Hon. René Cormier: Dear colleagues, all peoples have their icons, men and women who serve as sources of inspiration and spread hope to those around them.

Recently, thanks to the Association acadienne des artistes professionnels du Nouveau-Brunswick, Acadians paid glowing tribute to the great artist Édith Butler during the Soirée des Éloizes, a televised gala that was broadcast on Radio-Canada.

Édith Butler’s career spanned 60 years. She released 28 albums, selling 2 million copies. She put on countless shows on countless stages in places like Japan, Belgium and France. She performed at Paris’ legendary Olympia music hall and at concert venues in other francophone countries. She met with success ever since she first started performing, in Acadia.

Édith Butler was awarded the Order of Canada and the Ordre de la Pléiade and was named a Chevalier of France’s Ordre National du Mérite. She was made an honorary princess of the Abenaki Nation and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007 for her famous song, “Paquetville.”

In 2009, Canada Post issued a stamp in her honour as part of the Canadian recording artists series.

Together with her agent and long-time collaborator, Lise Aubut, Édith Butler wrote songs in rich, elegant French, songs that have become anthems of love and hope for an entire people. Her voice bears witness to the battles fought by the generations of Acadians who came before her, and her breath contains all the aspirations of the current generation.

Édith Butler is also a champion of freedom. She fought and blazed a trail as an artist and a woman. She planted seeds of hope around her and, today, many young artists are following in her footsteps, inspired by her talent, strength and unwavering determination. Colleagues, Édith Butler is the voice of a francophone people who have been helping to build our country for over 400 years.

I had the great privilege of being her piano accompanist for a few years and, thanks to her, I saw, heard and understood the essential role that artists play in our society. When we are engaging in important debates about the future of our artists and cultural community, let’s not forget the invaluable contribution this sector makes to our society.

On the evening of October 1, in the small village of Petit‑Rocher on the shores of the beautiful Chaleur Bay, where this gala took place, Édith said, and I quote:

When I sing, it’s my father, my mother and my ancestors who are singing. When I sing, it’s an entire people who are singing.

She is right, honourable senators. Édith Butler has been and always will be the spark that ignites the pride of the Acadian people. She has earned her place in the history books, where she will live on forever.

Since it is Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme is “She Did, So Now I Can,” we thank her a million times over for blazing a trail for others to follow, and we also express our love for her a million times over. Thank you, dear Édith.