This is what I discovered about putting on a historically accurate, 18th-century British officer’s uniform and standing on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City pretending I was General James Wolfe: I might have looked like an overgrown lunatic playing dress-up, but when I actually slipped the coat and hat on, it felt surprisingly grave. It made me want to be serious.

Globe and Mail feature writer Ian Brown came to spend a couple of days in Quebec city to know more about the Plains of Abraham, the canceled re-enactment, and the various groups who battled for this cancellation.

Taking an Ontarian journalist, dressing him up as a British soldier for a photo shoot on the Plains of Abraham on St-Jean-Baptist day (Quebec National Day)…. That was daring, but fun!

Globe’s article on the web includes a very neat audi slide-show with many of my photos.

harry04.jpg
Globe reporter Ian Brown, dressed as a British soldier, takes note as he speak with reanactor Harry Hunkin on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City June 23, 2009. Photo Francis Vachon for the Globe and Mail

Ian Brown
Globe reporter Ian Brown, dressed as a British soldier, poses on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City June 23, 2009.

RRQ
A police officer blocks RRQ (Reseau de resistance de Quebec – Quebec Resistance network) protesters from approaching a small group of counter-protesters on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec city July 1, 2009. The RRQ held their annual protest against Canada in front of Wolfe’s monument. Photo Francis Vachon for the Globe and Mail.

Wolfe
A Quebec and a « patriot » flag fly in front of Wolfe’s monument on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec city

RRQ Patrick Bourgeois
RRQ (Reseau de resistance de Quebec – Quebec Resistance network) leader Patrick Bourgeois gestures as he speaks during a protest in front of Wolfe’s monument on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec city

Greenpeace protest
Two Greenpeace activists, one hiding behind a sign, are seen chained to the Ministry of Natural Resources in Quebec city July 27, 2009. 6 activists chained themselves to the building and two of them setup a huge banner early morning to disrupt regular business in protest against the destruction of Quebec’s intact forests. Photo Francis Vachon/THE GAZETTE

Greenpeace protest
A Greenpeace activists shouts as she passively resists to her arrest at the Ministry of Natural Resources in Quebec city July 27, 2009.

victhom-human-bionics-05.jpg
Guy Brousseau poses for visual journalists with his bionic knee during a Victhom Human Bionics shareholder meeting in Quebec City June 16, 2009. The prosthesis is rated as one of the most technologically advanced yet and has already been tested on an Iraq war veteran in the U.S. Francis Vachon/THE GAZETTE

FRAPRU protest

François Saillant
FRAPRU coordinator Francois Saillant gestures as he takes part in an anti-poverty protest in front of the Congress Center in Quebec city June 15, 2009. The FRAPRU, FRont d’Action Populaire en Reamenagement Urbain, was created in 1978 to fight for poor people and the cration of social housing.

FRAPRU protest
Chantal Potvin takes part into an anti-poverty protest in front of the Congress Center in Quebec city June 15, 2009.


Copyright © 2023 Francis Vachon.