Edmundston, Canada

Edmundston is a city at the junction of the Saint John and Madawaska Rivers in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada only a few kilometres from the border with Quebec. Out of the eight cities in New Brunswick, Edmundston is the most francophone, with 91% of the city's population speaking French. The city is the second largest French city in North America outside Quebec (the largest being Clarence-Rockland, Ontario, which is technically part of the Ottawa metropolitan area).

History

The city is situated on the border with the United States, across from the town of Madawaska, Maine. The area was at the center of the Aroostook War over the boundary line between the USA and what was then British North America. It was because of the boundary disputes in this entire area that residents on both the Canadian and U.S. sides took to referring to the region as the Republic of Madawaska. The tradition is carried on to this day, with each mayor of Edmundston being automatically given title as the "President of the Republic of Madawaska".

Originally named Petit-Sault (Little Falls), the settlement was renamed Edmundston in 1850 after Sir Edmund Head, who was Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick from 1848 to 1854 and Governor-General of Canada from 1854 to 1861.

Economy

Forestry is the major industry in the Edmundston area, with several sawmills and paper plants in the vicinity, the largest being the Fraser pulp mill. The Edmundston pulp mill is paired with a Fraser paper mill directly across the Saint John River in Madawaska, Maine, through which liquified pulp slurry is piped - the only such installation anywhere along Canada-United States border.

Media

Edmundston is served by three newspapers (Le Madawaska, La Republique and Info Weekend), two radio stations (CJEM, CFAI,) two television stations, and a regional bureau of the CBC.

Festivals and Tourism

Each June, Edmundston plays host to the Festival Jazz et Blues d'Edmundston (the Edmundston Jazz and Blues Festival).

Every year in August, there is a large cultural festival in Edmundston called the Foire Brayonne. The festival is reportedly the biggest French festival held in Canada outside the province of Quebec.

Tourist attractions include Le Jardin de la Republique (Camping Ground), Fort du Petit-Sault (former British military fort during the mid-1800's) and Madawaska Historic Museum.

The New Brunswick Botanical Garden is located in suburban Saint-Jacques, on seven hectares with over 80,000 plants, making it the largest arboretum east of Montreal.

Notable Edmundston natives

• Roch Voisine singer, actor.

• Alpha Boucher actor, mostly in Quebec.

• Natasha St-Pier singer, better known in French Europe.

• Maurice Bolyer (born Beaulieu), banjo player who appeared on the Tommy Hunter Show

• Roland Rossignol, Former NHL player who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings in the mid-40's.

• Camille Dubé, sports broadcaster for Radio-Canada, especially during televised Montreal Expos games.

• Paul Gallant creator of the 3-D puzzle and founder of Wrebbit

• Bernard Valcourt former Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

• Ty Laforest Major League Baseball Player who played with the Boston Red Sox

Community profile

According to the Canada 2001 Census: