Campbellton Mayor Michel Soucy passed away suddenly on Saturday, as confirmed by his family in a social media announcement. Soucy, aged 75, assumed the mayoral position following the recent municipal elections. His family expressed pride in his numerous achievements and unwavering dedication to the local community.
While this marked Soucy’s inaugural term as Campbellton’s mayor, Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault highlighted Soucy’s extensive 20-year background in municipal politics, including a previous tenure as Atholville’s mayor before administrative restructuring. Deschênes-Thériault, the MP for Madawaska-Restigouche, emphasized the significant loss felt by the community due to Soucy’s sudden passing.
Deschênes-Thériault reflected on Soucy’s profound community involvement, noting his relentless efforts to enhance the quality of life in Campbellton. He underscored Soucy’s selfless dedication to community welfare, citing Soucy’s active roles in municipal affairs, the chamber of commerce, and as a representative of Acadians. Deschênes-Thériault also mentioned Soucy’s voluntary support during his own campaign activities.
Recalling their recent interactions, Deschênes-Thériault mentioned being with Soucy at a local event just the night before, where Soucy delivered a speech expressing his pride in the community. The news of Soucy’s sudden demise came as a profound shock to him, given their shared discussions on future projects for Campbellton.
Campbellton Deputy Mayor Mathieu Perron fondly recollected Soucy’s ubiquitous presence in the community, describing him as more than a mere figurehead but as someone genuinely dedicated to effecting positive change. Perron, a first-time councillor mentored by Soucy, expressed his aspiration to continue caring for the community in a manner akin to Soucy’s approach.
Following Soucy’s unexpected passing, Perron will temporarily assume the mayoral responsibilities until a by-election is conducted. Perron indicated that the council will convene to deliberate on future proceedings. The family’s social media announcement noted that Soucy succumbed to a heart attack.