route had to be planned to go through Hawkesbury, Ontario and into Quebec, where there would be centennial celebrations. The voyageurs, of course, would end the race at Montreal's Expo but the Quebec Government felt that the whole eastern part of Quebec would be left out. To alleviate this problem John negotiated with the Alberta and Quebec teams to continue paddling from Montreal to Quebec City and to participate in ceremonies there.
Other types of deals were made too. For instance, Nikel made a deal with Great Western Garments (GWG) to supply each paddler with three pairs of jeans. This proved to be a good deal not only for GWG who got a lot of free advertising but for the paddlers because the jeans didnÕt wear out as fast as other pants.
All these deals dictated the timeline, and in some instances, the route, of the race. A very intricate web of logistics was woven by the magician John Nikel.
Finding Chief Voyageurs or Commodores
The project was approved, the money was available, the route was chosen and communities and all the necessary governments were on board. Next step Ð where do you find ten men from ten different provinces and territories who are not only experienced paddlers, but are fit, have time enough to give up to practicing, training, and ultimately, to racing for one hundred four days? These men would have to give up their jobs, leave their families and commit themselves to their teams.
Nikel knew that in order to lure these young men into the project they would need to have some recompense for their lost time at work. They would also need the prize money at the end of the race and for the sprints to be large enough to be attractive and to keep them interested. The Federal Government prize money was broken down as follows: Every paddler who completed the trip to Montreal would receive one thousand dollars; the first place team would get another two thousand five hundred dollars per man; the second place team two thousand dollars per man; and the third place, one thousand five hundred dollars per man. As well, teams could win as much as three thousand dollars in sprint race money along the way. In the end, each paddler was also paid a stipend of eight dollars per day to help with expenses along the way, and for the loss of wages at home.
Who would these paddlers be? Where would they come from? The task now was to find a person in each province that would be responsible for getting a team together. This person would have to be someone in the paddling community who knew where to find the best paddlers and ask them to try out for the race.
Nikel found out Bill Blackburn from British Columbia was instrumental in organizing a canoe race from Vanderhoof to Prince George. He sounded like a good candidate to get a team going. Nikel contacted him and appointed him British Columbia's Team Chief Voyageur.
Alberta's team could be easily looked after. Nikel would act as Chief Voyageur and get the help of Vic Maxwell to encourage Alberta paddlers to apply for the team.
Saskatchewan's Chief Voyageur was found in Peter Whitehead who was working for the Provincial Government at the time. Peter was an avid paddler and had been involved with canoeing at the University of Regina.
Manitoba's Chief Voyageur was an obvious choice Jim Rheaume. He was a canoe racer and knew all the paddlers around Flin Flon. He had, as we know, been instrumental in getting the Pageant off the ground.
Ontario's Chief Voyageur was found in John Mitchell, a Squadron Leader in the RCAF who had been involved in a major way with canoeing in Ontario.
Quebec's Rene Bellemare was the head of the Canoeing Association in Quebec so was the obvious choice for finding and heading up their team.
New Brunswick's Chief Voyageur was found in Jean-Claude Richard who again, was a prominent figure in the canoeing circles of that province.
Nova Scotia didn't have a Chief Voyageur for a long while. One day John Bothwell, mining near Sudbury, heard that a Centennial canoe race was being organized. He had wanted to do something in honor of the Centennial and had some paddling experience so he phoned the Centennial Commission and said he wanted to be involved.