(Quebec) The French singer Yves Duteil was made a knight of the National Order of Quebec, Wednesday, during a ceremony at the Circle of the Garrison, in Quebec. He sang, as a thank you, one of his most famous ballads.
The emotion was palpable in the room when the singer-songwriter, who has a 50-year career, grabbed his guitar and sang Our languagea song dedicated to Félix Leclerc in which he talks about Quebec.
“It’s a beautiful language on the other side of the world, a bubble of France in the north of a continent”… using the words of this song in a speech, Prime Minister François Legault described Yves Duteil as a “great friend and as an “ally” of the Quebec nation.
“French in an Anglophone ocean will always be vulnerable, so it will always be a struggle for Francophones. your song Our language has a very strong meaning for us. We see it as a declaration of love for the French language,” he said.
Declaration of love which was reiterated on Wednesday, in Quebec. “My dear French language, I love you, until my last breath,” whispered the 73-year-old artist into the microphone, who said he “savored” the special bond he was able to forge with Quebec.
“In concert, when I sing, and even here this afternoon, there is a kind of emotion of extraordinary strength that emerges […] and I feel this emotion to the depths of me, it brings me to tears every time, ”he confided in an interview after the ceremony.
He argued that in a world dominated by English, French must be “more inspired, more creative and less follower”. The famous singer has also applauded the recent advertisements of the Government of Quebec which aim to curb the decline of French.
“English offers its technical precision; […] French has superpowers. It is the language of the immaterial, of poetry, of sentiment, of diplomacy,” declared Mr. Duteil, who is currently on tour in Quebec.
“The French language could be invincible. In the digital age, it is our fingerprint, our identity, our rallying sign,” he added, before being warmly applauded by the dignitaries present.
A real “love at first sight” for Quebecers, Yves Duteil is a man of peace and gentleness, whose songs “are now part of our popular culture,” concluded Mr. Legault.
The National Order of Quebec is the highest distinction awarded by the Government of Quebec. Every year since 1985, the Premier has paid tribute to exceptional people who, through their achievements, their values and their ideals, have marked the development and influence of Québec.
It confers on them the prestigious titles of knight, officer or grand officer. The Order includes 1,074 Quebec personalities and 72 foreign personalities, or 1,146 members. Of these, 72% are men and 28% women.