by Slt Isabelle Provost

On May 4th 2014, 35 RGC was granted the freedom of the city by the Beaupré Mayor, Mr. Michel Paré.

The ceremony took place at the Beaupré city hall where the CO 35 RGC, LCol Yvan Martineau, was escorted to the city hall’s main entrance by the local police to request the Freedom of city to the Beaupré Mayor.

Prior to granting Freedom of the city, the Mayor, Mr. Michel Paré and CO 35 RGC conducted an inspection of the troops. Once official documents were signed, 35 RGC exerted the freedom of the city by parading their colors with fixed bayonets from the Beaupré City Hall to Notre-Dame-du-Saint-Rosaire Church.

Following the parade, 35 RGC exposed some of the typical engineer equipment to familiarize the citizens of Beaupré to 35 RGC and Royal Canadian Engineers. The city council then held a reception were members of 35 RGC were able to exchange with citizens of Beaupré. Freedom of the City is a tradition which first took place in the 15th century in ancient Rome. Upon having judged the military unit being of good faith, the city would allow the military unit the right to parade within the city boundaries with beating drums, flying their colors and with fixed bayonets. The tradition is now used as a symbol of affiliation of a city with a military unit.