Statement made on 23 March 2011 by Senator Rose-Marie Losier-Cool
Hon. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool:
Honourable senators, today I would like to draw your attention to the ceremony to honour recipients of the Ordre de la Pléiade, which was held here on Parliament Hill, on the evening of Monday, March 21.
The Ordre de la Pléiade, created in 1976 by the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, honours individuals who have distinguished themselves in promoting the cooperation and friendship ideals of the international Francophonie.
This year, 15 Canadians were honoured by the Ordre de la Pléiade, including four proud Acadians from New Brunswick, whom I would like to sincerely thank for their contributions to the vitality of my beloved Acadia.
The celebrated Antonine Maillet, already a Chevalier in the Ordre de la Pléiade for thirty years, was promoted to the rank of Officier. The Honourable Antonine Maillet, a renowned author and playwright, the only Canadian winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt, created, among others, the unforgettable character La Sagouine. I am proud to congratulate her on this new honour, just one more in her long career.
I would also like to warmly congratulate the Honourable Herménégilde Chiasson, a former lieutenant governor of my province, New Brunswick, who is, above all, a prolific and highly-regarded multidisciplinary artist with equal talents as a writer, playwright, filmmaker and painter. I wish to congratulate him from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of all Acadians, for being awarded the rank of Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Pléiade.
Another Acadian from the Atlantic provinces to be named a Chevalier de l'Ordre is Françoise Enguehard, who chairs the Société nationale de l'Acadie. Originally from France, from St-Pierre et Miquelon, and now living in St. John's, Newfoundland, Ms. Enguehard is also an author, in addition to working in communications. Her efforts to defend the French language and francophone culture in Acadia and Canada deserve our deepest admiration.
The last of the Acadians to be awarded the Ordre la Pléiade in 2011 is the historian Robert Pichette. This newly appointed Chevalier has enjoyed a long and rich career as a journalist and former chief of staff to Louis J. Robichaud, a former premier of my province and former senator who did so much for our Acadia. Robert Pichette, for his part, made an important contribution to New Brunswick's Official Languages Act and the cause of official languages in general.
I warmly applaud these four proud Acadians, and I would also like to congratulate the 11 other recipients of the Ordre de la Pléiade, including Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Beverley McLachlin.
I would also like to congratulate the organizer and host of the ceremony, the Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, my honourable colleague, Senator Champagne, who was, quite simply, perfect.