He’s been Saint John’s cultural affairs officer for 31 years, but he officially retires on Monday.
Bernard Cormier is well known in the Port City for his role with the city but also as a magician and the master of ceremonies every year at the Remembrance Day ceremony at Harbour Station.
We asked him what he will miss most about his job, and he tells us he’ll miss the individual experience of meeting so many people.
“I think I’ve probably met close to 1,000 artists, probably even more than that in the 31 years, because I’ve organized so many exhibitions,” says Cormier. “I’ve organized over 500 exhibitions both at the library and at the Saint John Arts Centre.”
Cormier kept many Saint Johners up to date on local events through the Cyber Events Calendar in an email blast to thousands, which has been modernized in recent years to become tweets and Facebook posts.
“At one point, I had over 4,900 subscribers,” he says, “but then difficulties came along because being a municipality and more security with computers, it would no longer allow me to send out 4,900 all at once.”
Cormier says he doesn’t take social media too seriously and enjoys getting a laugh through his Pun of the Day posts and already knows what he will post daily next year.
“I think next year I’m going to do a Prominent New Brunswicker of the Day from the Past,” he says.