Canada's oldest reported man turns 110 in Montreal

Joseph Mery Arthur reached a milestone few ever will when he turned 110 Tuesday, officially making him Canada's oldest reported man.

Born in Saint-Marc, Haiti in 1916, Joseph moved to Montreal 55 years ago with his 10 children following a few years later. Today, he has 25 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

His great-granddaughter Olivia-Rose Simmons believes her great-grandfather's secret to a long life is keeping his mind sharp through multiple channels. "He drinks cognac, he reads books, he does crosswords. That's what you have to do in life," she said.

Joseph's own philosophy is simpler: "The secret is to be wise in life. Do everything in moderation." Still able to walk on his own, he continues to read despite eyesight challenges. His son Harold credits Joseph's love of sports and game strategy — particularly baseball and tennis — as remarkable for his age. "He's always been an amazing person," Harold said. "We talk about wisdom and to not live in excess and that's the kind of life that he lived."

Joseph worked as a public servant in Haiti before immigrating to Canada, where 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 will celebrate his birthday with a private barbecue over the weekend.