Rendez-vous 2017: “a huge gift to Quebec”

Photo By Stephanie Martin
Justin Trudeau has visited the Bluenose II with his wife Sophie Grégoire and their three children, Ella-Grace, Xavier and Hadrian.

Stephanie Martin

Wednesday, 19 July, 2017 13:22

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Wednesday, 19 July, 2017 13:22

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The Rendez-vous 2017 Tall ships was launched on Wednesday morning by the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, told a crowd gathered on the docks. “An enormous gift” that Quebec is gives, welcomed the mayor of Quebec city.

In the presence of number of dignitaries, Justin Trudeau and his family have walked the quays of the Old Port, in the middle of a dense crowd of curious people came from everywhere to admire the graceful ships that sailed the seas to Quebec. For Mr. Trudeau, this event represents the canadian values on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

“The tall ships are among the symbols of our country. There is a strong link between our country and the sailing,” commented the prime minister, for whom this was not her first experience of the kind.

In fact, in 1984, he had accompanied his father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who had boarded the Eagle. The organization of the Rendez-vous naval he was given a photo of this event, as he visited the Bluenose II with his wife Sophie Grégoire and their three children, Ella-Grace, Xavier and Hadrian.

Fascination

The mayor Régis Labeaume, it’s a joy to see so many people gathered for the event. He recalled that the signature to attract the Tall ships was made eight years ago, and that he knew from the start that this would be a success. “It fascinates people. I never had any doubt. I was convinced that people would be at the rendezvous. And that is exactly what will happen in the next few days.”

The mayor also invited his fellow citizens to be present at the start of the great vessels, a very moving moment as he himself has already lived in 1984.

The president of RDV2017, Francis Moreault, was very pleased with the starting gun of the event. “It is very encouraging. We expected a strong response from the population. It’s in our DNA, the maritime component, and people want to find it. It makes them dream.”

Movement in slow motion

To see the crowd that moved on foot or by bike, Régis Labeaume was comforted in his decision to put in place restrictions to car traffic in the area. “I said to myself that we had made the right decision to close the Dalhousie and quai Saint-André, because with a lot of the world, in terms of safety, there are always risks. One was pretty happy this morning.” During the passage of the Journal, the circulation in the vicinity of the site was slow, but the caps do not stretch over a very long distance.