Charismatic entrepreneur Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien was ‘Mayor of the Fair’ at Expo 67

Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien was known as the “Mayor of the Fair” at Expo 67, the hugely successful world’s fair held in Montreal in 1967 to celebrate Canada’s 100th birthday. Mr. Beaubien, who died at his home in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains on April 9 at the age of 97, was lured away from his entrepreneurial life at 35 to become the event’s director of operations.When he started, it wasn’t certain that Expo 67 would be ready on time. There were federal politicians who weren’t keen on it, including Walter Gordon, finance minister in Lester Pearson’s cabinet. Even Mr. Beaubien’s own father predicted the fair would never open.