Pierre Bruneau interrupted his trip to Africa on Monday to return home to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to him Tuesday evening as part of the Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto.
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The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television wanted to honor the rich career of the 70-year-old man, who retired last year after 50 years of journalism, including 46 years as an anchor at VAT.
“We were on safari Monday morning in Botswana. We also did Zimbabwe and South Africa in the last two weeks. It’s part of the great trip around the world that we are currently doing, “he told the QMI Agency on Tuesday afternoon, when he had just dropped off his suitcases in a hotel in the Queen City. , after three flights lasting 30 hours.
Since piloting his last election night on October 3 on TVA and LCN – he has been in charge of 40 election nights and a dozen leaders’ debates during his career – Pierre Bruneau “benefits from life to the fullest” alongside his wife Ginette St-Cyr.
He says he was surprised by how quickly his “weaning” from the world of information took place.
“I expected it to be longer!” Away from home, she misses her children and grandchildren, but not the job. “I don’t want to be bored with work, I’ve gone elsewhere.”
An impressive career
The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a Canadian personality in recognition of their “outstanding career” and their “significant impact” on the audiovisual industry in Canada or abroad.
And what a career Pierre Bruneau had in establishing privileged contact with viewers for five decades, as intense as they were exciting, always remaining number one.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, a video of Pierre Bruneau’s feats of arms was projected in the room. We were able to see interventions, interviews and key moments on the air. The great communicator then spoke.
“This award means a lot to me, but also to my teams, I’m sure. Over the years, they have done a very professional job and always with passion,” he first mentioned.
“Thank you very much because this recognition comes to you in very large part, he chained, speaking directly to the viewers. You have followed me day after day, year after year, generation after generation.
“You know, when you start out in this job when you’re very young, with your head full of dreams, and with a lot of determination, you have no idea it’s going to last 50 years. And, that’s it, in my case it’s done. Thank you for your loyalty. Thanks to TVA and Quebecor for believing in me. I see Pierre Karl Péladeau, the CEO of Quebecor, Martin [Picard]Xavier [Brassard-Bédard]thank you for your support”, he continued, not failing to say good words for his wife and children.
Pierre Bruneau, who has won 23 Artis prizes during his career as news anchor as well as the medal of honor from the National Assembly, took advantage of this forum to highlight all the work carried out by the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, which he set up following the death of his son Charles. The organization raises funds for pediatric cancer research and to care for young patients who have it.
“It’s also an opportunity to say a word to all the people who contribute to the Charles-Bruneau Foundation. You have seen the video. Charles was my son and he died at the age of 12 in 1988. Today, in 2023, his dream of curing all children who have cancer is coming true. We have raised over $100 million, reinvested in research. Thank you for your support, we still need you,” he concluded.
Exploring several countries as part of their trip around the world to celebrate his retirement – Pierre Bruneau and his wife traveled all over South America and even went to Antarctica, before heading to North Africa and the South from the African continent – the former news anchor continues in another way to be the curious journalist that we know.
“We take advantage of every day, Ginette and I. There is always something new. For us, it’s really exciting.”