(Quebec) Guy Lafleur has always been recognized for his talents as a unifier. Tuesday afternoon, exactly a week after a grand and moving national funeral in Montreal, it was unanimous again, this time in Quebec, where the 111 deputies present in the National Assembly voted in favor of a motion to pay tribute to him, which ended with a solemn moment of silence.
Posted at 6:23 p.m.
The motion was presented by Enrico Ciccone, Liberal MP for Marquette, but also a former player of the National Hockey League, notably with the Montreal Canadiens.
Also, long after the retirement of the legendary Habs star, Mr. Ciccone participated in several former hockey games with Lafleur.
The date chosen to hold this tribute, May 10, cannot help but recall the number that Lafleur wore during his 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Canadiens, but also the New York Rangers and the Nordiques of Quebec between 1971 and 1991.
Also, this tribute coincides to the day with the most famous goal of Lafleur’s career, scored in Game 7 of the semi-final series against the Boston Bruins on May 10, 1979.
With this tribute, Mr. Ciccone also wanted to remind that Guy Lafleur had become an idol, also thanks to his involvement in the Quebec community.
Photo Robert Skinner, THE PRESS
Enrico Ciccone (left) and Guy Lafleur (right), during a Canadian alumni game, March 14, 2010.
“It is a solemn moment that the National Assembly is experiencing today because we are celebrating the work and life of one of the most beloved and admired Quebecers in our history,” said Mr. Ciccone in the presence of one of Lafleur’s two sons, Martin, and his wife Angelica, who were seated in one of the balconies of the Blue Room.
“There are three categories of great player: first there are those who positively influence the results of a team, then there are those who mark the history of their sport. Finally, in a separate and almost inaccessible category, there are those who immerse themselves in popular culture, in the collective imagination and in the hearts of their people. Guy Lafleur was one of those exceptional beings,” he continued.
In his speech, Mr. Ciccone recalled that Lafleur had made his mark in Quebec in his own way, as the two other great French-speaking legends in the history of the Canadiens had done before him.
“Maurice Richard was Quebec rising up. Jean Béliveau was the Quebec that had confidence and that we respected. Guy Lafleur, it was the Quebec that we admired and that won. »
Representatives of three other parties represented in the National Assembly also had the chance to express their respect and admiration for the man nicknamed the Blond Demon. Starting with the Premier of Quebec and leader of the Coalition avenir Québec, François Legault.
“We have seen it for two weeks, the hearts of Quebecers have been broken by this death. Guy Lafleur was more than a hockey player, he was an idol, a hero. He was also an artist. It was nice to see him play hockey,” recalled Mr. Legault, before praising Lafleur’s human and unifying qualities.
“Quebec was united as never before, regardless of political party, language or origin. Everyone wanted to say thank you to Guy Lafleur. And Guy Lafleur was acclaimed as much in Quebec as in Montreal and he managed, despite all his successes, to remain a simple man and to have a kind of love story with Quebecers for 50 years, “also underlined Mr. Legault, while qualifying Lafleur as immortal, “in the same category as Maurice Richard, as Jean Béliveau”.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, recalled how great a player he had been.
“There is a statue of Guy Lafleur, here in Quebec, and the title of this statue is very evocative. It is written just below “Too strong for the league”. That was it, Guy Lafleur. He was the best player in his sport, the best player on his team. He was a winner at all levels,” mentioned Mr. Nadeau-Dubois before adding that Lafleur had been an idol who had marked history through the bond he had developed with the people of Quebec.
Méganne Perry Mélançon, PQ MP for Gaspé, noted that Lafleur is one of those personalities who managed to convey spirits and emotions like few others.
“He was one of those who make us forget the rest. Which keep us captive in the moment, on the edge of our seats, which bring crowds together and uplift them in a positive, uplifting way. »