East Ferris Deputy Mayor Mike Voyer is putting his affairs in order after being admitted to the Nipissing Serenity Hospice with terminal cancer.
Voyer, a long-time driving force in community affairs as both an elected official, businessman and Knights of Columbus executive, attended Tuesday’s council meeting in person and is still serving in his role.
But he had wanted to address council and Mayor Pauline Rochefort assisted by reading a letter he wrote during her chairperson’s remarks.
“I would like to share with you three things,” Rochefort read at the beginning of the meeting live-streamed via Zoom on the municipal YouTube channel. “As you surely know, I have terminal cancer. Fortunately, I’m overall well and still kicking and laughing.
“I am very fortunate to have a wonderful family and many friends who are constantly by my side,” he wrote.
“That said, last week I was admitted to the Nipissing Serenity Hospice in North Bay where I have great Internet service and also I can enjoy as much CNN as I wish,” he joked, relieving some of the tension in the Corbeil Hall with councillors and staff in attendance.
“It also has left me with more time to focus on my council responsibilities,” Rochefort read, adding from herself: “And I can vouch for that because I have already been called to two meetings with the Deputy Mayor Voyer at the hospice.”
Through his letter, he brought up the subject at hand.
“One thing, however, will help me be at peace and that is knowing that all of my affairs are in good order, including those relating to council,” Rochefort read.
“In particular, I would like to know the day I choose to resign from council that I will not be leaving you, my fellow colleagues, without a planned transition.
“In other words, it would be nice if we could decide now how a transition will occur. Doing so would set my mind at rest and it will also set your own,” he wrote.
“It is my understanding there are three methods to replace a vacant council seat: a) by opting for the candidate who is next in line in the last election, for example, as North Bay did appointing George Maroosis (after councillor Mike Anthony passed away this fall); b) by asking for nominations and applications from the public as Callander did following Moe Turgeon; or c) as West Nipissing is contemplating by calling for a byelection,” he wrote.
“I understand you may feel awkward discussing such a topic with my being present. That said, please be assured I will be quite at ease and will be the first to encourage that we opt for option ‘A’, which is the next candidate in line in the last election,” he wrote.
Long-time councillor Rick Champagne was the top candidate who didn’t win a seat in 2018. He had 638 votes behind first-time candidate Erika Loughheed with 678. The voting results for the candidates behind Champagne were Nick Brazeau with 307 and Tim Percivil at 217.
“With your encouragement, I’d like to work with the clerk to bring forward a motion at our next meeting,” Rochefort read to conclude the letter.
Voyer then addressed council with an emotional remark of appreciation.
“Thank you,” he said with tears flowing, “it’s so nice knowing council supported me and I’ll support you to the end.”
Rochefort then asked around the table for comments with all three councillors – Steve Trahan, Terry Kelly and Lougheed – supporting his suggestion.
They said they’d honour his wish, as a respected council member but also because it honours the democratic process.
But the decision couldn’t officially be made at the meeting because the seat hasn’t been declared vacant, the clerk advised.
Instead, the intent of council will be recorded in the minutes from the discussion within the chairperson’s comments, and when the time comes she will provide a report on the options. An official motion can be brought forward at that time.
Deputy Mayor Voyer has been a resident of East Ferris all his life. He retired from a family business, Voyer General Store, in 2011 which has been in in the family since 1928.
He and his wife Lucille raised two boys, Mike Jr (wife Erika), (Mike passed away earlier this year) and Stephane (wife Audrey) and five beautiful grandchildren. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Vice President of the Senior Villa of East Ferris. He also serves on the Planning Advisory Committee, Fire Department Committee and the Public Works Committee.
Dave Dale is a Local Journalism Reporter with BayToday.ca. LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.
