52 Québec Canoes Push Towards Expo

By Glynne Heenan of The Ottawa Journal

The old Ottawa River once again resounds to the Songs of Voyageurs!

Fifty-two white canoes, each with two husky paddlers came into sight and sound at historic McLaren's Landing Sunday.

Their arrival created quite a stir.  The men, brown and colorful, leaped ashore and were met by as many summer residents as could scramble to the beach.

It all happened very quickly but in the short period cottagers managed to learn that they were an expedition from Northern Québec, had lost one canoe in some rapids farther west and were on their way to Lake Deschenes.

They traveled about six miles an hour and will arrive at Expo in a few days.  They're in Hull today.

It seemed only a few minutes before they again leaped into their canoes and like the beaver, struck the sides of their canoes with their paddles in a thumping farewell.

And away they went -- miners from Rouyn-Noranda -- every town of Northern Québec was represented, as the names on the canoes testified.

What a glorious way to go to Expo!

- End of article. Copyright by The Ottawa Journal, July 17, 1967. All rights reserved.

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And then there was a follow-up article to the story above that appeared in the Ottawa Journal dated, July 18, 1967...

- End of article. Copyright by The Ottawa Journal, July 18, 1967. All rights reserved.