Landry ‘was someone we liked very much’

After the elaborate state funeral of last week, the fellow citizens of former premier Bernard Landry shared a more intimate ceremony on Saturday in Verchères, a city south of Montreal where Landry lived for more than 30 years. Almost 100 citizens came together in the morning at St-Francois-Xavier Church, located a few kilometres from Landry’s home near his beloved St. Lawrence River. At the ringing of the bells at 10 a.m., Landry’s casket was carried into the small church, with his widow, Chantal Renaud, following behind, along with his three children from his previous marriage with the late Lorraine Laporte. The Bloc Québécois member of Parliament from the region, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, as well as the Coalition Avenir Québec MNA, Suzanne Dansereau, attended the funeral. Residents from the region were paying homage to their fellow citizen, but also the former MNA for Verchères, who represented them at the National Assembly from 1994 to 2005. If Landry was a powerful minister within the government before becoming premier, residents of the region remembered him more as an MNA who was ever present, often seen walking along Marie-Victorin St. He helped his fellow citizens lower the speed limit on that route. “He was a respectful man who loved the river as we do,” said resident Louise Valiquette. “We started a petition and he signed it. He was someone we liked very much.” Others remembered he was always present at local Parti Québécois and Bloc Québécois members meetings and corn roasts, and played a hand in local events.