Joseph Mery Arthur, Canada's oldest man, turns 110 in Montréal
Born in Haiti and living here 55 years, Arthur credits moderation and keeping his mind sharp — crosswords, books, cognac — to his longevity.
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Joseph Mery Arthur turned 110 years old on Tuesday, officially making him Canada's oldest reported man.
Born in Saint-Marc, Haiti in 1916, Arthur moved to Montréal 55 years ago with his 10 children following a few years later. He now has 25 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Arthur credits a simple philosophy to his long life: "The secret is to be wise in life. Do everything in moderation." His great-granddaughter Olivia-Rose Simmons offers a slightly different take — she says his habit of reading books, doing crosswords, and drinking cognac keeps his mind sharp.
Still able to walk on his own, Arthur remains intellectually active, though reading has become harder. His son Harold says his father's lifelong passion for sports strategy — particularly baseball and tennis — has kept him engaged. "He's always been an amazing person," Harold said. "He didn't count hours of sacrifices just to make sure that his family was well taken care of."
Arthur worked as a public servant in Haiti before immigrating. In Montréal, he worked at a bakery and later at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel before retiring. Over the years, he became deeply involved in the Haitian community through various organizations. His family is throwing him a private barbecue celebration this weekend.
