For the first time in its history, the Banff World Television Festival will award a French-speaking Quebecer its top comedy prize.

Guy A. Lepage, one of la belle province’s most renowned comics and television stars, is this year’s recipient of the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award, named after the late British author, director and actor. With the award -­ which recognizes ‘excellence in a body of work’ – Lepage joins the ranks of John Candy, Barry Humphries (aka Dame Edna), Bob Newhart, Martin Short, Tracy Ullman, Kelsey Grammer, John Cleese and Rick Mercer.

‘I’m very honored, but I must admit I have mixed feelings about getting a lifetime achievement award,’ says Lepage. ”To achieve’ can be translated in French as achever, which means ‘the end of something,’ sort of like death,’ says the 45-year-old comic, displaying his signature dark humor. ‘So I hope it doesn’t mean things are over.’

Things are hardly over for Lepage, who has been a super vedette since his 2004 debut as host of the Sunday night Radio-Canada talk show Tout le monde en parle (translated: ‘Everybody’s talking’). The fast-paced, gossipy weekly current affairs show is appointment television for many Quebecers, attracting up to two million viewers. The show, launching its third season in the fall, features a disparate group of Quebec newsmaker guests – from politicians to porn stars and cult leaders.

‘It’s like a snapshot of a Sunday night in Quebec,’ Lepage says.

With his sardonic tongue and bold questions, Lepage often tries to get his guests to generate headlines. In one episode, he asked CBC chair Guy Fournier what kind of female he would like to be. ‘A big-breasted nymphomaniac,’ Fournier replied. Lepage also put Sheila Copps on the hot seat by asking whether the former heritage minister detested ex-prime minister Paul Martin, or simply hated him. (She responded in French that she didn’t trust him.)

Lepage’s success on TMEP is one of the main reasons he is being honored this year, says Jennifer Harkness, Banff’s director of content. ‘That show alone has made him one of the most influential people in Quebec,’ she says. ‘We thought it was a great year to recognize his talent.’

To date, Quebec’s healthy television industry – the top 20 shows are all homegrown – has not garnered much of a presence at Banff, an international fest with a heavy English-Canadian slant. But the nod to Lepage isn’t meant as a way to woo more Quebec television types to the festival, Harkness insists.

‘We have always been open to Quebec producers,’ she says.

Lepage is unfazed about being the only francophone to ever receive this award. ‘I may not be well known to English-Canadian television viewers, but I’m well known in the industry,’ he says.

Indeed. As the creator, writer and director of hit comedy series Un gars, une fille (A Guy and a Girl), Lepage earned an international reputation as an ingenious television creator. The concept of the series, which depicts the daily conflicts of an urban yuppie couple, ran in Quebec between 1997 and 2003 and its format has been exported to more than 20 countries.

Lepage’s illustrious career began in 1981 with the wildly popular comedy troupe Rock et Belles Oreilles (the name is a variation on Rocquet Belles-Oreilles – the French name for cartoon character Huckleberry Hound). Reputed as the funniest and meanest comedy troupe in Quebec for more than a decade, the group cut more than 60 satirical songs, did radio and stage performances and starred in a weekly television show that won 19 Gemini Awards.

No target escaped RBO’s caustic humor, including the Catholic Church, Quebec nationalism, Céline Dion, hockey and, of course, Montreal cops. Their hit song and video Bonjour la Police – which depicts members of the Montreal police force as doughnut-obsessed and lazy – was said to have inspired a directive to local cops not to park their cruisers outside doughnut shops.

In 2003, Lepage coproduced, codirected and starred in his first feature film, the comedy Camping Sauvage, which took in more than $4 million at the Quebec box office. Lepage has personally won or shared 33 Gemini Awards, 18 Félix Awards and four Métrostar awards.

‘I’m happy that I have dedicated my life to being a clown,’ he says. ‘In Quebec and in North America, people need to laugh. Capitalist society is very stressful. I’m glad I’m a distraction.’

Lepage’s award will be presented during the Banff World Television Awards show on Monday, June 12.