Mr. Speaker, SOCAN held its 35th gala yesterday in Montreal to honour the outstanding contributions of our composers, authors and music publishers. In particular, it was an occasion to pay tribute to two of Quebec's musical and cultural giants: Marjo and Luc Plamondon. From Diane Dufresne to Céline Dion, from Charlebois to Dubois, from Starmania to Notre‑Dame de Paris, Plamandon's lyrics have been our constant companion for a half-century, and his world of wonders is now ours to enjoy.
As for Marjo, our iconic Marjo received the cultural impact award for her song Provocante, now a karaoke classic. Marjo and Luc Plamondon, two icons, two giants of Quebec culture, are above all two of us. As Quebeckers, we identify with them and have regarded them as a source of pride for many decades.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I applaud Luc Plamondon and Marjo, along with all of the creators named and honoured yesterday, including my friend, Gaétan Essiambre, who won in SOCAN's national television music category.
Long live SOCAN, long live our artists and long live the songs of Quebec.