The Classique: A Meeting Place

Each edition of the Classique internationale de canots de la Mauricie has brought its share of adventures—and not only to those who braved the river. For the Bellemare family, the race was synonymous with meeting new people, as they hosted a few fans every year during the event. In 1959, Claude Bellemare, a teenager at the time, saw Marcel Stewart and John Baptiste Laliberté, two Indigenous canoeists from Saskatchewan, with their families, arrive at his doorstep.

John Baptiste Laliberté and Marcel Stewart at the Bellemare’s home in 1959 – credit : Claude Bellemare

Although these people found themselves somewhat cramped around the dinner table, there was a feeling of community in that thatched cottage in Shawinigan. This companionship was somewhat of a culture shock for Marcel and John. Even a pint of milk was unusual to the two canoeists who came from a reserve in the heart of Canada. So, imagine their surprise when Claude had the idea of taking them to the movies to see Elvis Presley shake his hips on the beaches of Hawaii.

The adventure continued with their participation in the race. The promising first leg of the race put them in eighth place. At the finishing line of the second leg, the Bellemare’s eagerly awaited to see if their sponsees managed to improve their ranking. The teams returned one after another, but Marcel and John still hadn’t arrived. With every passing hour, worry started to set in within the organization, and the police and the radio station became involved to help find them. 

In the middle of the night, someone finally spotted them near the road while driving by. One of the teammates was unable to continue due to cramps and had stopped to rest. It never occurred to them to ask for help, because they were used to being on their own.

After recovering from this scare, the Bellemare’s had to face another tough reality. They had to say goodbye to those whom had stayed with them during the event. With each race, bonds are forged across the water between people from here and all over the world. And in each canoe, there’s a genuine experience that has made its way into the hearts of the Mauricie people since 1934.