Firmin Monestime facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Firmin Monestime
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| Born | December 16, 1909 |
| Died | October 27, 1977 (aged 67) |
| Alma mater | University of Haiti |
| Spouse(s) | Zenaida Petschersky (married 1953–) |
Saint-Firmin (S. F.) Monestime (December 16, 1909 – October 27, 1977) was a Haitian-Canadian politician and medical doctor. He made history as the first Black Canadian person to be elected mayor of a town in Canada.
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Early Life and Family
Firmin Monestime was born in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, in 1909. He was one of seven children. His father had a successful business making leather.
In 1945, Dr. Monestime moved to Quebec City, Canada. Before he left Haiti, he separated from his first wife. He continued to support their two children from Canada.
Later, in 1953, he met Zena Petschersky in Ottawa. Zena was an immigrant from Danzig. They got married and had four children together.
Dr. Monestime's Medical Career
Dr. Monestime studied rural medicine, which focuses on health care in country areas. He even wrote three books about this topic. He earned his medical degree from the University of Haiti.
In 1937, he was one of the few doctors helping people during a very difficult time in Haiti. For his important work during this crisis, he received the Haitian Legion of Merit award.
After improving his medical training, Dr. Monestime planned to open a medical practice in Timmins, Ontario. However, on his way there, he stopped in Mattawa, Ontario. A restaurant owner convinced him to stay and open his practice in Mattawa instead.
Dr. Monestime worked as a doctor in Mattawa until 1964. That year, he became the town's mayor.
Becoming a Politician
Dr. Monestime first entered politics in 1962. He ran for a spot on the Mattawa town council and was elected. The very next year, in 1963, he was elected as the mayor of Mattawa.
He was very active with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. This was a major political party in Canada at the time. He even served as a national director for the party.
Dr. Monestime was interested in running for a federal position with the party. He also tried to become the president of the party in 1971 but was not successful. He liked the party because of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker's Canadian Bill of Rights. This Bill of Rights helped protect people's freedoms.
In 1971, he was re-elected as mayor of Mattawa. He continued to serve as mayor until his death in 1977, except for one year he took off for personal reasons. He passed away due to pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Monestime's Legacy
In 1976, Dr. Monestime and his wife opened the Algonquin Nursing Home in Mattawa. A nursing home is a place where people who need special care can live.
His daughter, Vala Monestime Belter, continued to run the nursing home. She has also served on the boards of other important organizations like Ontario Northland and TVOntario.
In 2009, a book was published about Dr. Monestime's life. It is called Where Rivers Meet: The Story of Dr. S. F. Monestime, Canada's First Black Mayor. This book was written by historian Doug Mackey.
There is also a special exhibit about Dr. Monestime at the Mattawa Museum. This exhibit helps people learn about his life and achievements.
In 2014, the ambassador of Haiti to Canada, Frantz Liautaud, visited Mattawa. He came for a celebration marking 50 years since Dr. Monestime was first elected mayor. This showed how important Dr. Monestime's legacy is.
