Coroner’s spokeswoman Geneviève Guilbault experienced the Lac Mégantic tragedy first hand before making the leap into politics. Ten years later, the deputy prime minister recalls the devastation she witnessed, but also the great resilience of the people of Mégantic.
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On July 6, 2013, the Coroner’s Office team was rushed to the scene of a horrific train derailment in the small town of Lag-Mégantic. At the time, no one could have expected to witness one of the greatest tragedies in Quebec history. Arriving at the scene, Geneviève Guilbault quickly grasped the magnitude of the drama unfolding before her eyes.
“When we got there, we had no idea what to expect. We had packed our little things for two or three days. We ended up staying there for a month, Ms Guilbault recalls. From a technical point of view it was very complicated because of the heat, but also on a human level it was an unprecedented situation.
The coroner’s office had the difficult task of identifying the bodies of the 47 victims and contacting the families.
“We quickly developed a relationship of great intimacy. It was very special and it was a great life and resilience lesson to witness,” she recalls.
Go to another step
Fortunately, the then spokeswoman for the Coroner’s Office now holds one of the highest positions in the Quebec government. Politicians also have a role to play in moving the community forward. Just think of the construction of the bypass, which is a federal responsibility.
“We feel it is important to the community that this file be closed. […] We believe that steps must be taken to give the impression that we are making progress,” notes the Deputy Prime Minister.
But as Father Steve Lemay, who was at Lac-Mégantic in 2013 and is returning on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, stressed: we must move forward without forgetting the 47 victims. Ms Guilbault also has a thought for all those affected, directly or indirectly, by the events.
“We must never forget the survivors who still owe this death today. Among other things, I think of the children [des victimes]. These are important steps that I don’t think we can skip.”