"QUEBEC'S ICE STORM OF THE CENTURY"

Jest to get this morning's ball rolling...

MARCH 4, 1971

Today marks the anniversary of

"QUEBEC'S ICE STORM OF THE CENTURY".

Well at least that's what all the Newspaper headlines screamed.

No ordinary North of the 49th Parallel storm that was: 50cm (1.6 ft) of snow,
combined with gale force winds leaving Quebeckers in the dark without
either heat or electricity for weeks in some areas.
That's when you find out who your friends are.

Not everyone owns a home size power generator, and those that were
lucky enough not to have one to mushed their Huskies and sleds to
their local Home Depot, raided every generator they could find.

I said: There's nothing like candlelight to warm the cockles of
one's heart. Creates a nice warm glow and maybe even some foolin'
around time under mounds of blankies and duvets.

I don't know anything about heart-less-ness, so I got in touch with
just about every organization that was calling for help for people
who needed a warm place to stay and maybe a cuppa. Turned the
house into an army-style barracks with a bunch of strangers
wandering around amidst the antiques. Translate: me, antique.
Yes, yes, obviously we own a generator.

Those of us who remember March 4, 1971 have not only wonderful
memories and stories to tell, but fondly recall how our American
neighbours just to the south of the Border sent a small army of
their own firefighters, telephone linesmen, emergency technicians
in all sorts of fields and generally behaved as good neighbours do.
It's what's refered to as "paying it forward". Canadians and Americans
on border Provinces and States often work together on disasters
of all kinds.

International Cooperation is alive and well.

Those were the day's my friends.