Description

The Robert-Sauvé Award honours the exceptional contributions of two people who have worked on behalf of the less fortunate. One prize is awarded to someone working the legal aid network, the other to a member of the public-at-large. Candidates for the award must have devoted themselves to this cause for many years and carried out their work in Québec.

The award is named after the first chairman of legal aid in Québec, The Honourable Robert Sauvé, Chairman of the Commission des services juridiques from 1972 to 1977. Robert Sauvé was convinced that a legal aid system was essential to ensuring access to justice for all Québecers. The winners of the awards have the privilege of being associated with one of the most ardent defenders of the rights of the less fortunate.

The award was handed out for the first time in 1999, posthumously to the Honourable Robert Sauvé.

Network Award

General Public Award

Selection Committee

• a member of the Commission des services juridiques, other than the Chairman;
• a staff lawyer appointed by the Directors General;
• an external member chosen by the Commissioners. That person must be either a judge or someone publicly well-known and respected.

How do you submit a nomination?
Any person or organization who wishes to submit one or more nominees for consideration must send a complete file that includes:

• a nomination form;
• an introductory letter;
• two letters of support;
• a description of the career and exceptional acts of the nominee.

Nomination forms are also available at your regional community legal centre.

The Robert Sauvé Award will be presented in odd-numbered years. Due to the pandemic, the award will not be presented in 2021.

Complete nomination files must be sent  exceptionally before June 30^th to the following address:

Robert-Sauvé Award Committee
Commission des services juridiques
P.O. Box 123
Station Desjardins
Montreal, Québec, H5B 1B3

Information
M^e Richard La Charité
(514) 873-3562, extension 232
rlacharite@csj.qc.ca
or your regional community legal centre      

 

Documentation

Dépliant
(French only)
Selection Criteria and Process
(French only)
Candidacy Application Form
(French only)

2019
2017
2015
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
1999
All

Winners 2005

On November 10, 2005, the Commission des services juridiques conferred the 2005 Robert-Sauvé Award to Mr. Gilles Trahan and, posthumously, to Mrs. Lyne Garon. 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.

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« General Public » category

Mr. Gilles Trahan

Photo: Paul Ducharme In the photograph: Mr. Gilles Trahan, recipient of the general Public Award of the Award, Me Denis Roy, Chairman of the Commission des services juridiques, and Mrs. Stéphanie Garon, sister of the late Mrs. Lyne Garon, who rec

Mr. Gilles Trahan
The Award for the General Public Award was conferred on Mr. Gilles Trahan, chairman of the board of the Community Legal Centre of the Outaouais. Mr. Trahan has been a board member for 25 years and the board chairman since 1991. During all of these years, Mr. Trahan has spared no effort to ensure that quality legal services are provided throughout Québec to the less affluent members of our society. He has made an exceptional contribution to maintaining, improving and promoting the rights of the less fortunate. Concurrently with his involvement with the Community Legal Centre of the Outaouais, Mr. Trahan also devoted his time to several organizations whose primary objective is to help those least fortunate in our society. He is the founding chairman of the 'Soupière de l’amitié' which was established in 1986. He has also been involved as a volunteer in Centraide's annual fundraising campaigns and in a number of other charitable and social activities in his region. Mr. Trahan has always endeavoured to denounce social injustice and has worked tirelessly to redress such injustice.

« Legal Aid Network » category

Mrs. Lyne Garon

Mrs. Lyne Garon
The Award for the Network Award was conferred, posthumously, on Mrs. Lyne Garon who was employed by the legal aid network as an intake and desk officer for more than 31 years. Mrs. Garon was an active participant in the creation and organization of the union of legal aid support employees of which she was the first president. She held this position until 1995. She was known as a strong activist for women's rights and, in her quest for justice, contributed to the development of a legal aid system that emphasizes justice and fairness for women. Throughout her years working for legal aid, she always had the well-being of the clients of her bureau at heart. She put her all into ensuring their satisfaction, reassuring them and steering them towards those who could help them. She consistently showed a keen interest in legal aid and was highly appreciated by her co-workers for her joviality, vivacity and willingness to listen to others, traits that ensure she will not be forgotten. She is the first support staff member to receive the Robert-Sauvé Award.