Mr. Speaker, the Montreal Forum has been the home of many acclaimed stars. Who can forget Maurice and Henri Richard, Butch Bouchard, Jean Béliveau, Guy Lafleur, Guy Carbonneau, Serge Savard, Bob Gainey and many others. Yesterday, the curtain fell on Quebec's most popular venue after 72 years, 2,322 games and 16 Stanley cups. Of all the incidents that occurred at the Montreal
Forum, one really stands out: the March 17, 1955 riot that broke out after Clarence Campbell decided to ban Maurice Richard from the playoffs.
Today, the Bloc Quebecois wishes to pay tribute to the thousands of employees who worked at the forum in the course of those 72 years and thank them for their outstanding dedication. The forum will remain forever etched in the collective memory of Quebecers and Canadians, since it occupied a central place in our sports and cultural life.