New St Pierre councillor acclaimed
Advertisement
Maurice (Moe) Banville is seated at the St-Pierre-Jolys council table after he was the only person to step up after the resignation of Suzanne Jolicoeur.
A byelection would have been held April 3 if anyone else was nominated to run for councillor.
A familiar face in the community, Banville has been a volunteer firefighter for 15 years, and is on the Musée St-Pierre-Jolys museum board.
“I’ve been living in town here basically all my life,” said Banville.
When he heard there was a position to fill until at least the next municipal election in fall 2026, Banville thought he had more to offer the community.
“I just like helping out and trying to find resolutions to any kind of problems. That’s just basically my nature. I always strive to make things better.
“Like right now at our museum we’re trying to put in a lot of new renos, Basically updating the inside,” said Banville.
The museum is well known for providing a kitchen and maple taffy on the snow in its cabàne a sucre at Festival du Voyageur, and for its upcoming Sugaring Off Festival April 3 to 6.
Banville last volunteered for Frog Follies about 25 years ago. He will be involved again this year as the council representative on the committee. Frog Follies runs Aug. 7 to 10.
He said the festival has the potential to bring people into town.
“There’s a lot of things that are unique to this town, which is really great,”said Banville.
He hopes people will not only come to visit, but stay.
“I would like to see more young families move into town, stimulate the economy as well,” said Banville.
The new councillor was also appointed to the Crow Wing committee, and as an alternate on the En Boom economic development corporation, and as an alternate for the Eastman Regional Municipal Committee.
Everyone tends to know each other in a small town, and St Pierre is no exception. Banville played as a kid just down the street from where Mayor Raymond Maynard lived.
“I was basically Dennis the Menace on that street,” joked Banville.
His day job is serving as a Winnipeg police officer.