We highlight in Quebec, today August 24, the 100e birthday of René Lévesque. This is a happy day that allows us to remember the importance of this man who marked our history forever. He was an extraordinary politician. He was also a hard-hitting journalist and columnist. An enlightened man who, throughout his career, never stopped dreaming big for Quebec. On this day of celebration of René Lévesque, I still want to recount here the memory of another day that marked me forever.
1er November 1987, I was in Chicoutimi and I was preparing to go on a theater tour in Quebec with a troupe of students from the region. We, myself and my colleagues, heard the news of Lévesque’s death on the radio in our van, while we were driving in the Parc des Laurentides. All that to say that we can say that many Quebecers still remember exactly where they were at that time.
A man so close to us!
We who were rather happy when we left Saguenay, we remained almost speechless the two hours of the crossing of the park. Whoever was driving our vehicle decided to stop on the side of the road so that we could observe a minute of silence. I also remember that at the L’Étape restaurant, most of the people looked downcast. The next day, for the premiere of our show in Quebec, we decided to dedicate it to René Lévesque. It is as if we had been taken aback by his sudden death, he who was still present among us, even after his active life in politics. It was like the loss of a hero, a larger than life man. But this man was so close to us, with his little faults, but also with his great qualities.
The one that many Quebecers affectionately called “Ti-Poil” left, taking with him in his suitcases the project of a country to be made. He left us with Quebec tattooed on his heart. And in this 100e anniversary of his birth, it is clear that René Lévesque remains more alive than ever!
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