The Legault government will organize a national funeral in honor of Karl Tremblay, the Cowboys Fringants singer who died on Tuesday, if his family agrees.
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“We really feel a huge wave of love and sadness. I’ve rarely seen that, I don’t remember seeing that in Quebec,” the prime minister said at a news conference in Montreal on Thursday.
“I also think that national funerals are there to meet the demand of Quebecers and I feel like there is a lot of demand right now […]. I want all Quebecers who want to pay their last respects to him to be able to do so,” he added, acknowledging that the decision to organize a funeral for one public figure instead of another was not entirely rational . Remember that Jean Lapointe, who died a few months ago, was not entitled to such a farewell.
However, Mr. Legault insists that he doesn’t want to rush Karl Tremblay’s family with his offer and wants to give them time to experience what they need to experience. “It must be difficult times at the moment, I don’t want to upset anyone,” he said.
In addition, the Prime Minister does not rule out that in Repentigny, where he lived, a street or a park could be named in honor of Karl Tremblay. “It is too early to say exactly what we will do. But I want to do something special,” said Mr Legault, who is also the local MP.
Unforgettable
When asked about his fondest memory of the Cowboys Fringants, Mr. Legault recalled an unexpected moment during the group’s honor in the National Assembly last May.
“In the room, without planning, everyone started singing The Shooting Stars. It touched me,” he said.
Mr Legault also believes the Cowboys singer will leave an indelible mark on Quebec’s cultural heritage.
“I think it will stay low. “We know the songs by heart and they will continue to run through our minds and make us think,” he emphasized. “A lot of tenderness, committed songs, Quebec nationalism, there was also something that reflected the nation of Quebec in his songs.”
“I don’t think we’ll ever forget it,” he concluded.