Tribute to the victims of the Halloween attack

A touching ceremony took place Monday morning, at Place d’Armes, in Old Quebec, to commemorate the tragedy that left two dead and five injured in 2020 in the historic district.

Mayor Bruno Marchand gave a speech in memory of François Duchesne and Suzanne Clermont who died during the attack on Halloween 2020 and also in tribute to those who were injured.

Mr. Duchesne and Mr.^me Clermont were killed with a Japanese sword by Carl Girouard who was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crime, in addition to being convicted of five attempted murders.

The choice of the place was symbolic, it is the place where François Duchesne was fatally struck by the assailant.

His sister, Marie-Josée Duchesne, delivered a vibrant tribute to her brother, who “loved life and loved his city”.

“These last moments, it is here, on this square, that he spent them. It is here that we pay tribute to him today, and to all the victims of this tragedy. Two years ago, our world came crashing down. Our lives will never be the same again. Every day I think of him. […] François was much more than a brother to me”, she testified, her throat knotted. « Let’s hope what happened will never happen again. »

The family members of the victims and the injured, their colleagues and friends, many public and political figures were gathered near the Château Frontenac on this beautiful October morning. Several wiped away a tear.

Mayor Marchand, accompanied by Mr.^me Duchesne and Suzanne Clermont’s son-in-law, Julien Fortin, unveiled a commemorative plaque before observing a minute of silence « to carry the memory of those who are gone, to carry the weight of the recovery of those who remain and to find meaning to what has none, » said Mayor Marchand solemnly.

Several reactions

“It’s an absurd event that happened two years ago. This morning, my thoughts go out to the loved ones and families of those who left and those who were injured. Today, the City is commemorating which has a lot of meaning and which reminds us of the fragility of what we are so that it does not happen again,” said the minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale, Jonatan Julien.

« I’m glad we commemorated it together, so that [les familles et les proches] know that they are not alone in this mourning,” added the deputy for Jean-Lesage, Sol Zanetti.

Official Opposition Leader Claude Villeneuve being absent yesterday, his colleague Anne Corriveau spoke on behalf of the Official Opposition. She underlined the paradox of commemorating a tragedy on a day that is considered festive. « We have a duty to remember, we hope it never happens again. » She paid tribute to the memory of Suzanne Clermont and was delighted by Mr. Fortin’s presence at the plaque unveiling ceremony. “We are closing the loop.”