Laurent E. Rivard

A Boucherville building has been named in memory of Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, who died in 2007 while deployed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Mr. Duchesne was only 34 years old and the father of three young girls, aged 3, 5, and 9 at the time. On July 1st, as part of the 154th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, the City of Boucherville unveiled the new name of the building located at 20 Pierre-Boucher in Old Boucherville, which previously housed the Boucherville Volunteer Action Centre.

A Boucherville Resident Mr. Duchesne grew up and lived in Boucherville until the age of 20. He attended Sacré-Cœur and Des Jeunes Découvreurs elementary schools, De Mortagne high school, and Édouard-Montpetit CEGEP. He attended university for a year before joining the Canadian Armed Forces. During his teenage years, he was actively involved in Boucherville's sports life.

"He was a man of great strength of character and capable of great empathy," his father emphasized during the inauguration ceremony. "It was Radio-Canada journalist Patrick Roy who made this remark to me after my son's death." He was with him, reporting on Canadian troops, in the armored vehicle that exploded after driving over a mine hidden under the road. A paramedic and also a paratrooper, Mr. Duchesne was called upon to follow troops into combat zones, which exposed him to greater danger. He served two tours in Bosnia before the third in Afghanistan, which was unfortunately his last.

“The Christian-Duchesne Centre will welcome the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 266 Pierre-Boucher, St. John Ambulance, a Boucherville scout group, and the Loisirs et répit Sans Limites association. These organizations are close to Mr. Duchesne, who was passionate about health sciences, working as a medical technician in the Canadian Armed Forces, in addition to caring for disadvantaged civilians, youth, and war wounded during his time in Afghanistan. It is an honor to name this Centre after him and allow us to remember the man and father he was,” said Mayor Jean Martel.

The inauguration took place in the presence of Mr. Martel, as well as members of the Royal Canadian Legion, the Loisir répit Sans Limites association, the Société d'histoire des Îles-Percées, St. John Ambulance, and the Sainte-Famille and Saint-Louis Scouts. Several family members and friends were also present, including Christian Duchesne's parents, his brother, Sylvain, and his three daughters, Justine, Ariane, and Camille.