When she arrives at Rockefeller Center on September 11, 2001, the former Quebec delegate in New York, Diane Wilhelmy, quickly realizes that the day will not be like any other.
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“The first attack had just happened. Then we saw the second plane entering the tower through the window. At that time, I knew it was a terrorist act, ”she says, in an interview with The newspaper.
Quickly, the delegate, who is the representative of Quebec, must become the captain of the boat and take the controls. “We had to tell ourselves that we had difficult times ahead of us,” she recalls.
“As the boss, I asked my people and my assistants to bring everyone together in the great hall. I asked them not to leave, not to leave in a panic. We had to wait for the evacuation of Rockefeller Center, ”she said.
Keep cool
It was a major logistical challenge. Because at that time, several Quebecers were in town to participate in Quebec-New York 2001, the largest marketing operation in Quebec history, which was to be held from September 13. The government had invested $ 16 million in this cultural, economic and political event which was to highlight Quebec innovation.
The event was to be held in the World Financial Center, a stone’s throw from the World Trade Center.
“I had to keep my cool. My fear was losing people all over town. My mandate was to protect Quebecers, we had to know where they were, make lists, we had to house them, ”she recounts in great detail.
The Quebecers were finally evacuated and the delegation obtained special authorization to put the Quebec flag in front of Rockefeller Center with a banner indicating the address of the apartment of the delegate who became the crisis cell.
Find Quebecers
Michel Létourneau was commissioner general of Quebec-New York 2001. After arriving at 8 am that morning in New York, he found himself at the heart of the current operation.
“We were evacuated and there was a tide of people in the streets. And I thought of the collaborators who were very close to the towers. It was a continual thought, ”he says.
In the field, the event’s production manager, Philippe Canon, uses walkie-talkies because the cellular network is completely saturated. “I was focused on checking that everyone was correct,” he says.
In the former delegate’s official apartment, Quebecers arrive, some full of dust and debris. At one point, there are a hundred.
Bernard Landry takes action
“I managed to speak to Premier Bernard Landry a little before noon. I asked him to cancel the Quebec-New York event, because I had to repatriate people. He was extraordinary and he helped me in my process ”, relates Mme Wilhelmy.
Quebec buses that had arrived the day before for the exhibition were then requisitioned to carry out repatriations. A total of 130 people returned to Quebec in two days.
Finally, there were no deaths or serious injuries to the Quebec delegation.
“It’s a miracle that there were no injuries,” says Michel Létourneau.
“It was the day of miracles”, adds the former delegate.
A relationship that has grown stronger
Although the event was traumatic, the relationship between New Yorkers and Quebecers strengthened after September 11.
“There has been a transformation in our business relationship which has become a relationship of friendship. When New Yorkers needed us, Quebec was there. I will always remember the concert of Mozart’s Requiem by Les Violons du Roy. It was so appreciated, ”recalls the former delegate.
“The event was not canceled completely. But it sure would have been a great time. We had worked for two years, we were about to deliver our product and it all happened. We felt guilty, because our own mourning was nothing compared to the mourning of humanity, ”says Michel Létourneau.
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