Mr. Speaker, on Friday, during the Montreal Canadiens' 100th anniversary celebration, those in attendance paid tribute to two outstanding players, Elmer Lach and Émile “Butch” Bouchard, by retiring their jersey numbers. Émile Bouchard played defence and was captain of his team in the 1940s and 1950s.
Émile Bouchard, now 90, is one of the world's hockey greats. As he explains it, “A good player must play with his head, not waste energy, and take advantage of good opportunities”. That is how he has lived his life. This man, who helped the Canadiens win four Stanley Cups, has always been involved in his community in Longueuil. Among other things, he was a municipal councillor and a member of the Optimist Club.
The members of the Bloc Québécois, the staff at the Henriette-Céré de Saint-Hubert CHSLD, where he has been living for the past few years, and his goddaughter, Anne-Marie Desroches, who is also my political attaché, would all like to express their heartfelt congratulations.