Allocution de M. Michel Pigeon, recteur de l'Université Laval,
au souper offer en l'honneur de M. Richard J. Schmeelk,
au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, le 27 juin 2005, à 18h30

Monsieur Schmeelk,
Monsieur Levitt,
Monsieur Savard,
Distingués invités,
Mesdames et messieurs,

Je suis très heureux de pouvoir me joindre à vous ce soir pour souligner la contribution remarquable d'un grand personnage et surtout, le remercier. Je parle évidemment de notre ami Richard Schmeelk qui recevra demain matin l'Ordre du Québec.

Mister Schmeelk, you are truly a remarkable man. When our common friend, Guy Savard (one of Université Laval's great alumni, I might add) asked if I would co-sponsor with him your nomination for l'Ordre du Québec, I was delighted, and honoured, to do so.

Your contribution to Quebec and, indeed, to all of Canada, has been nothing short of exemplary: as a brilliant financial advisor to countless political leaders and CEOs; as a generous and committed philanthropist for the arts and education, and as a builder of bridges whose vision has helped establish stronger ties between this country's French and English cultures, particularly through the creation of a scholarship program promoting student exchanges at Ontario's Western University, and Quebec's Université Laval.

As we celebrate and thank you tonight, Mr. Schmeelk, I find it somewhat amusing that it was exactly 60 years ago, in 1945, that a young Canadian writer by the name of Hugh MacLennan published his book The Two Solitudes, one of our great national literary treasures, which explores the challenging realities of linguistic and cultural co-habitation by our country's French and English citizens.

You, sir, an American from New York, believed that it was possible, if not vitally important, to foster greater understanding between the two and, in so doing, to help reduce regional disparities and strengthen Canadian unity among your neighbours to the North.

In 1983, you undertook to invest a million dollars of your money to create the Richard J. Schmeelk Scholarship Fund with the University of Western Ontario and Université Laval as your partners. As a result, numerous professionals, men and women at the post-graduate level, have benefited from your generosity. These highly qualified individuals have become staunch good-will ambassadors in their respective areas of work, bridge-builders such as yourself, sir, on behalf of the two, we hope, lessened solitudes.

Since the inception of this scholarship program, Laval University has had the pleasure of welcoming 30 of these outstanding students in its classrooms.

You have shown to be generous of your time as well, by meeting personally with these good will ambassadors to determine how as leaders, or future leaders, they develop through this scholarship program a greater sense of what Canada is, or should be, in order that they too can contribute to our common good. It is no surprise, therefore, that Laval bestowed upon you in 1991 an honorary doctorate in Administration.

I suppose the proof is in the pudding, as they say. Because your vision, Mr. Schmeelk, was such that it brought together, around your Foundation Board table, leading Canadian figures such as the Honourable Raymond Garneau, the Honourable Bill Davis, the Right Honourable John Turner, the Honourable Darcy McKeough and Monsieur Jean De Grandpré, to name but a few.

In an article written for the Business Quarterly magazine by someone you know well, Mr. Richard Dillon, it is said that these distinguished individuals believed, and I quote: " in developing a new breed of Canadian manager, one with a truer understanding of our cultural differences and a willingness to tackle them".

In addition, over the years, you have helped us at Laval as Chairman of Friends of Laval out of New York. For this special contribution that you have made, sir, I am personally grateful to you. And I look forward to working closely with you over the coming months to establish strong and meaningful partnerships in the United States.

Mark Twain once said of Canada that it had far too much geography, and definitely not enough history. I can't tell you how proud I am, as we all are, at Université Laval, to be associated with you, Mr. Schmeelk, a man who has significantly contributed to our national history.

Merci au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal pour cette très agréable soirée en compagnie de notre ami Richard Schmeelk, et merci de votre attention.