Winners 2004
On November 11, 2004, the Commission des services juridiques conferred the 2004 Robert-Sauvé Award to Mrs. Ghislaine Beaulieu and Me Yves Lafontaine. Me Denis Roy, Chairman of the Commission des services juridiques, presented the Award.
The Robert-Sauvé Award honours the exceptional contribution of individuals to promoting the rights of the less fortunate. It is comprised of two components, the General Public Award and the Network Award.
« General Public » category
Mrs. Ghislaine Beaulieu |
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Photo: Paul Ducharme
In the photograph: Mrs. Ghislaine Beaulieu, recipient of the General Public Award of the Award, Me Denis Roy, Chairman of the Commission |
Mrs. Ghislaine Beaulieu
The Award for the General Public Award was conferred on Mrs. Ghislaine Beaulieu, coordinator of the Association coopérative d’économie familiale (ACEF) de l'Estrie. Mrs. Beaulieu is in charge of matters involving the defence of rights, impoverishment, energy and taxation within this organization. Previously, she worked in the fields of cooperation, community work and consumption. In addition to her professional activities, Mrs. Beaulieu has been involved in the life of her community in a variety of ways. She sits on a number of boards of directors of community organizations and is currently chairperson of the board of directors of the Community Legal Centre of the Eastern Townships. Her work in the Eastern Townships was recently recognized when she was awarded the Mérite estrien in the spring of 2004. Mrs. Beaulieu's community involvement, devotion and availability to help others have been the hallmarks of her career. The Robert-Sauvé Award is therefore a fitting tribute to her work and commitment.
« Legal Aid Network » category
Me Yves Lafontaine |
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Me Yves Lafontaine
The Award for the Network Award was conferred on Me Yves Lafontaine who is currently a member of the Administrative Tribunal of Québec and was chairman of the Commission des services juridiques from 1977 to 1991. Me Lafontaine, who was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1963, worked as a lawyer in private practice for 10 years before being asked to establish the Community Legal Centre of the Eastern Townships in 1973. In 1975, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Commission des services juridiques and, in 1977, became its chairman until his departure in 1991, when he was appointed to the position of president of Québec's Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse. In February 1997, he was appointed vice-president of the Commission des affaires sociales and, in April 1999, he was appointed to sit on the Administrative Tribunal of Québec. While he was with the legal aid network, Me Lafontaine's leadership, perseverance and unfailing commitment to legal aid allowed the network to satisfy its mandate to the fullest extent and defend the less fortunate. During Me Lafontaine's term as chairman, his enlightened governance of the legal aid network had a significant social impact, fostering awareness within the courts of the social conditions of the network's clientele.