The Hommes Québec organization, founded by the psychoanalyst, author and speaker, Guy Corneau, is today launching its awareness campaign on the importance of taking care of the health and well-being of men. The organization, supported by its spokespersons, host, author and speaker Richard Turcotte and singer-songwriters Jean-François Breau and Martin Léon, invite men across the province not to hesitate to seek help if necessary, whether from those around them, Hommes Québec or other available resources.
The campaign will conclude with the holding of the 6th edition of the Guy Corneau Hommage Prize on November 15 in Quebec. Created by Hommes Québec in 2019, this Prize recognizes a person and an organization who have contributed significantly to improving the health and well-being of men in Quebec.
“For 30 years, thanks to our speaking and listening groups offered free of charge, virtually or in person, across the province, Hommes Québec has enabled thousands of men to put words to their pain, to validate their feelings, to break their loneliness and to contribute to their personal development,” says Alain Vienneau, honorary president of the 2025 Guy Corneau Hommage Prize and former president of the Board of Directors at Hommes Québec. “By developing their self-knowledge, men become better fathers, spouses, friends, employees and better citizens. Everyone wins, starting with the man himself! « .
Numerous studies and statistics demonstrate that talking about the health and well-being of men is still very relevant today since: increased between 2005 and 2022, both among women and men. Even if the increase is more marked among men (118% vs. 31%), women are nevertheless the main victims of domestic violence. In 2022, they represent a little more than three victims in four (75%).
• Single, separated, divorced or widowed men are significantly more at risk of depression and a high level of psychological distress than men who live with a partner (CRIVIFF, 2007, p. 23). • Men often delay seeking advice: o More than 80% try to resolve their problem alone, o Nearly 70% prefer to keep their problem to themselves ando Nearly half say they are annoyed when someone tries to help them when they are sad or concerned (Fonds de recherche du Québec, 2016, p. 30).
Committed spokespersons! “Ah! Speaking is easy for most men. But when it comes time to talk about their emotions, their trials, their fears or their weaknesses, it gets tough. This is why I agreed to be an ambassador for Hommes Québec. They have in place a completely free speaking and listening group service offered throughout Quebec. It’s important to help men who need to talk, to be listened to in order to allow them to move forward in life and in their lives,” says Richard Turcotte, host, author and speaker.
“I have never been afraid of my sensitivity, nor of speaking openly about my emotions. On the contrary, it is what has always allowed me to move forward, to grow, to better understand others, and to better understand myself. This is why I find the mission of Hommes Québec so essential: to provide a caring space where men can express themselves freely, without fear of judgment, and discover that they are not alone in experiencing what they are experiencing. I am deeply touched by this cause, and proud to join in to encourage dialogue, vulnerability and collective well-being,” explains Jean-François Breau, author, composer, performer and host.
“It is, among other things, through the expression of my sensitivity that I affirm my strength, as a man, in life. It’s part of my values and for me it matters in a society. Agreeing to be a spokesperson for Hommes Québec means living in line with my values,” declared Martin Léon, singer-songwriter and mediator accredited by the University of Sherbrooke.
All people interested in supporting the mission of the organization can do so in different ways: • By making a donation to the organization • By becoming a member • By becoming a volunteer
Hommes Québec would like to sincerely thank its spokespersons Richard Turcotte, Jean-François Breau and Martin Léon who support their mission and help promote positive masculinity in the media.
A huge thank you also to the Guy Corneau estate for its unwavering support which made possible the holding of this campaign and the presentation of the Guy Corneau Tribute Prize. Thank you to all the provincial deputies for their financial support for this campaign in their respective regions: Ms. Genevieve Guilbault, riding of Louis-Hebert, Mr. Sylvain Lévesque, riding of Chevreau, Mr. Sébastien Scheeberger, riding of Drummond Bois-Francs, Ms. Marine Biron, riding of Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, Mr. Gilles Bélanger, riding of Orford, Mr. Youi Chassin, riding of Saint-Jérôme, Mr. Jean Boulet, riding of Trois Rivières, Ms. Sonia LeBel, riding of Champlain, Ms. Marie-Louise Tardif, riding of Laviolette Saint-Maurice, Ms. Marie-Belle Gendron, riding of Chateauguay, Mr. Ian Lafrenière, riding of Vachon, Mr. Jean Francois Roberge, riding of Chambly, Ms. Linda Caron, riding of La Pinière, Mr. Frédéric Beauchemin, riding of Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Ms. Suzanne Tremblay, riding of Hull, Mr. Yannick Gagnon, riding of Jonquière, and Ms. Andrée Laforest, riding of Chicoutimi.
About Hommes Québec: Noting within its practice that men needed a safe space to express themselves, its founder, Guy Corneau, a recognized psychoanalyst, speaker and author, decided to get socially involved by founding the Réseau Hommes Québec in 1993, which has now been called, since 2018, Hommes Québec. Since then, the charity has set up hundreds of talking and listening groups which still allow thousands of men across the province to break their loneliness, contribute to their personal development and improve their emotional intelligence. Over the years, networks have also been created abroad: the Réseau Hommes Belgique, the Réseau Rhône-Alpes and the Réseau Hommes Suisse romande.
About Guy CorneauDeceased in 2017, Guy Corneau, a recognized psychoanalyst, author and speaker who was very present in the Quebec media landscape, had a mission to promote the health and well-being of men. He has dedicated his career to promoting creative expression that leads to fulfillment. Questioning the role of man in society was at the heart of his approach. It was in this context that he published his first book with Éditions de l’Homme in 1989: Missing Father, Missing Son. This book, which enjoyed great popularity, shed light on the silent suffering that accompanies the absence of a father. Guy Corneau also helped to challenge the stereotypical roles that men believed they had to adhere to. He continued to share his vision around the world via conferences in Europe, the United States, Japan, Brazil and Quebec. Guy Corneau also published Comme un cri du coeur in 1992, a collective work co-written with Hubert Reeves and Albert Jacquard (Les éditions L’Essentiel); Love at War in 1996 (Les Éditions de l’Homme); The Healing of the Heart in 2000 (Les Éditions de l’Homme); Victim of others, executioner of oneself in 2003 (Les Éditions de l’Homme); The Best of Oneself in 2007 (Les Éditions de l’Homme); and Relive! in 2011 (Les Éditions de l’Homme). In 2018, he published his 9th and final book, Better love to love better (Editorial).