Perche-Canada and the Maison de l’Émigration française au Canada The Perche-Canada AssociationFounded in 1957, the Perche-Canada Association’s aim is to renew the ties between the inhabitants of the Perche today and the descendants of the seventeenth century emigrants to perpetuate the memory of this fine page of history by means of cultural activities, voyages and to supporting all commemoration projects. - Honoré Mercier as a precursor - The foundation of the Perche-Canada Association - A promising twenty-first century - Perche-Canada today 1891 : Honoré Mercier, Prime Minister of Québec visit Tourouvre Honoré Mercier as a precursor 1891: Visit to Tourouvre by Honoré Mercier, Prime Minister of Quebec and Canadian Minister of Agriculture. Two stained glass windows commemorate this major event. 1905: Visit to Mortagne and Tourouvre by Abélard Turgeon, Quebec Minister of Waters and Forests. 1914-1918: Canada sends a strong contingent to France to fight among the Allied troops. Thousands of young soldiers die on the Somme, especially at Vimy Ridge. 1927: Inauguration of a stained glass window to the memory of Pierre Boucher in Notre-Dame de Mortagne parish church with Pierre Dupuy attending as the Canadian government representative. 1944: Canadian troops take part in the liberation of France. 1956: Canadian Ambassador Desy visits Tourouvre with his wife, née Corinne Boucher, and opens the fair and exhibition in Mortagne.   The foundation of the Perche-Canada Association Édouard Leboucher, president, founder of Perche-Canada association. 1957: Creation of Perche-Canada by its founding president Édouard Leboucher, secretary general Canon Jean Aubry and Fernand Fortin. The Association’s aim: to welcome the descendants of the seventeenth-century Percheron settlers and pursue genealogical and historical research. Prominent among those involving themselves in this long-term project would be Mme Françoise Montagne and her husband, Mr. Pierre Montagne. Every year since its foundation, Perche-Canada has placed commemorative plaques in churches where the Percheron pioneers of New Frances were baptized. Chanoine Jean Aubry, secretary of Perche-Canada association and Françoise Montagne, historian of Perche emigration in Canada. Congress of Perche-Canada in 1972 : left to right, chanoine Jean Aubry, Dr Durand, président of France-Canada, Mme Archambault, président of France-Canada comittee in Montreal, Me Édouard Leboucher, président of Perche-Canada et Jean-Marie Mavré, professeur of Laval University, vice-président of Perche-Canada. March 1976: Perche-Canada convention in Mortagne attended by Canadian Ambassador Gérard Pelletier. April 1977: Perche-Canada convention at Bresolettes attended by Canadian Ambassador Gérard Pelletier. April 1978: Perche-Canada convention at Igé attended by Canadian Ambassador Gérard Pelletier and his wife, nee Leduc. June 1978: Reception at Mortagne Town Hall for Quebec Cultural Development Minister Camille Laurin. April 1979: Perche-Canada convention at Saint-Langis attended by Canadian Ambassador Gérard Pelletier. April 1983: Perche-Canada convention at Manou (Eure-et-Loir) chaired by Canadian Ambassador Michel Dupuy. September 1983: Visit by Quebec City Mayor Jean Pelletier and Canadian Embassy attaché Gilles Duguay. April 1984: At Tourouvre, the 350th anniversary of Percheron emigration attended by Canadian Ambassador Michel Dupuy. April 1985: Visit to Mortagne by Canadian Ambassador Michel Dupuy for the Perche-Canada convention. June 1987: Inauguration of the Percheron Emigration Museum at Tourouvre by Canadian Ambassador Lucien Bouchard. April 1989: Perche-Canada convention in La Ventrouze attended by Cardinal Gagnon. June 1990: Visit to Mortagne and Tourouvre by Canadian Ambassador Claude Charland. February 1996: Canadian Ambassador Benoît Bouchard officially opens the “Claude Bouchard” elementary school in Saint-Cosme-en-Vairais to honour his ancestor. May 1996: Visit to Mortagne by Canadian Ambassador Benoît Bouchard. April 1997: Perche-Canada convention at Randonnai attended by Canadian Ambassador Jacques Roy. 1998: The future of the emigration museum comes under consideration. The idea of a Maison de l'Emigration française au Canada–a museum on French emigration to Canada–was launched under the aegis of the Communauté de Communes du Haut-Perche chaired by Guy Monhée. On the advice of René Rivard, Director of the Cultural Office in Montreal, the project shifted from a regional focus to a binational theme with the support of the Government of Canada. July 1999: Perche-Canada convention at Mortagne and Moulins-la-Marche attended by Canadian Ambassador Jacques Roy.   A promising twenty-first century 23 june 2000: The visit of Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada, is seen in the Perche, at Tourouvre and Mortagne, as decisive support for the big Maison de l’Émigration project. 10 juin 2004 : beginning of works of the « Maison de l'Émigration Française en Canada » in the presence of Claude Laverdure, ambassadeur of Canada in France et Guy Monhée, maire of Tourouvre, président of Communauté de communes du Haut-Perche. 19 june 2004 : the laying of the first stone in the presence of Claude Laverdure, Ambassador of Canada in France, of Alain Lambert, former minister, president of the France-Canada Association and the honorable Marie-P. Poulain, senator and president of the Canada-France Federation, this event was organized.   Perche-Canada today President : Claude Vitre. Vice-président : Jean-Marie Mavré. Secrétaire : Odile Léonardi. Trésorière : Annie Ganivet.