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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThank You, Bruce, Mary Leslie, Pierre, and Sylvain!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The AGM also provided an opportunity to thank three directors leaving the Board: Sylvain Fortier<\/strong>, who joined the Board in 2024; Mary Leslie Aitken<\/strong>, who served for 19 years; and Pierre-Andr\u00e9 Ouimet<\/strong>, former President of H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al and honorary Board member since 2012, who will now join the newly established Council of Elders. A special tribute was also paid to Bruce McNiven<\/strong> in recognition of his more than 40 years of dedication to protecting and promoting Montreal\u2019s heritage. Thank you all for your years of service to H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lorsque je repense aux nombreuses r\u00e9alisations d\u2019H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al \u2014 qu\u2019il s\u2019agisse de la bataille pour la pr\u00e9servation de l\u2019avenue McGill College des ann\u00e9es80\u2014au tout d\u00e9but de ma carri\u00e8re comme membre du conseil \u00e0 l\u2019invitation de Mme Lambert \u2013ou de la campagne toute r\u00e9cente pour la pr\u00e9servation et de la reconversion r\u00e9fl\u00e9chie de la maison Fulford\u2013ou encore des innombrables visites guid\u00e9es, conf\u00e9rences, programmes \u00e9ducatifs et interventions publiques men\u00e9s au fil des ann\u00e9es \u2014 on me demande souvent ce qui explique l\u2019efficacit\u00e9 et la p\u00e9rennit\u00e9 de l\u2019organisme. Je crois que la r\u00e9ponse tient au fait qu\u2019H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al a toujours compris que le patrimoine ne consiste pas simplement \u00e0 pr\u00e9server de vieux b\u00e2timents. Il s\u2019agit de pr\u00e9server la m\u00e9moire, l\u2019identit\u00e9, le caract\u00e8re et la qualit\u00e9 de vie de notre ville tout en l\u2019aidant \u00e0 \u00e9voluer de fa\u00e7on r\u00e9fl\u00e9chie et responsable et de transmettre ces connaissances au grand public de fa\u00e7on continue autant qu\u2019aux instances gouvernementales et les promoteurs immobiliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what drives me stubbornly to remain engaged in this on-going effort?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The work of H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al reflects an idea that resonates with me deeply that was famously articulated by Edmund Burke: that Society is a partnership not only among those who are living today, but also with those who came before us and those who are yet to be born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heritage is one of the ways in which that partnership is made real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are not merely occupants of this city; we are its temporary stewards. We inherit the legacy of previous generations and bear a responsibility to pass it on, enriched rather than diminished. That sense of continuity, responsibility, and stewardship across generations lies at the heart of H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Il est crucial de souligner le r\u00f4le qu\u2019H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al joue en donnant aux citoyens une v\u00e9ritable voix dans l\u2019am\u00e9nagement et l\u2019avenir de leur ville. Les v\u00e9ritables parties prenantes de Montr\u00e9al sont ses citoyens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pourtant, les pr\u00e9occupations individuelles concernant la protection du patrimoine, la qualit\u00e9 des quartiers ou, plus largement, la qualit\u00e9 de la vie urbaine peuvent difficilement se traduire en actions concr\u00e8tes lorsqu\u2019elles demeurent isol\u00e9es.<\/p>\n\n\n\n H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al offre une tribune cr\u00e9dible et efficace qui permet aux citoyens d\u2019agir collectivement et de participer de mani\u00e8re constructive aux d\u00e9cisions qui fa\u00e7onnent la ville que nous partageons tous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I may borrow a hockey analogy, it is not enough simply to pass the puck; there must also be someone ready to receive it and advance the play and win games \u2014 if not always \u2018La Coupe\u2019 \u2013, at least from time to time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerned citizens may identify a problem or an opportunity and pass the puck, but H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al is there to receive it, bringing its expertise, credibility, persistence, and strategic focus to the effort, and work alongside citizens to achieve meaningful and lasting results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avant de conclure, je tiens \u00e0 exprimer ma profonde reconnaissance envers l\u2019\u00e9quipe remarquable d\u2019H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al ainsi qu\u2019\u00e0 mes coll\u00e8gues du conseil d\u2019administration, pass\u00e9s et pr\u00e9sents. Je ne peux pas les nomm\u00e9s tous et toutes \u2014 l\u2019exception de ma conjointe Marie Sen\u00e9cal-Tremblay, qui n\u2019\u00e9tait pas consciente du fait que lorsqu\u2019on s\u2019est mari\u00e9 il y a d\u00e9j\u00e0 35 ans, elle serait invit\u00e9e \u00e0 se joindre avec tant de force et habilit\u00e9s dans mon travail b\u00e9n\u00e9vole favori.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Les r\u00e9alisations de l\u2019organisme reposent sur des ann\u00e9es de d\u00e9vouement, de professionnalisme et d\u2019engagement b\u00e9n\u00e9vole. Derri\u00e8re chaque campagne, chaque publication, chaque activit\u00e9 \u00e9ducative et chaque projet de pr\u00e9servation se trouvent d\u2019innombrables heures de travail accomplies avec intelligence, rigueur et passion au service de Montr\u00e9al et de son avenir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Merci encore du fonds du c\u0153ur. Je me r\u00e9jouis \u00e0 l\u2019id\u00e9e de poursuivre ce travail avec vous dans les ann\u00e9es \u00e0 venir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Go Habs! \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n<\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On June 10, H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al held its Annual General Meeting at the Biblioth\u00e8que et Archives nationales du Qu\u00e9bec in Montreal. Chaired by Robert Girard, the meeting provided an opportunity to review the organization\u2019s achievements over the past year and present its priorities for the future. Throughout 2025, H\u00e9ritage Montr\u00e9al celebrated its 50th anniversary, highlighting its [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.heritagemontreal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PXL_20260610_205806415-1024x576.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRemarks at the Heritage Montreal AGM on my retirement from the Board of Directors after 40+ years: June 10, 2026 \u2013 Bruce McNiven, C.M.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Read Bruce McNiven\u2019s remarks<\/summary>\n