Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate
The funeral for Valerie Fortier, president of Les Agricultrices du Québec, has been set for Sept. 21 in Victoriaville following her sudden death last month in a plane crash in the Haute Mauricie region in the north central sector of the province.
Fortier, 42, the mother of three who operated a dairy farm with her father in St. Valère, just west of Victoriaville, was killed Aug. 31, when the small plane she was travelling in crashed in a remote area near La Tuque after taking off from a former military airport in Casey, a small village halfway between Saguenay and Rouyn-Noranda.
The crash happened just after 5 p.m. on Aug. 31. According to the Sûreté du Québec, the plane issued a distress call before it fell from the sky and caught fire. Both Fortier and the pilot, Jean-Pier Godin, 41, of St. Eulalie, were declared dead at the scene.
“Ms. Fortier was one of the pillars of our organization, passionately championing the cause of Quebec women farmers for several years now,” said a statement issued by Les Agricultrices. “Her sudden passing leaves an immense void that we still struggle to measure and understand.”
“She was a mother, an entrepreneur, a farmer and, above all, an exceptional woman with a contagious and inspiring passion,” the statement continued. “The board of directors of Les Agricultrices du Québec and all members extend their sincere condolences to her family and loved ones.”
The SQ is investigating the crash along with the Quebec Coroner’s office. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has also initiated a probe to determine the cause of the accident.
The SQ could not confirm if the flight was related to the AéroVenture 2025 event that was held at the Casey airbase that weekend, but the organizer of air show that welcomes pilots of small aircraft, Noar Cohen, posted a video on social media Sept. 1, confirming the accident, and saying he was one of two people who were first on the scene of the crash.
On Sept. 3, Cohen took to social media again saying authorities were looking for anyone who participated in the event that had video recordings related to the accident, including footage of the plane’s takeoff or of the craft as it stalled before the crash.
Fortier was named president of Les Agricultrices du Québec in 2023. In a statement Sept. 3, the group said several projects were carried out under her leadership, including a major awareness campaign about the mental load female farmers carry as they put in countless hours of what is commonly referred to as “invisible work,” which includes child care, meal preparation and maintaining the home, along with work to run the farm business.
Fortier — who was predeceased by her husband, Sebastien Nolet, who died in 2013 — leaves to mourn her three children — Marylune, Félix and Maya.
Cutline:
Valérie Fortier was named president of Les Agricultrices du Québec in 2023.