Léo Malette (third from right) is surrounded by (left to right) Chief Superintendent for the Northeast OPP region, Mike Pilon, son Gerry, daughter Linda, wife Rollande, WN Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon and municipal CAO Jay Barbeau in the newly minted Léo Malette Community Boardroom at the OPP West Nipissing Detachment building. 
OPP Inspector Natalie Rifou, Detachment Commander, presents gifts to honoree Léo Malette. Rifou was part of the WN municipal police service and integrated the OPP when the force took over policing in the community. Malette was proud to see her promoted to Commander of the local detachment in a full circle moment. 
The plaque in honour of Léo Malette, designed by Field artist Howard Longfellow.
Cache Bay politician and former OPP member lauded for contributions
Isabel Mosseler
Tribune
On March 19th, one day before Léo Malette’s 80th birthday, the former Mayor of Cache Bay and Deputy Mayor of West Nipissing was honoured with having the Community Boardroom at the Nipissing West OPP detachment named after him. The boardroom was full of family for the event – wife Rollande and children Linda and Gerry, his brother Richard – old police friends (retired and active), OPP dignitaries, Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon and councillors, and municipal staff.
Léo Malette was, by admission, a bit overwhelmed by the honour and the words spoken of his time in community service. Interestingly, the words chosen did not focus so much on his career, but on his character – his humility, kindness and friendliness, his humour and pranks, his being known as ‘Uncle Léo’ to so many, his general benevolence to all in his path. Malette was not only honoured with the naming and a commemorative plaque, he also received a service medal from the OPP, presented by Superintendent Mike Pilon and Inspector Natalie Rifou, Detachment Commander.
During his time in office, both as mayor of Cache Bay and on the council of West Nipissing, Léo Malette was normally acclaimed. He was so well respected, no one would run against him. He worked at the OPP station which used to be where the Comfort Inn now stands. “I was taking care of the building and the vehicles,” he described humbly. But he did much more than that, according to those contemporaries in the room. He kept up morale, played practical jokes, and made things work on a day-to-day basis. He was with the OPP for 28 years.
When he was on the West Nipissing council and took over proceedings as Deputy Mayor, the meetings were noted for smooth process; he didn’t waste words, didn’t repeat himself, council meetings proceeded in a timely and friendly manner, and business was accomplished quickly and effectively. He didn’t try to impress anyone, was succinct in his approach, expressed himself once and that was it. “You have to get to the point. And if you say something, and the other councillor would say the same thing, it’s the same thing! So, I mean, you don’t have to repeat the whole thing. You just say, I agree, right?”
The event was MC’d by municipal CAO Jay Barbeau. It was restricted to invitation only because, as Barbeau noted, “It would be pretty much every councillor, everybody that you’ve touched upon, and we’d need to build a football stadium for you.” Also in attendance were former superintendents Mike Maville, Fern Labelle, and Jeff Dagg from the OPP Veterans Association. Barbeau noted that Léo Malette was born and raised in Cache Bay and provided public service for over 40 years. “Léo’s first term on council in Cache Bay was in 1972 (…) He served three consecutive terms as councillor. He stepped away for a term to commit more time to his family. In ‘85 he returned and was elected as councillor for a term, and then two successive terms as mayor for the town of Cache Bay. The municipality of West Nipissing was created in 1999, and this is where we come in. In 2003 Leo was elected, in 2003 up until his retirement from politics, the last term in 2022.”
Léo served in a variety of capacities, Deputy Mayor, Chair of the boards for Au Château, WN General Hospital, and is still on the Non-Profit Housing Board. “He’s doing work in volunteer initiatives with the food bank, along with his wife, so he’s a real role model for all of us and for the community to follow (…), somebody who’s given his entire life to service, and so for that we thank you,” stated Barbeau.
Barbeau noted that originally the wish was to have the entire building named after Léo Malette, but that is contrary to OPP policy – in order to prevent confusion. However, the Community Room will remain a lasting tribute. “That’s what Leo is all about. Leo is all about community. Leo is all about bringing people together.” Barbeau noted that it’s highly unusual for politicians to be so well liked. “To be universally loved and respected at the end of your career [the same as when] you are starting it, that just speaks volumes.”
Chief Superintendent for the Northeast OPP region, Mike Pilon, shared similar accolades. “This is a really special occasion, even more special from my perspective because I have a long history with the Malette family. My father started his policing career at Sturgeon Falls in 1973. (…) Lots of fond memories in my youth of Uncle Leo, always quick with a smile, always quick with a joke, and I think a prolific practical joker as well around the office. Lots of great stories there (…). Léo was part of the OPP for a very long time.”
He noted that Malette was also one of the people instrumental in re-establishing the OPP in the area, with the absorption of the former West Nipissing Police Service, “a fine police service.” He added, “Léo was really renowned for, and probably could have wrote a book on de-escalation with anybody. He’s been recognized in the past as an OPP employee with bringing some people to justice, identifying some wanted felons out there, and really sort of spearheading a lot of those arrests back in the day, just because he knew everybody around him. And when there was a community issue, officers routinely gravitated to him for advice on how to deal with specific individuals throughout the 28 years that he was part of the OPP (…) On a more important note, they gravitated to him and his family for advice outside of policing, which was significant, right? Leo was always tied into all of the organizational events throughout his career in the OPP, not only in the community, but just within the detachment office to boost that morale and that camaraderie.”
Finally, Mike Pilon said he was, “very, very proud to have this room and be a part of this ceremony so that we can immortalize your name on this community boardroom, but also to just pass along your legacy to the new incoming officers so that they know exactly who you are, what you stand for, and your contribution to Cache Bay, to West Nipissing.”
