MONTREAL, Nov. 3, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - On November 2, 2017, Me Yvan Niquette, Chairman of the Commission des services juridiques, proudly presented the 2017 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 on the Honourable Élizabeth Corte, Judge of the Court of Québec, for her 26 years of commitment and contribution to the field of criminal law at the Community Legal Centre of Montreal and in a variety of associations. The winner of the 2017 Robert-Sauvé Award in the General Public category is Me Denis Falardeau for his 35-year involvement and commitment working with low-income consumers and community organizations.
The Honourable Élizabeth Corte
In July 1973, Madame Justice Corte articled in criminal law at the Montreal legal aid office. She pursued her career as a criminal lawyer in the same legal aid office, at a time when few women practised criminal law.
Not wasting any time, she began to champion the defence of the rights and freedoms of disadvantaged persons and respect for human dignity. She became a role model and resource person for other lawyers.
In 1981, she joined the management team in the criminal law section of the Montreal legal aid office, where her leadership shone.
She became involved with the Association des avocats de la défense de Montréal, where she was a two-term chair of its board of directors. She sat on the board of directors of the Société de criminologie du Québec for twelve years.
From 1997 until her appointment to the bench in 2000, she was vice-president of the International Criminal Defence Attorneys Association, of which she was a founding member.
Throughout her 26-year career in legal aid and later as a judge of the Court of Québec, Madame Justice Corte has always been concerned with access to justice and has defended the importance of an efficient legal aid system in order to help those who are most disadvantaged.
Me Denis Falardeau
At the age of 30, Me Falardeau decided to study law. From the outset of his career, he represented workers, those who had suffered employment injuries, under legal aid mandates or on a pro bono basis.
For 35 years, he has defended low-income consumers and has been involved in organizations such as the Réseau québécois de l'action communautaire autonome du Québec, the advisory committee of the Office de la protection du consommateur, the Association coopérative d'économie familiale de Québec, the Coalition solidarité Santé, and Vigilance OGM.
Me Falardeau has served the most disadvantaged individuals within our community for many years with generosity and competence, making a truly exceptional contribution to society.
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) and the Service administratif de rajustement des pensions alimentaires pour enfants (SARPA), a child support recalculation service.
For more information, please visit the website of the Commission des services juridiques at: http://www.csj.qc.ca .
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Me Richard La Charité, [email protected] |
SOURCE Commission des services juridiques
Me Richard La Charité, [email protected], Secretary and Director, Communications Department, (514) 873-3562, extension 232
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