Montreal/CMEDIA: The French priest Abbé Pierre has reportedly been stripped of the National Order of Quebec by the Quebec government the over sexual abuse allegations.
The decision was made by Premier François Legault following a unanimous recommendation from the council that oversees the highest distinction awarded by the Quebec government.
Allegations of sexual assault were first published about Henri Grouès, better known as Abbé Pierre, in a July 2024 report.
To date a total of 45 alleged victims have come forward with accusations of sexual violence, including several who were minors at the time of the alleged abuse.
Having devoted his life to helping the poor and the homeless, Abbé Pierre, who died in 2007, was named a grand officer of the Ordre national du Québec in 1995 by then-premier Jacques Parizeau.
The French actor Gérard Depardieu was also removed by the Quebec government from the National Order of Quebec in December 2023 following the broadcast of a documentary showing him making obscene remarks about women.
