Légion Royale Canadienne / Palais de Justice
Royal Canadian Legion / Courthouse
— Circuit Patrimonial New Carlisle Heritage Circuit Stops 17 and 18 —
Légion Royale Canadienne
A la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale, plusieurs vétérans se joignent à la « Great War Veteran's [sic] Association » . Cet organisme qui se préoccupait localement du bien-être des vétérans n'avait aucune envergure nationale. C'est en 1925, à Winnipeg, lors d'une réunion des représentants des différentes organisations, que fut fondée la Légion Royale canadienne. Cependant, ce n'est qu'en 1935 que New Carlisle obtient sa charte et devient la 64e Branche québécoise de la Légion canadienne regroupant alors les membres de Nouvelle à Port Daniel. Entre-temps, plusieurs vétérans s'étaient joints à la Légion de Campbellton, au Nouveau-Brunswick.
Jusqu'en 1946, les vétérans tenaient leurs réunions dans l'ancien Palais de Justice et célébraient l'Armistice à l'hôtel « La Maison Blanche » . Cependant, le retour des nombreux vétérans de la guerre de 1939-1945 a jusitifié la construction d'un édifice. Après une importante levée de fonds, la salle de la Légion canadienne fut construite en 1952-1953. En 1970, cet édifice fut la proie des flammes, et c'est en octobre de la même année que l'on
this page online
La Légion canadienne encourage plusieurs services communautaires dont le Salon Funéraire qu'elle a construit en 1973. De plus, en collaboration avec la Marche des dix sous les handicapés du Québec, elle fournit gratuitement des appareils orthopédiques aux victimes d'accidents.
La Légion canadienne de New Carlisle participe également à plusieurs activités sociales et met à la disposition le matériel nécessaire aux jeux de crible, dards, galets « shuffleboard » et autres.
Pour assurer sa relève, les enfants des vétérans sont, depuis 1982, admissibles à titre de membres actifs.
Depuis 50 ans, pour souligner le courage des quelque trois cents jeunes qui se sont, pour la plupart, volontairement enrôlés pour défendre la patrie, le Jour du Souvenir est annuellement célébré par une grande parade qui se termine au cénotaphe où, après une minute de silence, sont déposées des couronnes en commémoration de ceux qui sont morts au combat.
[Légendes de photo lues]
• Première Légion
• Légion Royale Canadienne
• L'embléme de jour du souvenir Légion Canadienne
Palais de Justice
Comment peut-on paler de New Carlisle sans d'abord évoquer le prestige de ses institutions. Une des plus marquantes est sans doute l'administration de la justice,
Au début de la colonie, une des premières maisons du village, construite par Robert Caldwell, servait temporairement de palais de justice. Cependant, il n'y avait pas de prison, ceux qui étaient condamnés devaient subir le châtiment du fouet, attachés à un poteau de torture installé sur un coin du terrain.
En 1797, le gouvernement accepte finalement de construire une prison en Gaspésie, mais ce n'est pas avant 1808 qu'une loi « pour ériger des prisons communes avec des salles d'audience dans le district inférieur de Gaspé » est votée par la Chambre. Cet acte prévoit la construction d'édifices judiciaires à New Carlisle et à Percé comme « étant les places les plus fréquentées et les plus centrales. »
Bien que la prison ait été commencée en 1809, il a fallu de multiples démarches et quelque vingt ans pour que les travaux de construction de la prison et du palais de justice soient complétés. En 1830, un juge sera nommé en résidence, et New Carlisle deviendra le chef-lieu du comté.
Cette lenteur dans l'organisation de la justice est due à l'absence d'officiers de justice. En 1817, par exemple, dans tout le district de Gaspé, il y a un juge, un shérif, un gardien de prison à New Carlisle, un président de session et un protonotaire. En 1825, New Carlisle avait quelques avocats, presque tous anglophones,
En 1872, un deuxième palais de justice avec prison adjacente est construit à l'endroit où se situe aujourd'hui le nouveau parc municipal. Cet immeuble fut vendu à la municipalité en 1967 pour la modique somme de un dollar. Cependant, dans la veillée du 29 août 1968 un incendie ravagea l'immeuble le rendant inutilisable.
En 1963, New Carlisle obtint un nouveau palais de justice qui sera inauguré l'année d'après. Il s'élève sur un terrain situé à l'est de New Carlisle, lequel, auparavant, appartenait à l'Honorable John Hall Kelly.
[Légendes de photo lues]
• Palais de justice et prison (1872-1964)
• Palais de justice après l'incendie (1968)
• Palais de justice
At the end of the first World War, veterans from all over Canada formed an organisation called "The Great War Veterans Association". Each branch of this organisation, however, while wishing to care for its veterans, had a strictly local outlook instead of a National one. To remedy this, all branches gathered in Winnipeg in 1925 and, from this meeting was born the Royal Canadian Legion.
By 1931, several of our local veterans, while
From 1935 until 1946, the meetings were held in the old courthouse, with Armistice banquets and parties at the hotel "La Maison Blanche".
With the end of World War II and the return of the new veterans, the Legion saw a huge increase in membership and soon realized that a building of its own was absolutely essential. A drive for funds was organized, land was purchased, and the building of the new Legion was completed in 1953. Although the building was completely destroyed by fire in early 1970, a new Legion hall was planned, built and officially opened by October of the same year.
With the money in hand, and donations from the public, the Legion management made plans to build a Funeral Parlour in New Carlisle. Land was purchased, the building was erected and still dispenses a free service to the area while being supported financially by public donations.
The Branch participates in several activities. It provides facilities for games such as cribbage, shuffleboard and darts, and organizes regular dances. In cooperation with the March of Dimes, it lends orthopedic equipment to accident victims at no charge.
Since 1982, in an effort to assure it's continuity, children of veterans are
Every year, on Armistice day, there is a huge parade down Main Street, culminating at the cenotaph, in which the public joins the veterans in remembering and honouring those who have made the supreme sacrifice for their country. At this time, wreaths are laid at the foot of the cairn, and a period of silent remembrance is observed.
[Photo captions read]
• Royal Canadian Legion [building]
• Remembrance day [poster]
• [C]rest Canadian Legion
Courthouse
How can one talk about New Carlisle without first thinking of its prestigious institutions? One of the first to be mentioned would have to be the administration of justice, which contributed so much in giving administrative character to New Carlisle.
At the beginning of the colony, one of the first houses of this town, built by Robert Caldwell, was used temporarily as a courthouse. However there was no jail; those who were convicted were subjected to the punishment of being whipped, while tied to a torture post in a corner of the property.
In 1797, the government finally agreed that a jail would be built on the Gaspé coast, but it was not until 1808 that an act "to erect common jails with courtrooms in the inferior district of Gaspe", was voted in Chamber. Another year had to go by however, before sanction was obtained for the project. The act foresaw the construction of judicial buildings in New Carlisle and Percé as being the busiest as well as the most central spots.
The construction of the jail was started in 1809. However, it required numerous steps and some twenty years, for the construction of the jail and courthouse to be completed. In 1830, a resident judge was named and New Carlisle became chief town of the county.
This slowness in the organisation of justice was due to the absence of judicial officers. In 1817, for example, in all the district of Gaspé, there was one judge, a sheriff, a prison guard in New Carlisle, a presiding judge and a prothonotary. In 1825, New Carlisle had a few lawyers, mostly anglophones, as well as a notary, the Guernseyman Martin Sheppard. By 1850, there were a dozen people to run the judicial apparatus; that is to say six persons in each of the two counties of the district.
In 1872, a second courthouse with adjacent jail was built in the location where the new municipal park is now situated. This building was sold to the municipality in 1967 for the nominal sum of $1.00. Unfortunately, on the night of August 29, 1968 it was ravaged by fire, rendering it unusable.
In 1963, New Carlisle obtained a new courthouse which was inaugurated a year later. This was built on the east side of the village on a piece of land that had once belonged to the Honourable John Hall Kelly.
[Photo captions read]
• Courthouse after fire (1968)
• Courthouse
• First Legion
• Courthouse and Jail (1872-1964)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Patriots & Patriotism • War, World I • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 48° 0.571′ N, 65° 19.623′ W. Marker is in New Carlisle, Québec, in Bonaventure. Marker is at the intersection of boulevard Gérard-D.-Levesque and rue de l'Oriental, on the right when traveling east on boulevard Gérard-D.-Levesque. Monument is in the municipal park, just east of the Town Hall. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Carlisle QC G0C 1Z0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. La naissance de New Carlisle / Parc municipal (a few steps from this marker); War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Loyalist / Les Loyalistes (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); L'eglise presbyterienne - Knox Presbyterian Church (about 120 meters away); Maison Tremblay House / L'eglise Unie Zion United Church (about 150 meters away); L'Eglise anglicane Saint Andrew's Anglican Church (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); L'education - New Carlisle High School (approx. 0.8 kilometers away).
Also see . . .
1. New Carlisle, Quebec: A Hidden Gem in Canada. Come Explore Canada website entry (Submitted on December 14, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Royal Canadian Legion. (Submitted on March 6, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 5, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 201 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 6, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
