Many words have been spoken and written about Jean Lapierre.

He has been eulogized without exception as a kind and generous human being who bridged a cultural divide, who helped people understand how their government works and why it is so important.

He understood the theory of realpolitik, the strategy of politics, the vanity of politics, and the blood sport of politics, and he taught us with conviction, verve and a sharp sense of humour.

He was the ultimate insider because he had been there himself in the political trenches.

He knew that for most people laws were indeed like sausages, it’s better not to see them being made... but he was always aware of how those laws affected people in their daily lives.

He knew that informed voters were vital to a healthy democracy.

For him, politics was much too serious a matter to be left just to the politicians

The book he wrote with Chantal Hebert, The Morning After, on the inside story of the 1995 Quebec referendum, is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand modern Quebec politics and how we got here from there.

He was always fair. He chastised and mocked and praised equally. And the smile, always that smile.

His message and commentary was the same in both languages. You wouldn’t hear him say one thing on TVA and then something else on CTV.

He understood the English-speaking community and he knew that as hostile as some might be in certain quarters of Quebec, that we were always part of the solution and never part of the problem in the linguistic and constitutional wars that have dominated debate here for generations.

He knew that this is our home as much as anyone’s.

Not so very long ago, I remember we were chatting not about politics but about children.

We took out our phones and ooohed and aahhed as we took turns showing pics of the grandkids.

We talked about his vacations, his cruises and the plans he had to bring all of his family together in Florida for an early celebration of his 60th birthday.

 

Others may try to fill his spot but no one will ever come close to Jean Lapierre in insight, grace and kindness.

In Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote:

"He was a man, take him for all in all,

I shall not look upon his like again."

Our deepest sympathies to his family.

Salut Salut.