Last night, at the 7^th annual Quebecor Tribute Evening, Quebecor presented the 2019 Quebecor Prize to two towering figures on Québec’s cultural scene, writer Denise Boucher and singer/actor Louise Forestier, before more than 400 members of the arts and business communities assembled at the Chalet du Mont-Royal. Every year, as part of its commitment to promoting Québec artists and culture, Quebecor presents the $50,000 Quebecor Prize to creative talents who have left their mark on Québec’s cultural life.

The Quebecor Tribute Evening is an opportunity for us to thank some of our greatest artists for their invaluable contributions to the richness and distinctiveness of Québec culture. Denise Boucher and Louise Forestier both challenged the orthodoxy of the day at a time when Québec was in ferment. In her own way, each helped to change the role of women in our society by claiming her voice. To this day, their work has an important place in our culture and it will continue to inspire future generations. We are in their debt

Denise Boucher, recipient of the Quebecor Prize

Denise Boucher, one of Québec’s greatest feminist writers, began her career as a journalist before entering the literary realm and publishing collections of poetry and prose, including Retailles and Cyprine. She wrote the lyrics to some of the most popular songs in the Québec repertory for some of our most celebrated singers, including Pauline Julien, Louise Forestier, Gerry Boulet and Dan Bigras. In 1978, she wrote Les fées ont soif, an important feminist play that shocked and awakened Québec, viewed as scandalous by some and an act of liberation by others. In 2018, Denise Boucher was included in Le Petit Larousse illustré.

Louise Forestier, recipient of the Quebecor Prize for Song

Louise Forestier is a prolific and versatile artist who has been part of many vital works of modern Québec culture. In 1968, she performed on the landmark album Robert Charlebois avec Louise Forestier, which included the tracks Lindberg and La marche du Président. Then, with Robert Charlebois, Yvon Deschamps and Mouffe, she helped transform the performing arts in Québec with L’Osstidcho. She subsequently performed in the musical comedies Demain matin Montréal m’attend by Michel Tremblay and Starmania by Michel Bergé and Luc Plamondon, the musical drama Nelligan by Michel Tremblay and André Gagnon, and Michel Brault’s cinematic masterpiece Les Ordres. She also wrote the lyrics to songs recorded by prominent Québec and international artists including Eric Lapointe, Isabelle Boulay and Nana Mouskouri.

Over the years, the Quebecor Prize has been awarded to eminent Québec cultural figures including André Brassard, Renée Claude, Marcel Dubé, Patsy Gallant, Claude Gauthier, Andrée Lachapelle, Raymond Lévesque, Monique Leyrac, Janine Sutto, Armand Vaillancourt and Gilles Vigneault.