The former director of Le Devoir, Bernard Descôteaux, died on Saturday of complications from cancer. He was 77 years old.
Posted at 3:04 p.m
It was the Montreal daily that first made the announcement that afternoon, recalling “his unifying qualities” and journalistic flair.
Mr. Descôteaux headed Le Devoir from 1999 to 2016. His mandate was characterized, among other things, by the start of the editorial team's digital conversion. He joined the daily newspaper in 1974 and worked as a parliamentary correspondent, primarily covering local, provincial and federal politics, before being appointed editor-in-chief in the early 1990s. Less than ten years later, he became the eighth director of Le Devoir.
Brian Myles, who took over from Bernard Descôteaux in 2016, praised a man who “dedicated his entire career to the search for the common good and the advancement of Quebec society and its institutions.”
“Le Devoir was Bernard’s extended family. We never forgot him, even after his unfortunately short retirement in 2016. In his free time we keep the memory of a kind, sincere, honest and funny man. Farewell, comrade! »wrote Mr Myles in a reaction quoted by the newspaper.
“He leaves a big gap”
Shortly after the announcement, several testimonies appeared online, particularly from political circles. “My condolences go out to everyone close to Bernard, a brilliant and kind man,” said Prime Minister François Legault. “A great, calm, thoughtful and affable gentleman. He leaves a big gap. My condolences go out to his loved ones and his colleagues at Le Devoir and the entire journalist community,” also wrote supporting MP Vincent Marissal.
“I have always greatly admired Bernard Descôteaux. Calm, considerate and very generous with his time, he always intervened with moderation, objectivity and accuracy, qualities that are becoming increasingly rare today. I am very sad to learn that he is no longer with us. He was both a mentor and an inspiration to me,” said PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
Former colleagues of the deceased also didn't miss the opportunity to greet him. “Farewell, dear Bernard, thank you for everything, especially for that calm, prudent strength that characterized your leadership,” emphasized Journal de Montréal columnist Antoine Robitaille, former parliamentary correspondent for Le Devoir.
“He was a calm force, a super friendly man and always ready to give valuable advice. I started my career at Le Devoir with him and I owe him a lot. Thank you for everything,” recalled the daily’s environmental journalist Alexandre Shields.