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Hundreds of mourners gathered Saturday morning at Notre-Dame Cathedral for the funeral of Ernest Côté, a Second World War veteran, distinguished public servant and diplomat who died last month at the age of 101.
Among the mourners were Veterans Affair Minister Erin O’Toole and his predecessor, Julian Fantino, who got to know Côté during a trip to France last year for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
Afterward, Fantino called the Catholic funeral mass, which was complete with scripture readings, hymns and communion, a “very special service to pay tribute to a wonderful man.”
“He never stopped giving and he never stopped his love for public service and he continued doing that. Right to the end, he was still giving me advice, which I treasured,” Fantino said.
Pallbearers enter the Notre Dame Cathedral with Ernest Côté in Ottawa on Saturday, March 7, 2015.
Ottawa-Vanier MPP Madeleine Meilleur — who paid tribute to Côté recently at Queen’s Park for his life-long commitment to French-language rights and bilingualism — attended the service, as did Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau.
Bordeleau said after the service that members of his force had a “special bond” with Côté who, in December, survived an ordeal that saw a home invader tie up the 101-year-old and force a plastic bag over his head, before fleeing.
Related
The accused attacker was later linked to three gruesome murders that had been unsolved since 2007, and Bordeleau noted that Côté had been helpful to investigators.
Speaking about the experience later, Côté recounted how he was more angry than afraid, saying he’d drawn on his wartime experience to see him through.
“Life is such that when you see these things happen to you, you try to get out. The important thing is to concentrate on how to get out of the position in which you happen to be. If you’re afraid and paralyzed, you don’t move. I was never afraid. I was not afraid of the landing, the D-Day landing. I was not afraid (of his attacker),” he said at the time.
Lovely framed photo of Mr. Côté at the front of Notre-Dame Cathedral. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/QJsqKerTdo
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
This is the scene outside of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Beautiful, clear sky, Parliament Hill in background. #ottnews pic.twitter.com/tN6VX4KMbH
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
Denyse Côté, daughter of Ernest Côté, speaks during her father’s funeral at Notre Dame Cathedral.
In her eulogy, daughter Denyse Côté called her father an “old-school gentleman” who lived by the rule that one should do what must be done.
There were numerous graceful or poignant moments throughout the hour-long service: a stirring rendition of Ave Maria, a crimson poppy on a man’s lapel, a handsomely-framed photograph of Côté smiling widely.
As pallbearers loaded his coffin into a hearse and the church bells rang out, Canadian flags flapped in the wind across the street at the National Gallery of Canada and Parliament Hill stood in the background.
It was a fitting connection, given Côté’s significant contributions as a Canadian.
A choir sings as Mr. Côté's coffin enters Notre-Dame Cathedral, followed by family. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/w5g9uRkF3c
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
A final prayer for Ernest Côté, veteran, diplomat, public servant, gentleman. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/sDxQalWtJ0
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
Côté oversaw logistics for the landing on Juno Beach and went ashore himself the morning of June 6, 1944.
In a 30-year career in the public service after the war, Côté served as Canada’s ambassador to Finland, was deputy solicitor general at the time of the FLQ crisis, and was a deputy minister in two federal departments. He also served as a governor at the University of Ottawa and on the board of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, among many other positions.
After he died, tributes poured in.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was among the first to honour the man, tweeting a tribute: “On behalf of Canadians, Laureen I offer our deepest condolences to the family of WWII Veteran & true Canadian hero, Mr.Ernest Côté.”
Members of Parliament gave Côté a standing ovation in the House of Commons after his death was announced by O’Toole and Ottawa-Orléans MP Royal Galipeau.
“A personal highlight of my public life was meeting Mr. Côté at 101, park his walker and walk on to Juno Beach last year,” O’Toole said then.
And the bells ring out. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/gLGhTIA5X1
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
Among the mourners were Veterans Affair Minister Erin O’Toole and his predecessor, Julian Fantino, who got to know Côté during a trip to France last year for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
Afterward, Fantino called the Catholic funeral mass, which was complete with scripture readings, hymns and communion, a “very special service to pay tribute to a wonderful man.”
“He never stopped giving and he never stopped his love for public service and he continued doing that. Right to the end, he was still giving me advice, which I treasured,” Fantino said.
Pallbearers enter the Notre Dame Cathedral with Ernest Côté in Ottawa on Saturday, March 7, 2015.
Ottawa-Vanier MPP Madeleine Meilleur — who paid tribute to Côté recently at Queen’s Park for his life-long commitment to French-language rights and bilingualism — attended the service, as did Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau.
Bordeleau said after the service that members of his force had a “special bond” with Côté who, in December, survived an ordeal that saw a home invader tie up the 101-year-old and force a plastic bag over his head, before fleeing.
Related
- Obituary: Ernest Côté (1913-2015), D-Day veteran, 'a true Canadian hero'
- Letters: Ernest Côté — ‘Canada has lost a proud veteran’
The accused attacker was later linked to three gruesome murders that had been unsolved since 2007, and Bordeleau noted that Côté had been helpful to investigators.
Speaking about the experience later, Côté recounted how he was more angry than afraid, saying he’d drawn on his wartime experience to see him through.
“Life is such that when you see these things happen to you, you try to get out. The important thing is to concentrate on how to get out of the position in which you happen to be. If you’re afraid and paralyzed, you don’t move. I was never afraid. I was not afraid of the landing, the D-Day landing. I was not afraid (of his attacker),” he said at the time.
Lovely framed photo of Mr. Côté at the front of Notre-Dame Cathedral. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/QJsqKerTdo
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
This is the scene outside of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Beautiful, clear sky, Parliament Hill in background. #ottnews pic.twitter.com/tN6VX4KMbH
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
Denyse Côté, daughter of Ernest Côté, speaks during her father’s funeral at Notre Dame Cathedral.
In her eulogy, daughter Denyse Côté called her father an “old-school gentleman” who lived by the rule that one should do what must be done.
There were numerous graceful or poignant moments throughout the hour-long service: a stirring rendition of Ave Maria, a crimson poppy on a man’s lapel, a handsomely-framed photograph of Côté smiling widely.
As pallbearers loaded his coffin into a hearse and the church bells rang out, Canadian flags flapped in the wind across the street at the National Gallery of Canada and Parliament Hill stood in the background.
It was a fitting connection, given Côté’s significant contributions as a Canadian.
A choir sings as Mr. Côté's coffin enters Notre-Dame Cathedral, followed by family. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/w5g9uRkF3c
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
A final prayer for Ernest Côté, veteran, diplomat, public servant, gentleman. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/sDxQalWtJ0
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
Côté oversaw logistics for the landing on Juno Beach and went ashore himself the morning of June 6, 1944.
In a 30-year career in the public service after the war, Côté served as Canada’s ambassador to Finland, was deputy solicitor general at the time of the FLQ crisis, and was a deputy minister in two federal departments. He also served as a governor at the University of Ottawa and on the board of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, among many other positions.
After he died, tributes poured in.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was among the first to honour the man, tweeting a tribute: “On behalf of Canadians, Laureen I offer our deepest condolences to the family of WWII Veteran & true Canadian hero, Mr.Ernest Côté.”
Members of Parliament gave Côté a standing ovation in the House of Commons after his death was announced by O’Toole and Ottawa-Orléans MP Royal Galipeau.
“A personal highlight of my public life was meeting Mr. Côté at 101, park his walker and walk on to Juno Beach last year,” O’Toole said then.
And the bells ring out. #ottnews #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/gLGhTIA5X1
— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) March 7, 2015
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
