Cantley's 1889 Articles in The Echo of Cantley
Cantley 1889’s volunteers have written more than 150 monthly articles of local historical interest for publication in The Echo of Cantley, a non-profit bilingual organization that produces Cantley's only community newspaper.
The following article is reprinted here with permission from in The Echo of Cantley, Volume 37 no 4, October 2025.
Mayor Gabriel J. Maloney
Just in time for the upcoming election, we thought you would enjoy reading about one of Cantley’s most popular mayors ...
Mary Holmes
Gabriel Maloney and his two sisters, Margaret and Alice, were the only children of Agnes Burke and James Maloney who survived to adulthood. James, a well-known cattle dealer in the Outaouais, made a “host of friends during his dealings” in his business endeavours according to his 1938 obituary. The same can be said of his son Gabriel, known as “Gabe” to family, friends, and the community. Like his father, Gabe was a life-long Cantley resident. He married Eva Holmes from Wilson’s Corners in 1932. Together they raised four sons and a daughter.
Elections for East Hull took place in May every year. Terms for the mayor and each of the six councillors were two years. The mayor and three councillors were elected for a two-year term, and the other three councillors were elected the next year for two years. This ensured some continuity on council. East Hull consisted of a large territory, including Cantley, bounded by Townline Road in the north at Wilson’s Corners, the Gatineau River on the west, Templeton on the east and Pointe Gatineau on the south.
Mayor Maloney served four and a half terms as mayor. In 1947, Gabe was elected mayor garnering 137 votes over his opponent Martin Homes’s 104 votes. He was acclaimed as mayor in 1949. In 1951, he squeaked to victory with 146 votes to Oscar Malette’s 143 votes. In 1952 Maloney resigned for medical reasons on doctor’s orders but in 1955 made a comeback with 185 votes over Alfred Hogan’s 155 votes. He ran and lost in 1957 to Aldѐge Godmaire, former South Hull police chief and district game warden. His last victory came in 1959 with 316 votes against Godmaire’s 279.
Mayor Maloney served his community well, dealing with his constituents’ concerns. Outreach and cooperation were also important aspects of the job. One of our few remaining old-timers remembers Gabe as a man who did a lot of good behind the scenes, both in his private and in his public life.
Desjardins Bridge, September 1950
The newly reconstructed bridge of reinforced concrete, located midway between Collège Saint-Alexandre and Pointe Gatineau on Highway 307, was named after Gérard Desjardins, member of Quebec National Assembly for the County of Gatineau. It was blessed on September 24, 1950, by Fr. Antonio Massé, C.S.Sp. from Saint Alexander parish and inaugurated by Mr. Desjardins. Mayor Maloney spoke at the opening as well as Lionel Mougeot, representative of Roméo Lorrain, Minister of Public Works, Alexandre Taché, president of the National Assembly and member for Hull, Russell Williams, mayor of St. Rose de Lima, Milton Freiman, mayor of West Hull, and Alexandre Saint-Jacques and Joseph Patry, organizers for the Union National Party. A high-powered group in its day.
Hull Metropolitan Commission, October 1955
Mayor Maloney (second from right) met with three mayors of the other Hull counties: Arthur Sincennes (Ste. Cecile de Masham), Thomas Moncion, (Hull) and Eddy Quipp (West Hull). Together they formed the Hull Metropolitan Commission to deal with all problems touching villages, towns and municipalities of the Hull area.
Roads, November 1959
Mayor Maloney (second from right) met with three mayors of the other Hull counties: Arthur Sincennes (Ste. Cecile de Masham), Thomas Moncion, (Hull) and Eddy Quipp (West Hull). Together they formed the Hull Metropolitan Commission to deal with all problems touching villages, towns and municipalities of the Hull area.
A meeting of the Gatineau South Winter Roads Association elected an executive for the following year and adopted plans for the snowplowing, sanding and salting of roads in the lower Gatineau for the coming winter. This Association comprised the mayors of the lower Gatineau municipalities, including Mayor Maloney, who was elected as a director. The Provincial Roads Department announced that the subsidy for winter maintenance on municipal roads would be increased from $100 per mile to $175. One of a mayor’s responsibilities was to declare the period of “light loads” during the spring thaw.
Cantley’s Political Timeline
(source: The History of Cantley, R.A.J. Phillips, pages 31 to 38) By Margaret Phillips
1855 - 1889 – Township of Hull included Hull, Cantley, Chelsea and their large surrounding territories.
September 2, 1889 – Municipal Corporation of East Hull incorporated to achieve self-government, thanks to Cantley’s Robert Kerr and Thomas Barrett and others.
Its boundaries (similar to, but larger than, today’s Cantley – 70 square miles, 95% rural): west: the Gatineau River; east Templeton; north Wilson’s Corners; south: he former railway bridge (today’s Rapibus Corridor).
The Cantley name continued to be used throughout its municipal history, from before 1857 when its first post office was established.
October 16, 1889, Cantley’s !rst election – Alexandre Prudhomme, Cantley’s first mayor
1971 – Cantley became part of Ville de Touraine
1975 – Touraine and six other communities were amalgamated to form the City of Gatineau
1983 “Rural Residents’ Committee of Cantley” founded by volunteers to restore Cantley’s independence and rural identity. 1987 – “phantom” mayor and councillors were elected
January 1, 1989 – Cantley officially separated from Gatineau regaining its independence.
March 19, 1989 – Bernard Bouthillette elected mayor
For more information about Cantley’s municipal history and mayors: Cantley’s Municipal History to 1989
