Discreetly, without making any noise, Bernard Descôteaux left us. While still a young journalist, he covered the work of the National Assembly for a while, and I had to answer his questions from time to time, as a deputy and as a minister. Always precise, very calm, rigorous. His writings always clearly translated the comments received in interviews or press conferences.
His reputation as a journalist was built year after year, with consistency and seriousness, until his appointment as editor of the newspaper. The duty, a position he had never coveted. He had already been in the house for so many years: journalist, columnist, editorialist. To my great surprise, he then offered me the presidency of the board of directors, and we worked together for ten years, until 2009.
Under his leadership, The dutywith weak (to say the least) financial means, will achieve the feat, of all the daily newspapers of Quebec and Canada, of being the first to opt for digital, while retaining its “paper” version six days a week. seven.
Digital was the subject of our committee’s agenda for months. Bernard thought for a long time, analyzed, decanted, started again, before The duty decides that digital access would be chargeable. It was a success, slow and laborious, but a success that its competitors subsequently imitated, and that many still follow today. Bernard’s sole ambition was the success and sustainability of “his” newspaper, to which he devoted almost his entire professional life.
With his death on January 13, Quebec lost a great man of absolute frankness, Olympian calm, remarkable honesty and unfailing solidarity.
I loved and admired him while knowing him all these years. To his wife, Marie, and his children, I offer my most sincere condolences.