Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge the work of an exceptional man, a pillar of the journalism community, who certainly had a great impact on Quebec society.
Richard Garneau passed away on January 20 at the age of 82, depriving us of his eloquence, professionalism and love of sport.
Richard Garneau called games on La Soirée du hockey for 23 years and was a commentator at 23 Olympic Games. He spent most of his long career with Radio-Canada and became an ambassador of the French language.
When Richard Garneau introduced us to great Olympic athletes from Slovakia, Czechoslovakia and elsewhere, with names that only he managed to pronounce properly, we discovered the diversity of our world and Canada's and Quebec's place in the global community.
A great champion of the French language is gone. It is up to us to take up the torch of excellence that he passed on to us.