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Gino Chouinard's new chapter

Looking back at a family stay in the Chic-Chocs

In collaboration with Carol-Anne Tremblay

Gino Chouinard woke up Québec audiences at the helm of Salut Bonjour Week-end and Salut Bonjour for 21 years. His candor and sincere friendliness earned him all the plaudits he received last June when he left the show in pursuit of new challenges.

Gino was freshly rested and looking forward to the next chapter in his career when we welcomed him to the Gaspésie region, offering a moment's respite with his family, at the heart of Rivière Madeleine sector of Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs. A unique opportunity to discover Gino in a spotlight-free environment, disconnected from the city, but connected, this time, to his love of fishing and nature.

(Video in French only)

Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq

How does nature help you relax?

It's not always easy for me to relax and let go. I'm a guy who organizes things and makes sure they're done right. I always put a lot of pressure on myself. It's not so much a question of working more, but of working better, ensuring that everything lives up to my expectations... which is difficult, because I'm not easily satisfied! I’m often caught up in a dynamic of execution, performance, and work. Rarely do I say to myself, "Take the time to do something relaxing." It usually takes me two or three days to get into that frame of mind and accept a change of pace.

The world of nature offers a whole other dynamic. I'm quicker to accept this slow, gentle rhythm, and I fully embrace it. That's what life's all about! When I decided to leave Salut Bonjour, I wanted to slow down and explore new things. A “natural” stay like this gives me a chance to reflect on the transition ahead. I couldn't live at nature’s pace all the time, but appreciating and living these moments, as I do now, makes me want to do so more often. That's my wish and hope for the future.

Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq
Rivière Madeleine
Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq

How do you feel when you're immersed in the world of nature?

In the natural world, I feel relaxed. It's as if nature calms the hectic pace of everyday life. There's something bigger than us, reminding us of how small we are compared to the immensity of Mother Nature’s realm. We had a strong headwind when we arrived this week, which turned into a gentle, calm breeze afterwards. I'm feeling a bit buffeted by the winds of change at the moment: the strong headwind represents the challenges of recent years, which, though demanding, were not unpleasant. The current calm is more like the real me: I’m feeling mellow, content, relaxed, and satisfied.

How important is protecting nature to you?

It's gratifying to see that, in recent years, we've been asking ourselves more and more questions about our relationship with nature and how we should care for the natural world. Sépaq is one of the key players, but others need to get involved too. This stay has helped me to see how important it is to take action. Salmon rivers are getting low, getting warmer, and the resource is becoming scarce. We need to adopt responsible fishing and outdoor practices. One day, I'd like my grandchildren to come fishing here in Gaspésie with Grandpa! A resilient natural environment is essential for one and all, and we need to take good care of the natural world.

How does sharing these moments with your family make you feel?

That's what I find most precious, the time spent together. We're often surrounded by lots of other family members and friends, which is amazing, but it's also important to create and experience these close family moments from time to time. Even in silence, this family bubble is meaningful, because we're doing something together. That's what we’ve experienced this week. We haven't always been together, side by side, but we've shared this experience, and it’s done us all a world of good.

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Gino will be taking a well-deserved break for the next few months. He'll be crossing Canada, from Vancouver to Montreal, aboard a panoramic train. A journey that will allow him to fulfill his desire to see the Rockies. What next? He's in no hurry. Even though the offers of collaboration and work are piling up, he wants to take some time for himself this autumn. We'll be keeping an eye out for a new release in the next few weeks...!

Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs
Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs Pierre-Nicolas Lessard | © Sépaq

Want to follow Gino's example and discover the Gaspésie region?

Carol-Anne Tremblay

About Carol-Anne Tremblay

Carol-Anne has a knack for getting away from it all. Whether she's biking, hiking, camping, fishing, skiing or staying in a refuge, she loves to get away to the forest to spend her energy and relax. Always up for the next adventure, she answers the call of nature as often as she can. She has been Sépaq's content manager since fall 2022.

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