Pearson family visits exhibit showing off memories made in the north by former PM

Showing off the northern connections of a former prime minister Family members of former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson visit village of Kagawong to see an exhibit about their loved one. Claude Sharma reports.

A special site to see in Kagawong, it's easy to get lost in the beauty of Bridal Veil Falls.

Another place to visit is the Old Mill Heritage Centre Museum.

A group of tourists from Toronto on hand on Wednesday are special guests. They are the grandchildren of former Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson.

He was a member of parliament in the Manitoulin riding of Algoma East for 20 years.

A new exhibit at the museum brings back fond memories for the family members of the country's 14th prime minister.

"He was very, very attentive to us, so I remember the sound of his voice and feeling of his hands," said Patricia Pearson, PM Pearson's granddaughter.

"He used to take his glass eye out because he had eye cancer and he would roll it around like a marble on the floor."

Replicas at the exhibit includes: a Nobel Peace Prize., the Order of Canada, campaign signs and of course the Canadian flag. Pearson is known as the father of the country's flag.

Barbara Hannah is happy to add to the collection.

She was given a signed poster from John Lennon that says 'war is over' by her grandfather.

"My grandfather came to dinner with us that night. I was 12. He handed it over to me and said 'I got this from John Lennon on the plane tonight - do you want it?'"

Austin Hunt, a mayor for over 40 years of the Township of Billings fondly recalls his time working with Pearson; the MP and the PM.

"It was part of my early life, and it is part of the community's life, so it's most interesting," Hunt said.

The exhibit will be on display until October.

"The artifacts were transported up here from Ottawa," said Dianne Fraser, a Billings Township Museum committee member.

"They had to be specially curated. They also sent two conservators up here to unpack them."

Each year Kagawong hosts a special history day. On Thursday, it's about Lester B. Pearson.

One of his granddaughters will be making two presentations. She wants to share stories about her grandfather and hopes to hear some from people here as well.

The presentations take place on Thursday at the park centre at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.