Interview with Raymond Turenne, February 8, 2011

Partial Transcript: Uh, my name is Raymond George Turenne, T-U-R-E-N-N-E.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne discusses his childhood in Manitoba, his education in Jesuit boarding school, and some early jobs he held.

Keywords: Dairy farming; French Canadians; Jesuits; Manitoba (Province); Québec (Province)

Subjects: Arranged Marriage; Catholic schools; Priesthood--Catholic Church

Partial Transcript: Anyway, that's when I decided to join the Mounties, which wasn't a bad idea.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne discusses his training and duties with the Royal Canadian Mounties, which led him to the cities of Montréal and Québec.

Keywords: Customs; Montréal métropolitain (Québec); Police training; Québec (Québec)

Subjects: Law enforcement; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Tourism

Partial Transcript: Well after that I w--I joined--I was leaving the Mounties, and I was hooking up with, uh, uh, an insurance company, and, uh, their training was in Pittsburgh.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne remembers leaving the Mounties to work in Pittsburgh. He also recounts stories about policing Indian reservations and an injury he sustained from a tractor.

Keywords: Greyhound Bus Company; Insurance; Native Americans; Tractors

Subjects: Emigration and immigration; Indian reservations

Partial Transcript: You know, I know why your mom sent you to school when you were twelve, to boarding school.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne remembers his parents, both from his years in boarding school as well as from his time on the farm. He recalls other aspects of growing up on the dairy farm.

Keywords: Appliances; Dairy farm; Parents; Schools

Subjects: Boarding-school; Families; Farm life

Partial Transcript: You just wandered around hitchhiking, when you were little?!

Segment Synopsis: Turenne recalls times when he hitchhiked across Canada prior to joining the Mounties.

Keywords: Calgary (Alta.); Calgary Stampede; Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Subjects: Hitchhiking; Oil wells

Partial Transcript: So, um, okay, so when you married their mom--well, okay, tell me about that.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne and his daughters recall stories from his first marriage and the start of their family.

Keywords: Château Frontenac (Québec, Québec); Life insurance; Pittsburgh (Pa.); Québec (Québec)

Subjects: Divorce; Families; Marriage

Partial Transcript: Okay, we're here with Raymond Turenne, and it's February 8th.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne discusses his family history, from their emigration in Montréal to their settlement in Manitoba. He also tells stories of his grandparents and growing up on the dairy farm.

Keywords: Arranged marriages; Grandparents; Manitoba

Subjects: Childhood; Dairy farming; Emigration and immigration.; Families; Migration, ethnicity, nation

Partial Transcript: Okay, so, you were--then, you--tell me about going to school.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne discusses his Catholic boarding school, and stories of accidental injuries from his childhood.

Keywords: Census; Guardian angel; Latin philosophy; Truck accidents

Subjects: Accidents; Catholic schools

Partial Transcript: So then you joined the Mounted Police.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne recounts his time in the Royal Canadian Mounties, from his training through meeting his first wife in Québec City.

Keywords: Customs; Montréal (Québec); Québec (Québec); Regina (Sask.); Smuggling

Subjects: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Partial Transcript: So when you were a little boy, like your first memory of sitting on your grandpa's lap...

Segment Synopsis: Turenne tells a number of stories about growing up, his siblings, and starting his own family.

Keywords: Games; Road trips; Siblings

Subjects: Childhood; Family vacations

Partial Transcript: So tell--well, tell me some other stories about you guys growing up.

Segment Synopsis: Turenne recalls the first years of his family living in Kentucky and the several jobs he held there. He also discusses his divorce from his first wife.

Keywords: Gas stations; Insurance

Subjects: Careers; Divorce; Parenting

Partial Transcript: Alright, what else?

Segment Synopsis: Turenne concludes with a message of encouragement to his grandchildren, as well as a few more stories from his childhood and time with the Mounties.

Keywords: Altar boy; Catechism; French language; Sermons

Subjects: Catholic Church; Faith; Royal Canadian Mountain Police