Celebrating our people is more important than one might think, especially in a time when good news feels rare. Recently, TALQ — the provincial advocacy group for organizations supporting anglophone services — honoured 30 people who make a difference in their communities and who contribute in meaningful, often under-recognized ways.
The occasion marked the organization’s 30th anniversary. A call for nominations went out in late summer, encouraging residents across Quebec to highlight the unsung champions who strengthen their regions. Several nominees came from the Pontiac, with one ultimately selected as a recipient: David Gillespie of Allumette Island. Mr. Gillespie is a changemaker on many fronts.
A dedicated farmer, he has deep roots in his community and brings that commitment to every role he takes on. He also helped pull the Regional Association of West Quebecers into shape during his time as president, serving until this year. In local media, he chairs the board at CHIP FM, helping ensure the station continues offering quality local news and remains a trusted voice on the airwaves.
What stands out in Gillespie’s win goes beyond his résumé or even his leadership style. He is one of thirty exceptional individuals — a phrase used by Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Steven Guilbeault — honoured at a moment when the public conversation can feel overwhelmingly negative. Recognizing the people who work quietly, consistently and passionately to improve life around them serves as a reminder that progress does not only happen in policy rooms or board meetings. It happens in fields, in small offices, in community halls and local newsrooms.
How often do we celebrate people this way? Much more rarely than we should. Consider the Pontiac Journal’s Readers’ Choice Awards, another celebration of local leadership. The awards night this year was a vibrant, high-energy event dedicated to shining a light on those who make a difference in our towns and villages. The cheers for the people who keep our communities thriving simply cannot be captured in words.
Across Pontiac, the Outaouais, Quebec and Canada, countless individuals are quietly shaping the places we call home. This is why evenings of recognition — like TALQ’s 30th anniversary celebration on November 13 — matter. Even Quebec Premier François Legault offered words acknowledging the importance of these changemakers, noting that Quebec is fortunate to have over 1.3 million anglophones contributing to the province’s vitality.
Everyone at the Journal echoes that gratitude. To the neighbours who drive patients to medical appointments, to those who volunteer countless hours for community groups, and to the David Gillespies of this world who take bold action to make big changes —
thank you.
