OUR HISTORY
The Société généalogique du Nord-Ouest (SGNO) was founded in 1990 and incorporated in 1991.
The organization's head office was established in Edmonton. At first, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate granted an 18-month lease in the former premises of the newspaper Le Franco located at the corners of 109th Street and 100th Avenue in Edmonton. The lease was signed by the interim president Mr. Normand Lefaivre and the chaplain Father Maurice Beauregard (OMI). The Oblates subsidized this rental on 109th Street at 75% the entire time the SGNO was there.
Throughout 1990, Mrs. Georgette Brodeur brought together up to 80 interested people at the Provincial Museum.
A small group then met in October, November and December of 1990 (Guy Lacombe, Father Maurice Beauregard, Normand Lefaivre, Marie Beaupré, Pauline Vaugeois, Georgette and Lévis Brodeur, Lucienne Brisson, Hilaire Fortier). They decided to take the charter and title "Société généalogique du Nord-Ouest".
An interim council was appointed in January 1991: Normand Lefaivre (president), Pauline Vaugeois, Georgette Brodeur, Guy Lacombe, Marie Beaupré, Father Maurice Beauregard and Hilaire Fortier.
Statutes and regulations were established. The charter of incorporation was accepted by the government on January 31, 1991.
Many early members donated money and books. At the general meeting of November 27, 1991, the following were elected: Hilaire Fortier, president, term of 3 years, Georgette Brodeur, vice-president, 2 years, Father Maurice Beauregard treasurer, 3 years, Pauline Vaugeois and Marie Beaupré, councilors, 1 year. Normand Lefaivre was appointed secretary.
Note that the length of terms was decided at the first board meeting on January 7, 1992, and positions were voted on by the new board also at that first meeting.
25TH ANNIVERSARY
On October 22, 2016, the SGNO celebrated its 25th anniversary. In recognition, a bilingual souvenir album with 60 pages of captivating stories was printed:
