Madam Speaker, this year the Soucy farm in Saint-Basile will be celebrating its 225th anniversary.
This farm was established in Saint-Basile in 1784 before the parish was officially founded. The Soucy farm is the only ancestral farm in northern New Brunswick. In other words, it is the only farm that has stayed in the same family since it was founded.
Paul-Émile Soucy, the current owner, is the seventh of his line to run the family farm. Before him, the farm was run by his father Conrad and his grandfather Léonide. Today, Paul-Émile Soucy raises sheep and rotates crops between potatoes and grains, in addition to owning wood lots and thus being involved in the forestry and maple syrup industries.
I want to congratulate Paul-Émile Soucy on his fine operation of the farm, which is an integral part of the historic and cultural heritage of Saint-Basile. The Soucy family, and the Madawaska community have reason to be proud.
Congratulations to the Soucy family on its 225 years of dedication and success.