Fort William Elder celebrates 80th birthday
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Fort William Elder Marlene Pierre was recently celebrated and roasted by a group of leaders and friends on the eve of her 80th birthday at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay.
“I’ve known Marlene since I was a kid and her and my mother were really good friends and spent time working together at the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) advancing Indigenous women’s issues,” says Fort William Chief Michele Solomon. “And then I got a little older and I was involved with ONWA, so Marlene is someone I’ve always looked up to and I learned so much about leadership from her — she really paved the way for women coming behind her, she really knocked down a lot of doors, knocked down a lot of barriers.”
Solomon adds that Pierre was referred to as an advocate and demanding justice during the celebration and roast.
“Certainly that is the story of Marlene’s life,” Solomon says. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from her as a young woman myself, to learn about leadership. Her family was really good to my family, too, so I will always remember how her family has treated my family, her brother, and her mother. It’s really wonderful to celebrate and acknowledge her special day.”
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu says3 it was wonderful to be at the celebration and roast for Pierre, noting that she is a trail blazer.
“You heard about how her work helped ensure that the Canadian Charter had the equality clause, but importantly here in our region she was the founder along with others for the Ontario Native Women’s Association and one of the beginning members of the Indigenous Friendship Centre,” Hajdu says. “So these kind of institutions are so important to the fabric of our community. The last thing I will say is she has always insisted that we all can all do something to make this world a better place, and she repeated that again tonight so it was really wonderful to hear from her.”
Jeordi Pierre, Marlene’s son, says it was great to have people gather for her celebration of life.
“I’m just happy that all of her friends and people from back in the day when the Friendship Centre was just starting, all her old friends were around and we had some dignitaries,” Jeordi says. “I got a tattoo on my arm, a picture of her, I just want her to always be with me, and if you noticed the tattoo, she’s looking where I’m looking too so it’s actually pretty cool, I like it.”
Pierre says the celebration and roast was totally amazing, noting that she had never attended a celebration like it before.
“And to have a roast and people saying things about you, that was cool, I liked that because it was funny, it was real,” Pierre says. “It was a really honourable time for me.”
Pierre says she loves the tattoo that Jeordi has on his arm.
“I just love it, I think that is one of the most beautiful things that has come into my life,” Pierre says. “It was amazing too how well it was done, I want to go see it some more.”
The celebration and roast was co-hosted by Beverly Sabourin and Peter Globensky with a land acknowledgement by Fort William Elder Rita Fenton, a prayer by Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg Elder Sara Sabourin, emceeing by Dave Wesley, remarks by Beverly, Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff, Hajdu, and Jeordi and roasting by Leonard Dick (Moccasin Joe), Mary Alice Smith, Globensky, and Wesley.