Maritimer of the Month: 'Mayor of Bateson, N.S.,' receives his due
In the seaside community of Bateston, N.S., the Bates families have left their mark for over 200 years, especially Pat Bates.
"It's all community, eh. That's what she's all about," said Bates, the lifelong resident.
Bates will be turning 80-years-old this month and throughout his life, he’s built a reputation in the community as someone who gets things done.
He's an outgoing guy who is often shaking hands and kissing babies.
"He is the forever Mayor of Bateston," said Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Amanda McDougall.
McDougall grew up down the road in Main-A-Dieu, N.S., She says when she's home, she has no problem deferring to Bates’s leadership.
"He's the guy," McDougall said. "He makes sure our community is happy and safe and as I said, makes sure everybody has a good time while doing it."
After a devasting fire occurred in the community 45-years-ago, Bates founded the Bateson Volunteer Fire Department, and remains a serving member.
"In June of 1976, there was a fire that started in Bateston and went through the communities of Bateston and Main-A-Dieu. Burnt several homes, burnt the church," said Kelly Bates, the fire chief, who isn’t directly related to Pat Bates. "And he's still there today. At the meetings, he'll brag about how many members we have. We have 29 active members."
Bates has been treasurer at the Bateston Athletics and Seniors Club for 53 years. In fact, he helped spearhead the building’s construction.
"It started in the basement of my house, me and my wife," Bates said. "We had four little kids, but that's how it got here. And everybody would be cutting logs, and we got this beautiful building here."
Recently, Bates walked the streets and picked up litter because the Nova Scotia’s Lieutenant-Governor was coming to town.
"Well, I wanted the community to look good for the visitors," he explained. "I was there eight in the morning with the garbage bag."
What did Bates think about Mayor McDougall referring to him as 'the mayor'?
"The real mayor is in Sydney. She's got all the problems," he said.
Bates is not only a community favourite, but also the CTV Atlantic's Maritimer of the Month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.