Mr. Speaker, filmmaker Pierre Perrault, who passed away last June, was paid posthumous tribute yesterday for his writing talents with the unveiling of the governor general's awards for literature.
His book, Le mal du nord , describing his trip on the icebreaker Pierre Radisson , was honoured in the studies and essays category.
Yolande Simard, the widow of Pierre Perrault, in accepting the award, stressed the vital importance of literacy. She decided to share her prize with the Montreal and Hull literacy centres.
Pierre Perrault had already won the governor general's award on two other occasions, in 1964, for theatre, and in 1975, for poetry.
I would like to congratulate all winners of these awards recognizing or rather honouring their work, which will influence generations to come.