BRAVO Paul Demers for this posthumous prize (August 2023).

Paul was one of our best-known Franco-ontarian artists. His song, Notre Place, which is the anthem of Franco-Ontarians, has been added to the Pantheon of Canadian authors and composers. See the Pantheon website: https://www.cshf.ca/fr/2023-inductions-notre-place/

This wonderful song was created for the official inauguration evening of Ontario’s French-language Services Act 8. This evening has a deep meaning for all Franco-Ontarians. For our member Maurice also because he was there at the time as an assistant to the Minister of Franco-Ontarian Affairs of Ontario. The lyrics of this song can be found opposite.

You should also watch the two videos: the first on this historic evening of November 18, 1989 where Paul sings the song for the first time :  https://www.youtube.com/watch ? v=fQ0-Ru_ejXU

and the second where it was sung in 2017 by a whole skewer of artists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=nJ82_lxuf2s .