The Belgium-Canada Association
L'Association Belgique-Canada
De Vereeniging België- Canada

Founding the association

The first successful commemoration of 16 June 1946 had cost so much energy and effort that the responsibility for repeat performances could not be shouldered by one single person.  In view of the fact that Mrs. le Clément de Saint-Marcq wanted to turn the commemoration into an annual event, she decided to found a not for profit association with the name of "Belgium-Canada Association". The necessary contacts were made and on 31 October 1946 the deed was acted by Jan Tytgat, a notary public from Ghent. The statutes were published in the "Belgian Monitor" (a government publication) on 7 December 1946 as Act # 2677.

The founding members were:
1. Mrs. Marie Carola Van den Driessche, married to knight Alex le Clément de Saint-Marcq, Metdepenningenstraat 7, Ghent.
2. Henri Liebaert, industrialist and member of parliament, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 117, Ghent.
3. Eduard Anseele, chartered engineer and town councillor of the city of Ghent, Baudeloostraat 99, Ghent.
4. Gerard Verhelst, lawyer, Karel de Kerckhovelaan, 85, Ghent.
5. Marcel De Smet, Colonel of the Belgian Army, Diksmuidestraat 39, Ghent.
6. Knight Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle, businessman, Sint-Jorisstraat 10, Bruges.
7. Jozef Leclef, lawyer, Tolstraat 53, Antwerp.
8. Jean-Marie Snutsel, student, Meyerbeerstraat 56, Brussels.

The objectives of the association were fairly ambitious. Except for the promotion of contacts and collaboration between Belgium and Canada, for instance by organizing the annual commemoration ceremony at Adegem, the assocation also proposed to "promote the creation of agricultural centers in Canada for the education emigree farmers." And: "Participate in every study for the training of new industrialists, something Belgians are supposed to be particularly good at."

"Belgium-Canada would also support all artistic, scientific, educational, philanthropic and tourist activities so long as these would improve relations between Belgians and Canadians. If need be the association itself would even take the initiative for these objectives and "create a propaganda movement in Canada as well as in Belgium so that our countries may get to know each other better." Members who wished to do so were allowed to form groups within the association to realize these objectives even better.

There were to be at least five members and there was a distinction between honorary members, appointed by the general assembly, and working members.

The annual contribution was set at 250 franks. Thanks to a 1951 modification of the statutes everyone (even other associations) was allowed to join on condition that he or she paid the 25 frank membership fee. These new members were indeed part of the association but they didn't have the same rights as those who contributed 250 franks. Approval by the board was required to become a member.

Mrs. le Clément de Saint-Marcq, the founder on whose initiative the association came into being was appointed its president for life.  Henri Liebart, Eduard Anseele and Gerard Verhelst were to be the three vice-presidents and colonel De Smet took up the function of secretary.

In an appendix to the founding act we already find the name of Paul Migeon, industrialist from Bottelare.

Mr. Leclef, lawyer, appointed Migeon as a special attorney with full powers to act on his behalf.

The Board

The members of the board of Belgium-Canada changed now and again and sometimes the association found it difficult to find someone for all the functions.  We see from the lists that its members were mostly well-to-do gentlemen of the higher bourgeoisie, preferably from the nobility. Miss Maria De Keyser was accepted on the Board because in Adegem a reliable contact was needed.  This proved to be a wise decision, because for many years it was Miss De Keyser who kept the flag flying in Adegem.

The correspondence of Belgium-Canada was always in French even with the local authorities of Adegem.  Invitations for meetings or for the Canadian ceremony were bilingual; thank-you notes to the various associations and collaborators were in French only until the Belgium-Canada was dissolved.  And of course the correspondence between the members of the board was also in French even up to the year 1970.

In 1949 Mrs le Clément de Saint-Marcq tendered her resignation for personal reasons.  Other members also chose to leave the association.

On 14 January 1950 the administrative council was as follows:

1. Paul E. Migeon, industrialist, Bottelare, president
2. Knight Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle.
3. Mrs Eugène Martou, Oude Houtlei 11, Ghent.
4. Miss Maria De Keyser, Dorp, Adegem.
5. Antoine Rotsart de Hertaing, lawyer and provincial council, Maldegem.
6. Jacques De Gheldere, industrialist, Kerkstraat, Waarschoot.
7. Jozef Mignolet, cinema manager, Veldstraat 76, Ghent.

Until 1967 the following persons were members of the Administrative Council

Remark: the Administrative Council was no longer published in the Belgian Monitor after 1967.

Operation

  
Two membership cards of the Belgium-Canada Association

Of the many noble objectives the Belgium-Canada Association set itself, at the outset only the annual commemoration ceremony in the Canadian cemetery was realized. The president insisted though that after the ceremony the board members and the invited VIPs dine together at the Casino, in Blankenberge whose burgomaster liked Canada very much.  During the Summer of 1948 Mrs. le Clément de Saint-Marcq even travelled to Canada to come back with enthusiastic tales about the possibilities the country had to offer.  She also made the contacts that would have a very positive influence on the progress of the Association.

In the 1948 report we read that this was not a great year for the Belgium-Canada: many of the planned activities were cancelled at the request of the Canadian Embassy.  The embassador had been informed that in the 1930s a similar organization had been founded and the embassy feared legal difficulties, even though both associations pursued very different objectives and there was no relation at all between them.  The question was finally decided in favor of the Belgium-Canada but this decision had taken such a long time that not much could now come of any activities in 1948. Two positive things were done though: discrete contacts were made with influencial people in finance, in culture and in the business world and the recruitment of new members was taken up again.  For 1949 a series of activities were planned that would definitely be realized.

In this same report the Canada trip of the president was not forgotten.  She had been very well received and innumerable expressions of support had been received from various eminent Canadians. This would definitely be very fruitful for the work of the association later on.  In the annual report the following was decided: "The Belgium-Canada Association defends a noble cause and can count of powerful support. There only remains now for the association to unite this goodwill necessary for the realization of a programme that can only find the unanimous sympathy of the population." ("L'Association Belgique-Canada défend une noble cause, peut disposer de puissants appuis.  Il lui reste à réunir le faisceau de bonnes volontés nécessaire pour réaliser un programme qui ne peut que rencontrer la sympathie unanime de la population. ")

From the financial report we also learn that things weren't going very well for the association: only 7 members had paid a contribution of 100 franks: Mr & Mrs Migeon and their daughter Geneviève, the le Clément de Saint-Marcq couple, Jacques De Gheldere and a certain Mr. Goormachtigh.  The costs of a wreath, of publication of the election results in the Monitor and the invitations for the commemoration in Adegem had cost in all 379.45 franks which meant the year closed nevertheless with a positive balance of 320.55 franks.

Members

The number of members of the Belgium-Canada was never very high.  In the first few years they were about 30 and as the years went by new members were added regularly.  In 1960 the association had nearly 100 members but that was a top year because after that their numbers dwindled quite spectacularly: in 1967 there were only 57 members left including those of the Canadian Embassy.

The statutory provision that the membership fee was 250 franks was not respected.  In 1950 some members paid 50 or 100 or 250 franks.  Where in 1961 contributions from the members brought in 15,972 franks this had come down in 1967 to 8,600 franks.

The following persons and associations from the Meetjesland were members of the Belgium-Canada:
Philippe de Hemptinne, Chateau de Dam, Waarschoot;
Albert De Kesel, burgomaster, Dorp, Adegem;
Maria De Keyser, Dorp, Adegem;
Maurice Goethals, burgomaster, Kerkstraat 12, Eeklo;
Louis Heene, Heldenlaan 203, Eeklo;
Antoine Rotsart de Hertaing, burgomaster, Maldegem;
Mrs. Rotsart de Hertaing;
Annick Rotsart de Hertaing;
Jean François Rotsart de Hertaing;
Mrs. Van Cleemput-De Smet, alderman, Staatsbaan, Adegem;
O. Van de Bruaene, Brugsesteenweg 147, Maldegem;
Arthur Willems, Mechanical Furniture Factory St.-Jozef, Maldegem;
the Maldegem town council;
N.S.B. Maldegem;
War Veterans 1914-1918, Oosteeklo.
Paul Migeon, the President.

People were rather surprised when on 3 September 1949 Mrs. le Clément de Saint-Marcq tendered her resignation:

"Messieurs,
J'ai l'honneur de vous faire savoir que par suite de certaines circonstances, je me
vois obligée de donner ma démission de présidente de Belgique-Canada.
Vous estimerez comme moi, que je n'ai pas a donner de plus amples explications.
Veuillez, agréer Messieurs, l'expression de ma considération distinguée.
Madame le Clément de St.-Marcq"

Gentlemen,
I have the honor of informing you that 
due to certain circumstances
I am obliged
to tender my resignation as president of 
the Belgium-Canada.
As I myself you will consider that I have 
no further explanations to give.
Yours sincerely,
Madame le Clément de St.-Marcq"

We can only guess the reasons for her resignation: there are no signs of disagreement among the board members.  But there might well have been difficulties with the Welfare of Ghent.  Mrs. le Clément de Saint-Marcq left for Haiti where her daughter lived.  It is not known if she ever came back to Belgium.

Paul Migeon became the new president.  He was a businessman from Bottelare where he was at the head of a thriving textile company.  During the Great War Migeon had given plenty of information to British Intelligence some of which had been of vital importance for their war effort in the Gavere region.  After the war he had received several distinctions for this and he had kept in touch with several highly placed English officers.  When WW II broke out he had been advised to keep a low profile because the Germans kept an eye on him.  Twice he had been picked up by the Sicherheitsdienst and interrogated at Gavere.  But nothing could be proven against him.  It was discovered afterwards that he had been betrayed.  Of course Migeon did know something about an underground network.  For instance he was in touch with people of the State University of Ghent who helped downed English pilots.  It was so dangerous to call on the Anglophile from Bottelare that nothing is known of such an initiative.  He was an important and distinguished man, very obliging and courteous but also a little aloof, in short an aristocrat.

Paul Migeon, president of the Belgium-Canada
during a speech in the Canadian cemetery.

As president of the Belgium-Canada Paul Migeon spent a lot of time and money on the association.  Even when he was on holiday in Cannes on the Croisette or when he was in Knokke-Zoute he wrote letters to the secretary or to other members of the board to let them know how the preparations for the annual commemoration ceremony were coming along.

Paul Migeon was president of the association from 1949 until 1969, twenty long years.  He wrote innumerable letters to his associates, encouraged them, took the initiative himself and showed everyone his responsibilities.  His relationship with the Canadian Embassy was excellent and he still had his connections in higher military circles.  Even when Migeon staid in Cannes in 1965 for practically the whole year for health reasons after an accident he didn't abandon the Belgium-Canada.  His many letters to secretary van Outryve d'Ydewalle prove this.

When in 1966 there were comments about the bilingual invitations Migeon replied new invitation cards had to be printed "ou devrait figurer le Bourgmestre et les membres du conseil communal d'Adegem, ceci en signe de bonne volonté vis-à-vis des membres d'Adegem qui sont toujours assidus et qui ont des frais de collaboration importants depuis des années. " "which mentioned the burgomaster and the members of the town council of Adegem, and this as a sign of goodwill towards the members from Adegem who are always diligent and whose collaboration has cost them substantial sums of money for years."

In that same year 1967 the hundred years of the Canadian association were celebrated and Migeon proposed to once again take up the thread with the past: he suggested that the entire board and the important guests would take a delicious lunch in the Blankenberge Casino.  Alas, the worsened state of health of Mr. Migeon didn't even allow him to attend the ceremony of 10 September.  His replacement was Knigh van Outryve d'Ydewalle who did this in such an exemplary manner that on 14 September 1967 Mr. Migeon sent him his congratulations: "My wife has indeed told me in great detail all that happened in Adegem last Sunday and the important role you have played under the circumstances.  I wish to congratulate you for having stood in for me so very well and I hope you will understand that you alone are designated to succeed me, something necessitated by my age and my state of health often rather poor now."

1968 was a very crucial year for the association.  After the ceremony of 7 September Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle informed Mr. Migeon who was in Cannes that he wished to tender his resignation as secretary.  He had already spoken about his succession to Antoine Rotsart de Hertaing and to Alfred Coppieters 't Wallant but neither wanted to take him up on that.  According to the soon to be ex-secretary one might best search for someone in Adegem itself, that's the only solution for the association.  Migeon didn't accept the resignation just like that.  Since the activities of the Belgium-Canada are at a low ebb during the Winter months Migeon proposed to leave things as they were and asked his secretary to defer his final decision until the Spring. Mr Migeon pointed out to his secretary that he himself had thought about resigning for a long time but had not done so in order not to complicate matters and not to desert the association during a difficult period.  He also requested that Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle keep the archives of the association until a decision would be taken in the Spring of 1969. 

For a while in 1968 it looked like the Belgium-Canada would merge with the "Amitiés-Belgo-Canadiennes" "Belgian-Canadian Friendship" which had been founded in Brussels in 1968 and had almost identical objectives as the Belgium-Canada. "It is self-evident that these two associations mustn't ignore each other.  They must work together or even merge!  Let's think about it" the secretary wrote in January 1969 to Migeon and some other members of the board.

Migeon clearly felt overtaken by the Canadian Embassy and wondered why the sponsors of this new group had not pointed to the 20 year old Belgium-Canada Association.  On his return to Belgium at the beginning of May 1969 he would get in touch with the new association.  In May Migeon was not back because of a minor new problem of arteriosclerosis.  He wouldn't be back until June.

The president attended the commemoration ceremony of 7 September but then tendered his resignation. It meant the end of the Belgium-Canada, the association he had cared for so much.  He died on 6 December 1974.

For the sake of completeness we must mention here a few of the other activities of the Belgium-Canada that were practically all organized on the initiative of President Migeon.  For instance in the first years a highly select dance was organized every year to which dozens and dozens of noble and other prominent persons were invited.  On 17 January 1952 this dance took place in the salons of the Hotel de la Poste in Ghent.  A report said "The excellent orchestra of Frank Greven and the distribution of carnations contributed to a really great ambiance".  From the Meetjesland only Antoine Rotsart de Hertaing and his wife were present and from West-Flanders none other than the governor Mr. Pierre van Outryve d'Ydewalle had come.

On 24 January 1951 in the hall of the Hautes Etudes a series of unpublished films about Canada was shown.  There were also quite a few lectures about Canada for instance by Mitchell, a Canadian embassy attaché, who came to talk about his magnificent and very actif country.

The purpose of those evenings was of course the promotion of emigration to Canada who in those years needed farmers and skilled labour. About the lecture by Mitchell we found the following anecdote: when the speaker had been introduced in French by Paul Migeon the Canadian thanked the president in excellent Flemish and was greeted with acclaim by the audience.

And president Migeon didn't sit idle because on 22 November 1952 he invited practically the entire staff of the Canadian embassy and a few other friends for a visit to the historic city of Ghent.

The visit was led by Mr. Nowé, the city's keeper of the archives who surprised all those present with his thorough knowledge of the historic past of his city.  Ambassador Maurice Pope had asked to be excused because of a hunting engagement.  But this wasn't the only visit because later they also visited the hotel d'Haene-Steenhuyze and the Arts Museum.  In 1956 it was the turn of the St. Bavo Cathedral together with the Belfry and a few of Ghent's patrician houses.  It was for the embassador an unforgettable souvenir of the historic and artistic treasures of Belgium.  With Ambassador S.D. Pierce in 1960 they visited the Ghent Floralia.  The profusion and beauty made a tremendous impression on the ambassador and his wife.

Charles P. Hébert was just appointed when on 20 March 1954 he was invited by Paul Migeon to get to know the members of the Belgium-Canada Association.  A reception was held for him in the splendid cadre of Arts Museum of Ghent.

Present were not only the entire Board of the Belgium-Canada Association but also the governor of East-Flanders, Mr. Van den Bogaerde, burgomaster of Ghent, Mr. Merchiers and a few dozen prominent figures and some top military brass.  Ambassador Hébert was very happy with the reception: "With great pleasure we have made the acquaintance of an Association that devotes itself to the promotion of cultural relations between Belgium and Canada and we wish the occasions to visit your beautiful city will multiply."  Mrs Hébert was also very happy, especially also with the orchids she was presented with.  In 1962 they even organized a trip to Canada from 23 August to 5 September.

In a way Belgium-Canada had become "Migeon".  Because of his many merits he was nominated chevalier of the Leopold Order by King Baudouin in 1963.  Migeon was also personally presented to Queen Elisabeth on the occasion of her visit on 13 May 1963 to the Canadian St. Julian Monument in Langemark.  The queen thanked him for his many services to the people of England and Canada.

Miss Maria De Baets accompanies a group of Adegem school children.
During the first years a lot of time was spent on the laurel wreaths.

Ambassador Maurice Pope praises Paul Migeon 
and his association.

The dissolution of Belgium-Canada

Already in 1966 it was proposed to officially dissolve the Belgium-Canada and to replace it with a comittee that would have the same goals and the same board members.  Migeon clearly didn't think this was such a good idea and came of it.

Yet the functioning of the association began to slacken off.  Maurice Accarain, a carreer officer in the army who was the secretary since 1958 had already tendered his resignation in 1964, but in view of the fact that there was no one to replace him he staid on as secretary until he finally resigned in 1967.  It was particularly difficult to find a new secretary.  Pressure was put on Antoine Rotsart de Hertaing but he proposed his son Jean.  "He had married aged 32, lives Antwerpse Heirweg in Maldegem, is the representative for the province of a mortgage company and active in politics in Maldegem." ("celui-ci est marié, à 32 ans, habite au Antwerpse Heirweg à Maldegem, est représentant provincial d'une caisse hypothécaire et s'occupe de politique au village de Maldegem. ") 

Mr Rotsart would insist that his son accept the job of secretary. "I am certain he is a good member and I really hope he will accept" wrote Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle to Mr. Migeon. Eventually father Rotsart de Hertaing was the one who accepted the job.  The actual work was split between Mr. Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle, who would take care of the correspondence and Mr. Rotsart de Hertaing who would be the treasurer.

In May 1969 Paul Migeon announced his final decision to resign as president and as member of the board. Even though he would do everything possible for the ceremony of September because it was the 25th anniversary of the liberation and they wanted to do something special for the occasion.  Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle also decided to resign.  He proposed as his replacement alderman Mrs. Van Cleemput-De Smet.

Burgomaster Albert De Kesel and Mrs. Van Cleemput requested in June 1969 an interview with the secretary to thoroughly examine and discuss the situation because of the approaching date for the commemoration.  There was a proposal that not Mrs. Van Cleemput but the Adegem town council would take over the secretary's office.

"I hadn't thought about that, but I consider this proposal acceptable and normal since it is at Adegem that the ceremonies take place and also since this town takes over these matters because they are directly involved with the relations with Canada," wrote Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle in a letter to his president.  In this letter he also proposed Albert De Kesel as the new president.  In his official resignation letter of 23 October Mr. Migeon marked his agreement with the candidature of the new president on condition "that it is in his own name and not as Burgomaster of Adegem.  This way the Belgium-Canada Association - President De Kesel could continue to cooperate with Adegem town - Burgomaster De Kesel". ("que ce soit sous le nom de Monsieur De Kesel et non sous l'étiquette de Bourgmestre d'Adegem. De cette façon l'Association Belgique-Canada, Président Monsieur De Kesel pourrait continuer à collaborer avec la commune d'Adegem, Bourgmestre De Kesel. ")  A subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless.

In a letter of 18 November 1969 Paul E. Migeon was thanked for services rendered: "I insist on thanking you very particularly for all you have done during your mandate of President of Belgium-Canada.  No one would have been able to find someome who could have taken things to heart as much as you.   We are all very grateful of your indefatigable devotion" wrote secretary Van Outryve d'Ydewalle.

Burgomaster De Kesel accepted the presidency as a private individual and not as burgomaster "this because we don't know at all what the next burgomaster will want to do" ("cela parce que nous ne savons pas du tout ce que voudra le bourgmestre suivant").  The new president organized a meeting on Monday 8 December 1969 in the town hall of Adegem with on the following items on the agenda:

1. Resignation of the president
2. Election of a new president
3. Miscellanea

Something must apparently have gone wrong or other propositions were put forward because on 15 December, eight days after the meeting in Adegem, Mr. Migeon the resigning President, called all members of the board together for a meeting in the office of the association "the Home for Political Prisoners", Onderbergen, 25 in Ghent.

On his agenda were the three following items:

1. Resignation of the President
2. Proposal for renewal or dissolution of the association
3. Miscellanea

Only four members turned up (Jacques van Outryve d'Ydewalle, Albert De Kesel, Maurice Accarain and Mrs. Van Cleemput-De Smet), and therefore the meeting was ajourned for lack of a quorum.

Finally during the meeting of 29 December it was decided to disband the Belgium-Canada Association because of financial and organizational difficulties.

Antoine Rotsart de Hertaing, the treasurer was put in charge of the liquidation and of settling all outstanding accounts. The remaining 21,962 franks will be "required in full for paying off our debts" ("sera entièrement absorbé par nos dettes").  The liquidation was published in the Monitor of 5 February 1970.  From now on Adegem would be responsible for the annual commemoration ceremony in honor of the fallen Canadians.

Picture of the cemetery in 1946-47