The Citadelle, Saturday, July 5, 2008

While on tour, you have travelled the world’s highways.

One of which led you to us and, since then, has brought you back time and again, through song and film, over the years.

Did you not say, in 2001, that it was your last tour in Quebec?

Well, it may have been the last tour, but it was certainly not the last visit or even the last show.

At age 84, to our great delight, you have come back to us again, with the same sparkle in your eye, your heart as warm as ever, your voice as rich and soulful as the first note sung, to celebrate 400 years of French presence in the Americas.

Please allow us to keep you here a while, that we might speak to you of love.

For it is a love story that binds you to your fans on this side of the Atlantic.

To borrow the words from one of your own songs, it was in returning from the City of Québec, with Édith Piaf and Pierre Roche by your side, speaking softly so that friendship might blossom, that love boldly took root in our hearts.

The rest is history. Records, films, encounters, collaborations, loyal friendships.

Those who have come to honour you today know what your loyalty means.

We grew up listening to your songs, and now, the refrains echo among our children.

Charles, seeing you, hearing you, is a timeless pleasure.

You are considered one of the greats of France’s music halls, the greatest international ambassador of la chanson française, a veritable heavyweight of music.

But for us, you are now and will always be our Aznavour. And, if I may add, my Aznavour.

The Charles Aznavour who set our concert halls ablaze and who wore out our record players, back when records were still spinning.

Whose songs became the soundtrack of our daily lives and life’s biggest moments, as was the case for Zachary Beaulieu’s father in Jean-Marc Vallée’s film C.R.A.Z.Y.

Have you seen it?

The singer who built bridges across the ocean so that our artists could travel to France and, in turn, win over the hearts of the French people.

The actor who was part of the heyday of film, when going to the movies was something special; who appeared in works by some of the great filmmakers, such as René Clair, Henri Verneuil, Jean Cocteau, Truffault, Schlöndorf, Chabrol and Lelouche.

Who starred in Atom Egoyan’s Ararat which, I think, was the most personal for you.

And the storyteller, the writer, who brings us beautiful stories with infinite tenderness.

Charles Aznavour, to say it plainly, we would be lost without you.

In joining the ranks of the Order of Canada, you do our country a great honour. An honour that we all share.