The government confirms that there will be no national funeral for Michel Côté, while the general public is invited to pay a last tribute in the state of the chapel to the comedian who died Monday at the age of 72.
The family indicated in a press release that the Ardent Chapel will be held on Thursday, June 8, at the Monument-National, in Montreal, in two times, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Maxime LeFlaguais, son of the actor of brew And CRAZYintends to meet the media on this occasion.
Also on Thursday, Premier François Legault’s press secretary said there would be no state funeral for Michel Côté.
“After checking with the protocol teams at the Quebec government, it was agreed not to hold a state funeral for Michel Côté,” said Ewan Sauves in an email.
Mr. Sauves added that Mr. Legault “however wishes to pay tribute to him, his contribution to Quebec culture is too immense”.
The CAQ government had already indicated, the day after his death, that Michel Côté would be decorated with the rank of knight of the National Order of Quebec posthumously on June 21.
“The Prime Minister will table a motion next week in the National Assembly, in addition to awarding him the title of Knight of the National Order of Quebec. […]. We will also place the Quebec flag on the central tower of Parliament at half mast on the day of the funeral, a strong symbol of national mourning,” said Mr. Sauves.
The actor retired from public life a little over a year ago, in April 2022, to treat a bone marrow disease.
Born in 1950 in Alma in Lac-Saint-Jean, Michel Côté had a long career in theater and cinema.
He was a favorite comedian of Quebecers who had been honored with a Jutra tribute award in 2013 for a career that was not over then.
He notably acted in the play brew more than 3300 times for 38 years.
Michel Côté also played a lot on television, among others in the series Omertabut also in The Little Lifewhere he played the character of Jean-Lou.