Winter 1886

The protagonists

THE PASPÉYAS

How can we explain the uniqueness of the ‘Paspéya culture’?Is it the diversity of their origins?
Family names certainly confirm a wonderful cosmopolitan assortment:
Delarosebil = Basque;
Horth = German;
Larocque = French Canadian;
Leblanc = Acadian;
Legros = Channel Islands;
O’Connell = Irish;
Roussy = Italian.

As well as this diversity of European roots, there is also the mix with the first inhabitants of the region: the Mi’gmaq.
In addition to the large number of foreign sailboats visiting the Site, many Paspéyas crisscross the Atlantic on board ships owned by the Robin and Le Boutillier companies.
Simply put, the Paspéyas are remarkable for how open they are to the world.
No matter their origin, all maritime workers need to support one another.

« LES JERSIAIS, LES ROBIN »

AS WITH STEREOTYPES TARGETING THE JEWS AND THE SCOTS, THOSE DIRECTED AGAINST THE CHANNEL ISLANDERS ARE ALSO BASED ON FALSEHOODS.

Clerks and apprentices from the Channel Islands work on the Site under the dire conditions of indentured servitude.

Life on the Channel Islands in the 18th century is difficult and the supply of food often unreliable. In addition, Great Britain has implemented strict legislation to ‘deal’ with poverty and homelessness.

These laws make it effectively illegal to be unemployed.
Jersey and Guernsey adopt a similar system.

Coming from these harsh conditions, the contracts that tie the young men to their masters impose very long working days, under constant supervision and with minimal personal freedom.

The main difference between the ‘Jerseymen’ and the Paspéyas lies in the attitude of their individual churches toward education. While the Catholic church prefers illiterate parishioners, the Protestant churches emphasize the capacity of each Christian to read and interpret the Bible for themselves.
The young Channel Islanders, often trilingual, hold a clear advantage over the local population.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: THE CHURCH OF THE FRENCH-CANADIAN BOURGEOISIE

It will not interfere in the economy as long as it can control the health and education of its flock.

The Catholic Church vigorously opposes the liberal ideas emerging after the French Revolution and thus fears, like the plague, the ‘Patriote’ movement.
Following the rebellions of 1837 and 1838, the Church engages in a tacit agreement with the British authorities. It will not interfere in the economy as long as it can control the health and education of its flock.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECOMES A STRANGLEHOLD.

Ultramontane values take hold and with clear consequences.
A very conservative period is imposed on Québec society up until THE QUIET REVOLUTION OF THE 1960’s.

Chronology

CONTEXT :

16th November 1885 : Louis Riel, the Métis leader of the North-West Rebellion, is hung.

1886 :

11th January 
The Jersey Banking Company goes bankrupt, precipitated by the misappropriation of funds by the manager, Philip Gosset.

12th January
The electrical telegraph allows the news to rapidly cross the ocean. The Robin and Le Boutillier stores close immediately.
In the general population, composed predominantly of fishermen-clients totally dependent on the companies,
HUNGER DOES NOT TAKE LONG TO BE FELT.

3rd February
The federal government offers $2,000 to the Paspéyas as long as the provincial government does the same. But $4,000 to survive over several months, is completely insufficient. Especially given the time it takes for these limited funds to reach the Gaspésie.

6th February
The parish priest of St-Godefroi, Thomas Smith, writes to Bishop Langevin:
“I can foresee some parishioners dying of hunger before next May”.
He condemns the fact that a central committee oversees the local relief committees. He believes that each parish should be able to address the government directly.
A total amount of $4,000 is made available to the community for emergency food supplies, as a credit to be reimbursed in the spring. The merchants are put in charge of food distribution.
The same day, two break-ins are reported: one in Paspébiac, the other in New Carlisle.

8th February
It is known that the annual credit given by the companies to the fishermen amounts to approximately $100,000. The $4,000 offered by the two levels of government cannot replace this.
Additionally, these funds support the merchants much more than the fishermen.

9th February
The parish priest of Paspébiac, Curé Larrivée, informs his bishop that the area is on the verge of a tragedy: “I am used to seeing women and children cry, but grown men…”
Many survive on a daily meal of potatoes with salt.
Even their crop seeds are eaten.

10th February
Dr. Wakeham notes the population’s misery: at least 6,000 people are suffering from hunger.

11th February

$30,000 is the estimated minimum funding required to make it through until May. The situation is especially difficult between Percé and Bonaventure where the economy is monopolized by Jersey merchants. Elsewhere in the Gaspésie, there are other competing companies.

13th February

The Robin Company agents are instructed to allow credit to the fishermen in the Maritimes but not to the Gaspesians.
THIS IS THE STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL’S BACK.

People have no access to food. Their supplies are running out.
Are they to let themselves starve while the companies have large reserves of flour?

16th February

An angry crowd gathers.
200 famished citizens break into the Robin and Le Boutillier warehouses.
They take everything they can.
The stores are ransacked.
According to Curé Larrivée, the rioters are Catholics.
He actually identifies the verger, three cantors and a churchwarden.
Other sources make mention of ‘Métis’.
These maritime workers are almost all Catholic French-Canadians. 

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