Antoine Simon Maillard

Abbé Pierre Antoine Simon Maillard (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ majaʁ]; c. 1710 – 12 August 1762) was a French-born priest. He is noted for his contributions to the creation of a writing system for the Mi'kmaq people of Île Royale, New France (now Cape Breton Island, Canada). He is also credited with helping negotiate a peace treaty between the British and the Mi'kmaq that resulted in the Burying the Hatchet ceremony (Nova Scotia). He was the first Catholic priest in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is buried in the St. Peter's Cemetery, in Downtown Halifax.

Early life and career

Maillard was born in the diocese of Chartres, France, around 1710. He received his ecclesiastical training at the Séminaire de Saint-Esprit, in Paris. In 1734, the Abbé de L'Isle-Dieu selected Maillard in a group of seminarists lent to the Séminaire des Missions Étrangeres, which was short of personnel. After eight months in that institution, Maillard was selected in 1735 for the Mi'kmaq missions on Île Royale (now Cape Breton Island). His recommendation letter stated that "he is a young priest who has greatly edified us....full of zeal and piety."

Maillard arrived at Fortress Louisbourg on the ship Rubis on 13 August 1735. He worked extensively with the Mi'kmaq people. He became a witness to and eventually a reluctant participant in the ongoing struggles between the French and the British forces for control of the area.

Maillard quickly immersed himself in learning and becoming proficient in the language of the natives. He also devoted himself to missionary work by visiting all the settlements on Île Royale, Île Saint-Jean (now called Prince Edward Island) and English Acadia (now called Nova Scotia). He pleaded for additional assistance from his French superiors, who responded by sending Jean-Louis Le Loutre. The two worked together on developing the written language.