Mr. Speaker, “Don't be afraid”. In my mind I can still hear the voice of my former boss, my very first real boss, say those words. My first foray into politics happened back in early November 1987, the day after René Lévesque's death, when I naively called for Jacques Parizeau's return in a letter published in Le Devoir. A few months later, I was put in charge of the Parti Québécois's youth wing. I lived through experiences at the time whose full historical impact on the very fabric of the nation only became clear much later on.
Jacques Parizeau's life fills entire pages of Quebec's history. He was the architect of a great economy, of a great nation that finally took control of its economy barely half a century later. Following an election campaign that exploited Quebeckers' fears, “don't be afraid” takes on a meaning that not even he had anticipated.
On the day after the 10th anniversary of his passing, I wish to express my deep admiration and gratitude for the man we knew as “Monsieur”.