Gervais donation deemed largest ever for National Assembly

The Mount Pleasant Avenue resident began collecting items related to Canada's major historical and political events more than 40 years ago. His gift has been acknowledged as the largest known donation of such material to the National Assembly.

At the time of his decision last year to break up his vast collection, Gervais's documents, photographs and other items were said to form the largest private collection of political and historical artifacts in Canada.

"There's some military and some religious, but it's related mainly to history," he told the Examiner.

Over time, Gervais has also given some of his collection to the Governor General's residence in Ottawa, Rideau Hall, as well as to the Citadel, which is the Governor General's residence in Quebec City, and the McCord Museum in Montreal.

When administrators of the National Assembly learned recently they were being handed a museology mandate, they decided to solicit Gervais, who had acquired a reputation not only as an avid collector, but also as a political advisor and a public relations specialist.

Gervais began his career as an aide to former prime minister Lester Pearson, worked on Pierre Elliott Trudeau's initial Liberal leadership campaign, and later worked as an assistant to Liberal foreign affairs minister Mitchell Sharp. After a public relations stint with Imperial Oil, he founded his own firm, GGA Communications, whose clients have included the City of Westmount.

Gervais started his habit of collecting political and historical memorabilia at about the same time he began work for Trudeau, Jean Marchand, and other members of the Liberal government.

"I asked everybody for pictures," he said.

Gervais had also known former Liberal prime minister Louis Saint-Laurent while a student at Loyola College.

"I briefly courted his granddaughter," he said. "I had met Mr. Saint-Laurent. He was retired and he liked me a lot."

While a student at Laval University, Gervais also met Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Lesage, who ushered in the province's 'Quiet Revolution.'

"I was very interested in politics from the start. And so they gave me autographed pictures, and then I began collecting more, and then I began asking political photographers or journalists who were friends to sell me some or give me some. Then with time, I began roaming all the antique shops in the Ottawa area, because I lived there for seven years, and after that I did the whole country."

As secretary for two years to a federal committee examining changes to Canada's constitution, Gervais traveled to all the country's major centres, where he was able to explore the pawn shops, antique shops, as well as private and estate sales.

In the end, he amassed a vast collection of artifacts that eventually included not only photos of political events and a wide range of political posters, but also busts made of bronze and plaster depicting politicians, and medals and medallions issued by provincial lieutenant-governors and the country's governors-general.

"After every election, I would hire students to remove from the poles these large posters, as was required by law," says Gervais, explaining how his function as an election organizer served him as a poster collector.

Municipal politics haven't been overlooked. "I've got things going back to Jean Drapeau, Camillien Houde," he said. They were among the artifacts given to the National Assembly, which plans eventually to show them and other items on the Internet.