News room/ Press Releases
Media Contacts
For more information on the Commission des services juridiques, members of the media should contact Mr Nadine Koussa, Communications responsible at 514-873-3562 ext: 5249.
Press Releases
Press Releases 2015
Montreal, November 6, 2015 On November 5, 2015, Me Denis Roy, Chairman of the Commission des services juridiques, proudly presented the 2015 Robert-Sauvé Awards in Longueuil. The awards were created in order to recognize the exceptional contribution of individuals to promoting the rights of the less fortunate. The prize is named after the founding chairman of legal aid in Québec, the honourable Robert Sauvé, who was Chairman of the Commission des services juridiques from 1972 to 1977. One award is presented to a person from within the legal aid network and another to a member of the general public.
This year, the Robert-Sauvé Award in the Legal Aid Network category was bestowed posthumously on Me Claude Hargreaves for his 41 years of commitment and involvement in the Community Legal Centre of Montréal and the legal aid network. The winner of the 2015 Robert-Sauvé Award in the General Public category is Ms. Nicole Poirier for her exceptional work with those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Me Claude Hargreaves
Me Hargreaves devoted his career to helping the least fortunate in our society. He was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1967 and began his career in private practice. In 1973, he joined the ranks of the Community Legal Centre of Montréal (CCJM) as a lawyer. In December 1973, he became the Director of the Mercier legal aid office. Subsequently, he successively held the position of Director of the Civil Law Division, Director of Legal Services and, lastly, Director General from 2001 until his retirement in 2014.
Me Hargreaves was a tireless worker and contributed significantly to the credibility and visibility of the CCJM. His in-depth knowledge of the legal aid network, his vision and the credibility of his actions contributed to the survival of the organization when its existence was in jeopardy. Me Hargreaves, one of the builders and reformers of the legal aid network, steadfastly defended the need for such a network in order to ensure the defence of our most disadvantaged citizens.
Ms. Nicole Poirier
Ms. Poirier is the Executive Director of the Carpe Diem – Centre de Ressources Alzheimer and founder of the Maison Carpe Diem in Trois-Rivières. Ms. Poirier, who developed a humanistic approach to people with Alzheimer’s disease, has made Carpe Diem’s approach an international reference for services aimed at this type of clientele. The Carpe Diem approach prioritizes a human connection that seeks to listen to people and understand their specific needs by leveraging the strengths and abilities of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Ms. Poirier’s expertise has allowed her to participate in parliamentary committees, to sit on the committee of experts responsible for developing a national action plan to deal with Alzheimer’s disease and to lecture in Québec, France, Belgium, Switzerland and the West Indies.
In recognition of her exceptional career, Ms. Poirier was awarded the National Assembly’s Medal of Honour in May 2010.
About the Commission des services juridiques
The Commission des services juridiques is the agency charged with applying the Act respecting legal aid and the provision of certain other legal services in Québec. Legal aid may be granted to anyone who is financially eligible, in order to cover various legal services involving civil, family, administrative, criminal, mental health, immigration or youth law matters. It is also the agency charged with offering the services provided for in the Act to promote access to justice in family matters, namely, the Homologation Assistance Service (HAS), which has been in effect since October, 10, 2013, and the Service administratif de rajustement des pensions alimentaires pour enfants (SARPA), a child support recalculation service which has been in effect since April, 1st, 2014.
For more information, please visit the website of the Commission des services juridiques at http://www.csj.qc.ca.
-30-
Source:
Me Richard La Charité, rlacharite@csj.qc.ca
Director, Communications Department
(514) 873-3562, extension 261