The City of Montreal announced that a lookout in the borough of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles has been named after Francine Lalonde – who was a longtime Bloc Québécois MP.
The new lookout is located at 12,090 Notre-Dame Street East – in an area Lalonde represented in Parliament.
The City of Montreal said they wanted to pay tribute to Lalonde for her contributions to Quebec society.
“The Francine-Lalonde Lookout is a true jewel of our borough, and its name in tribute to this great woman reinforces the link between our history and the future,” said Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles Mayor Caroline Bourgeois. “This place, in the heart of the heritage sector of Old Pointe-aux-Trembles, offers our community and visitors a space that is both inspiring and unifying, while honouring an emblematic figure of our society.”
Francine Lalonde was a teacher, trade unionist and politician.
She became the first female vice-president of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) in 1976. Lalonde was later recruited by René Lévesque, where she served as the Minister for the Status of Women in 1985 before being elected to the House of Commons in 1993.
Before her passing, she represented Mercier, then La Pointe-de-l’Île, for six consecutive terms.
“Lalonde was a lady who left a rich legacy to our Quebec society and the community of Pointe-de-l’Île, which she served for many years,” said Bourgeois.
She also played a crucial role in the right to die with dignity law – a fight that led to the ban on medical assistance in dying being lifted by the Supreme Court of Canada a few months after her death in 2014 at the age of 73.
“By naming this lookout after Francine Lalonde, we are not only recognizing her exceptional contributions to Quebec society, but we are also highlighting the importance of preserving the memory of inspiring women who have marked the history of Montreal and Quebec,” said Projet Montréal member Ericka Alneus. “This place will become a symbol of its unwavering commitment to rights and freedoms, while providing a space for contemplation and gathering for the community.”
