(Quebec) Quebec plans to hold a national funeral, if such is the wish of the family, to highlight the exceptional career and contribution of Guy Lafleur to all of Quebec society. François Legault underlined Friday the “loss of a giant”.
Posted at 9:32
Updated at 10:18 a.m.
The Prime Minister, a huge hockey fan, took to Twitter to pay tribute to number 10. “What made him a unique player was of course his extraordinary talent, but also his style. , its elegance. He was a spectacular player. When we watched him play, we had the impression of seeing an artist, ”wrote Mr. Legault, visibly moved by the death of Mr. Lafleur.
“Guy Lafleur was not just an exceptional hockey player, he was also a straight-talking man. He was very accessible, very humble and generous. He also did me the honor of signing Canadian jerseys that I gave to the other PMs of Canada,” added the Prime Minister, stating that “all of Quebec pays homage to him.”
Guy Lafleur will remain forever etched in our collective memory. He was the idol of a people.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec, on Twitter
The Legault government also says it is “open” to the celebration of national funerals, as during the death of Maurice Richard in 2000 and Jean Béliveau in 2014. “We cannot exclude it, we are open to this possibility, but it’s a bit early for us. This will be determined with the family, ”said the Prime Minister’s Office.
François Legault will also hold a press conference – he who had no public activity on the program on Friday – this afternoon in Montreal to highlight the immense contribution of the hockey player.
The political class in mourning
The political class offered a concert of praise to the one who was nicknamed the Blond Demon. Justin Trudeau spoke of the exceptional talents of the athlete who has inspired fans around the world.
“Guy Lafleur, the “blonde demon”, was unique on the ice. His speed, skill and record were incredible. With his records and his five Stanley Cups, he inspired countless Quebecers, Canadians and fans around the world. We will miss you, number 10, ”wrote the Canadian prime minister.
Liberal leader Dominique Anglade underlined the loss of a “true monument” which will have “marked [son] childhood and that of an entire generation. “His legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of Quebecers. My thoughts to the family, ”wrote Mme England on Twitter.
The parliamentary leader of Quebec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, praised the contribution of the former hockey player to his sport and to all of Quebec. “The great players mark their sport. Idols mark peoples. Quebec had Guy Lafleur tattooed on his heart. We are all in mourning today, ”he said on the social network.
The Liberal MP for Marquette and former player of the National Hockey League, who played a season with the Montreal Canadiens, Enrico Ciccone, also spoke of a “youth idol turned hockey buddy” by posting a photo of him and Mr. Lafleur.
“Montreal mourns the loss of this great man,” wrote Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, highlighting the remarkable journey of number 10. “Having won five Stanley Cups, this hockey legend was one of the best players in the history of the Canadiens and the NHL,” she added.
In the capital, where the Blond Demon has achieved several feats, Mayor Bruno Marchand recalled how much Guy Lafleur “has made ‘little asses’ dream like [lui] » having been an inspiration until the very end.
The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, argued that “he is the idol of a whole people who has just left us”, an “exceptional player and a man of deep kindness”. The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, underlined the departure of the “last of the great heroes”.
The leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet, spoke of “heartbreaking news” even if it had been apprehended for some time. “Guy Lafleur, the Blond Demon, the eternal #10, our Saturday evenings… an engaging face of a nation that chanted its first name, Guy, Guy, Guy is no more. But Lafleur is immortal. My thoughts for his family and loved ones,” he wrote.
“Guy was an exceptional being. He inspired me, he was my idol. Quebec is losing a great man. His performances on the rink left no one indifferent and his performances outside the rink, what to say? He was an extremely generous person with his time, always kind, always caring. I am very sad today,” said Conservative MP Richard Martel, former coach of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
With Mylène Crete