This time, there will be no political showdown. On May 12, 1982, in Berthierville, 5000 people saw Joann Villeneuve walk out of the church. Black hair, eyes glassy with pain, she was clinging to the arm of Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
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René Lévesque in crepe-soled shoes followed behind.
It was only a few months following the night of the long knives and a Constitution shoved down Quebec’s throat in a night of betrayal.
And the great federal protector had also granted himself the right to accompany the widow to the church square. The photo had gone around the world.
Fortunately, with Guy Lafleur’s state funeral, everyone involved in the preparation agrees that Guy Lafleur and his family remain at the center of the ceremony.
And let us remember at all times that a funeral, even a national one, remains a religious celebration and not a show for TV.
NATIONAL FUNERAL
Four parties are currently involved in the preparation of the funeral. It is the government of the Quebec nation that offers the funeral. It goes without saying that the office of François Legault and the protocol specialists are in constant contact with the office of France Margaret Bélanger, president of Groupe CH.
Since it is a state funeral, the government decides which police force will form the honor guard, the color of the flowers and the blue color of the cards. And other similar points of protocol.
It is also the government specialists who see to the invitations for the ministers, for Dominique Anglade, the leader of the opposition, and for the other men and women politicians who will be present. The Governor General, Lieutenant Governor and other public and political figures are also within the purview of the government.
However, it is not an open bar for the political class and the Legault government. There are 1,380 seats in the Marie-Reine-du-Monde basilica, and the Canadian will not come second.
In other words, Yvan Cournoyer, the oldest living captain of the Flanelle, will not find himself in the tenth row.
Neither Gary Bettman nor the other big bosses of the National League. And the former Canadians are already prepared for the funeral: “Everything happens in collaboration. We must never forget Lise Lafleur and the children and members of the Lafleur family. They are consulted on all decisions,” explains France Margaret Bélanger.
We also expect the visit of former opponents of Lafleur, but no information on the subject is currently available.
Maybe Shea Weber might even be in the basilica. He will then steal the show.
A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY
Mme Bélanger, who lives 18-hour workdays, also underlines a point that we seem to forget: “There is a fourth partner in the preparation. Monsignor Christian Lépine and Deacon Benoit Thibault are doing a colossal job to help us. Funerals, even national, remain a religious ceremony to mark the departure of Guy Lafleur. We must remember the man that Guy Lafleur was and underline that his wife and his family remain and live in mourning. We want to respect this sanctity and religion,” she says.
If the weather permits, giant screens will be installed in the square and in the surrounding streets so that fans or citizens can take part in the meditation and salute the legendary Blond Demon one last time.
This is not a first for the Canadian, since Maurice Richard and Jean Béliveau were entitled to state funerals. But the amplitude of the wave of love for Guy Lafleur brings another dimension to the ceremony.
This is why we regularly try to remember that all funerals are basically a religious ceremony. We absolutely want to avoid any slippage, since in 2022 the media are omnipresent, and the temptation of a coup is always possible.
There are still things to settle. Who will be invited to speak? We think of Martin Lafleur who has been his father’s right-hand man for several years. Maybe Prime Minister François Legault, a fan of Lafleur and the Canadiens, will take advantage of the opportunity.
As for the exit of the basilica, Justin Trudeau, if he is invited, should not repeat the blow of his father.
Celine Dion had left the Notre-Dame basilica on the arm of René-Charles, her son, during the national funeral of René Angélil.
No doubt Martin and Mark will accompany their mother…
