Actress and former senator Viola Leger, best known as La Sagouine, dies at 92
Actress, teacher and former senator Viola Leger has died at the age of 92.
A release from management company Le Grenier musique says Leger died Saturday in Dieppe, New Brunswick.
Leger was best known for her portrayal of the character La Sagouine in the play of the same name by Antonine Maillet, playing the role more than three-thousand times and winning the Dora Mavor Moore Award in 1981 for her performance. In 2013, she was recognized by the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards with the Lifetime Artistic Achievement for theatre.
She was appointed to the Senate in 2001 by then Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien, serving as a representative of New Brunswick until 2005.
In a statement on Facebook, federal Minister of Official Languages Ginette Petitpas Taylor wrote Acadia will never again have such a loyal ambassador, saying La Sagouine was not only the role of Leger's career and life, but "also represented a symbol of great pride and tenacity for all Acadians."
Leger was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1989.
She retired from public life in 2017 after having suffering a stroke.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the near future.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.