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January 1, 2014

Members of Petrolia Town Council greeted residents at Victoria Hall on New Year’s Day in the age old tradition of a levee. The idea stems back to the 18th Century during the reign of King Louis XIV.

The custom was brought to Canada by the Royal Governor of New France. He would sit on his doorstep at his Quebec home on New Year’s Day to greet citizen and usher in the New Year.

Today, levees are usually open houses held traditionally in the afternoon. The idea behind the levee is still to show government’s role of public service with good cheer on New Year’s Day.

Here, Mayor John McCharles and resident Sylvia Fairbank chat during the afternoon event.

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