MONTEREGIE, Que. - Nearly 1,200 people turned out this afternoon to pay their last respects to former Liberal MP Serge Marcil, who died during the earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12.
The services for Marcil, husband of Conseil du statut de la femme president Christiane Pelchat, took place at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in Monteregie, Quebec.
Many politicians from different political backgrounds who had known Marcil attended the funeral to pay their final respects including former Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and former Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
The body of Marcil, who would have turned 66 on Jan. 20, was found last Friday in the rubble of the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince, 11 days after the quake.
His wife traveled to the devastated area to try and find her husband, who had just arrived in Haiti.
While she declined an interview, Pelchat had spoken earlier about the man in her life:
"He often said that when it came to working for a living, it was best to do it by helping and supporting human development," she said. "He was a big humanist."
"This country the we love is devastated," she continued. "I cry for all those who loved him and who disapeared with him."
During his brief comments to the media, Johnson described his colleague and friend as devoted and having a big heart.
"He was the essence of political energy," he said. "He was very close to people, he was an MP before all else, to represent the people of his riding."
Marcil was working as vice-president with the engineering firm SM International when he was killed.
