We said goodbye to our dear friend Métis Elder Joseph Paquette on Wednesday March 18, and we are heartbroken. Our condolences are extended to Joe’s wife Pam, his family and friends. Joe was a mentor, teacher, Elder and, most importantly, our friend.

We will miss his visits and the long conversations we had. Always one with a joke or a teasing phrase, he imparted such wisdom, eyes twinkling and always with a broad smile. We will miss that smile, his wonderful laugh, and his love of history and storytelling.  He was passionate about his work with the Métis Nation Veterans Council and teaching young people and about the history of his community.

For many years he led the Spring Equinox ceremony here at The Grange. We were blessed to be able to honour him with a Heritage Mississauga Lifetime Membership Award in 2009, to thank him for his guidance, teachings and support.   We are honoured to have known Joe. We will miss him. Goodbye dear friend, and thank you.

 

 

Thank you to Sanborg Productions for this clip of Joe. This short video is part of a longer video we produced in the summer of 2016 called Mississauga: The First 10,000 Years. We feel so blessed to have filmed him singing on the banks of the Credit River.