Mr. Speaker, Quebec has lost one of its pioneering jazz musicians. Charlie Biddle, the famous bass player, passed away yesterday at the age of 76.
His body of work was prodigious. His passion and dedication in setting a style that reflected his roots were unequalled. His love of Quebec and music, and his pride in expressing his art in his adopted home all contributed to feeding our hunger for jazz and also helped Montreal earn its international reputation as a centre for jazz.
This great musician whose fingers pulsed with emotion sent shivers down our spines for more than a half century and became one of the jazz greats. In recognition of his exceptional contribution to Quebec's music scene, he was awarded the Oscar Peterson Award and on January 18 he received the Calixa Lavallée Award for music, given annually by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, from the Premier of Quebec, Mr. Bernard Landry.
On behalf of my colleagues from the Bloc Quebecois, I offer my sincere condolences to his family, his many friends as well as all his fans.
Thank you Charlie Biddle for having been Quebec's ambassador of jazz. Your music will play on in our hearts.