Almost every day, Pierre-Yves Lord takes the time to thank the life that has been so generous to him. Born in an orphanage in Haiti, the animator grew up in a family of three children from different backgrounds and loving and reassuring parents. He is so spoiled that he can develop professionally and can count on a valuable life partner who provides stability for the two children. In every respect man feels a deep gratitude towards life.
Photo: Julien Faugere
• Also read: Pierre-Yves Lord was almost ‘beaten up’ recently because of his skin colour.
Pierre-Yves, again this year you have been entrusted with the animation of the National Day in Montreal. What will this evening hold for us?
I have the privilege of hosting this event. I still think of the first Saint-Jean I attended in June 1990 in 6th grade. There was Paul Piché, Michel Rivard, Diane Dufresne, Gilles Vigneault, Richard Séguin. I was really impressed. Aside from a succession of songs, there was one purpose that stuck in my mind for a long time. The Plains also had famous parties that I can’t remember! (laughs) It was a must at the end of class. I think all of that fueled my desire to one day pick up the mic and be a part of this party. This year Montreal will feature Garou, Isabelle Boulay, Marjo, FouKi, Souldia, Mélissa Bédard, P’tit Belliveau, Jay Jay, Justin Boulet and Lydia Képinski. At the press conference, I thought it was nice to see living monuments. I felt privileged to be behind the scenes with them. I think it’s beautiful, this mixture, this energy circulation. There are incredible crowds. It’s a time to connect and reflect on who we are, be a little chauvinistic and celebrate what’s unique about us in America.
You have also agreed to act as ambassador for the Office québécois de la French language. What is your commitment?
I have explored many types of communication engagements. In recent years I have wanted it to conform to certain values. If it advances young people, that we can learn together, that it stimulates creativity and curiosity, I’ll be there. As a father who wants us to protect our culture, I ask myself: are we demonizing English or are we focusing on the beauty of our language? A language lives. It makes me feel like I’m doing my part.
Did you grow up with parents who wanted you to express yourself appropriately?
Yes, my mother corrected us. From a very early age she would talk to me about my father, his friends or his colleagues. From an early age I wanted to form complete sentences. Yes, there was an interest in intellectual rigor. My father was an engineer and my mother was a nurse. I grew up in an intellectually and artistically stimulating family. Musical instruments were given to us very early on. For me it is a gift to introduce a child to different art forms.
As a father, do you care about creating a rich universe for your children?
Yes. And when Édouard and Olivia were little (aged 14 and 11) I made them a promise: that I would never refuse to buy them books and vegetables, and I kept my promise! (laughs) At home there are books, globes, world maps, human body diagrams, etc. We want our children to be nurtured. My girlfriend is also athletic. We take our kids to all corners of the region so they can do gymnastics, play hockey, and play soccer. We consider it important for their development.
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How do you deal with your children’s puberty? Do you worry about your period?
I can be demanding and strict at times. The challenge for me is to achieve stability in terms of rules and policies. Given my personality: when I party I party, when I’m happy I’m happy, when I’m upset I’m upset, when I short circuit I short circuit. Sometimes it can be difficult for the spouse and children to follow. I’m trying to work on that. I’m trying to remember what I did to my parents when they were their age. Sometimes I ask my son to be grateful, kind, and helpful. At 14 I wasn’t the most helpful teenager! I just wanted to play outside, watch TV and talk on the phone. they are children They are healthy, they are happy, they have carefree happiness, the house is full of laughter. Sometimes they get together to make us sweat and that makes them happy. My son teaches me things. He and I, we can easily find each other…
What are you referring to?
We can easily find ourselves in laughter, in sports, in video games, but also in confrontations. I’m more military. It may produce sparks, but 15 seconds later it continues. He teaches me about the present moment, about grudges, about the knots that can be untied, about what we carry for too long. When I see him leave, I tell myself he gets it. When it comes to relationship situations, our daughter has a keen eye. Sometimes she gives us sentences that are very wise… Sometimes my girlfriend and I insist on things and the children decide for us. It can be confrontational, but you have to trust their understanding of situations and not underestimate them.
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Do you and your girlfriend make a good team?
Yes, but an atypical team given the distance. I spend a lot of time outside the home. A lot of my work takes place in Montreal, which means I have to travel a lot back and forth between Quebec and Montreal. My family is used to seeing me go away for two days. My girlfriend has to make an effort to stay on track and ensure stability for the family. Children need a solid foundation and my friend gives them that. I appreciate it very much.
Everyone finds their account in this family life?
Yes. My girlfriend is a teacher. she works hard For my part, I have a studio at home where I work on the musical creation. I do DJ stuff. In creation we don’t have to do anything. Part of the work is thinking. In order to develop a concept or documentation, we sometimes need space. When I was writing the Space Bulletin project I went to Toronto where I locked myself up for three days. For me it’s hard work. No, I could not have written this concept in everyday family life on the kitchen island.
Photo: Julien Faugere / TVA Pu
Do you feel like your lifestyle is teaching your children the value of personal space?
Yes, and I think that my girlfriend and I, our children, have developed a determination and a healthy competitive spirit in sport through the effort we put into the work. The desire for achievement has always been appreciated at home. I see our daughter doing gymnastics. I see his desire to work on the difficult movements. I saw my son’s efforts to play bantam hockey when he had never played in his life. He could have given up, I saw him relentlessly. Our children find satisfaction in pushing their limits. It is appreciated by us.
I saw a picture of you and your sister as children with the caption “You and your sister are the same”. Is that a testament to the training you received?
Yes, we were three children of different skin colors. My parents, Monique and Yves, gave birth to my sister Maryse in 1975. My mother had several miscarriages. When adoption became international in the late 1970s, they picked me up in Haiti in 1979. I was in an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. In 1980 they picked up my little sister, Elizabeth, from the Mi’kmak community on Prince Edward Island.
One family, three different origins?
Yes, tricolor ice cream, as they say for fun. Sometimes I am asked if I miss my “real” parents… I understand the question, but Monique and Yves have always been my parents, Maryse and Elizabeth have always been my sisters. it’s my family Our family is made up of those who cradled us, fed us, cuddled us, who taught us to laugh and love, who made us fight and who taught us to travel. It’s my family! If I were told that my birth parents were found I would be curious, but the connection is with my parents. My mother was never my adoptive mother or not my real mother. The bonds that bind us are very strong. It may be difficult for some to understand, but those who have been or have been adopted know very well what I am talking about. There are no words to express the strength of this bond.
After all, before your time, you grew up in a modern family …
Really. It touches me when I think about adoption. I won the lottery of life. I am grateful that they picked me up from an orphanage and that I had the chance to grow up in a loving, supportive, protective and reassuring family. I have had the privilege of sitting at the table with my parents and sisters and having a family life. I was spoiled. I don’t know what my life in the orphanage would have been like… Many people survived and got away with it. But I’m thankful. I do gratitude meditations almost every day. A large part of my appreciation is related to my journey, but also to being alive and well. I feel grateful for so many little things…
Finally, Pierre-Yves, do you have any other professional projects at the beginning of the school year?
Yes, I will be hosting “Les Gémeaux, 100 Genies” and “Plaza Plaisir”, a new program on Télé-Québec. When I was young everything was an excuse to have fun. That was a mistake because I was restless in class and at home. Today I see this as an enrichment for my job. I want to have fun everywhere. Gemini, that’s it for me: it’s the big celebration of the profession I cherish. I want to thank the viewers for being there and allowing us to have fun all year long. For me, it also means allowing them to see the best of television in a single evening and thanking them for supporting our industry.
Pierre-Yves Lord invites us to celebrate Montreal’s National Day on June 24th at Maisonneuve Park. The show will be broadcast live on TVA at 8:30pm.
In autumn, Pierre-Yves will host the new music show Plaza pleasure at Tele Quebec.