Honorary members
Honorary membership is granted solely at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
The Réseau currently has nine honorary members. Their contributions to Francophone health in our region are outlined below:
From left to right: Gérald Savoie, Marc Bisson, Nicole Lafrenière-Davis, Rolande Faucher, Edgar Gallant, Lucien Bradet. Not pictured: Madeleine Meilleur, Dr. Jeanne Drouin. (Annual General Meeting 2014)
From left to right: Alain-Michel Sékula (Chair of the Board), Jacinthe Desaulniers (Réseau CEO), François Boileau, Rolande Faucher, Marc Bisson. (Annual General Meeting 2018)
MARC BISSONMarc Bisson was granted honorary membership in 2014. He has worked for the Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie since 1993, and was appointed Executive Director in June 2002. Mr. Bisson is a member of the Réseau Board of Directors since 1999. At the provincial level, he is a member of the Ontario community health centre executive director’s network and of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s advisory board. He has also served on the French Language Health Services Working Group in 2005.
Lucien Bradet was granted honorary membership in 2014. He has served as a volunteer for over 40 years in various fields essential to Francophone community in Ottawa and throughout the region. Mr. Bradet especially values the importance of healthcare, which is why he sat on the Réseau Board of Directors from 2001 to 2014, serving as Chair from 2011 to 2014. He hopes to improve access to French-language health services through his participation in the governance of healthcare agencies, including the former Civic Hospital, The Ottawa Hospital and the Ottawa-Carleton Regional District Health Council.
MARIETTE CARRIER-FRASER
Mariette Carrier-Fraser is an honorary member of the Réseau, posthumously appointed in 2023. She was an influential figure in the field of French education and healthcare in Ontario. After a career spanning over 36 years in the education sector, including a role as Deputy Minister responsible for French-language education, she retired in 1997.
Mariette Carrier-Fraser was highly engaged in the Francophone community and served as the Chair of the Assemblée de la Francophonie de l'Ontario. She also held positions on numerous regional, provincial, and national boards of directors. She received several honors, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Ottawa and an honorary diploma from Collège Boréal. She was recognized as a member of the Order of the Francophonie of America and the Order of the Pleiades.
Dr. JEANNE DROUINDr. Jeanne Drouin was granted honorary membership in 2014. Dr. Drouin is a specialist in internal medicine and haematology, and has been a full professor in the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine since 1992. In 2001, she was awarded the Association des médecins de langue française du Canada’s Prix des médecins de cœur et d'action for helping to implement Faculty of Medicine’s French-language program. Dr. Douin’s involvement with the Réseau dates back to the interim committee (1998-1999) and the task force on the French-language education of healthcare professionals (6 years).
Rolande Faucher was granted honorary membership in 2014. Among her many research projects, she as studied French-language healthcare training in Ontario, as well as access to French-language health services in minority communities. Ms. Faucher lead Ontario Healthcare Table the planning meetings, and served for many years on the Montfort Hospital’s Board of Directors, including during the crisis period. She was Co-Chair of the Réseau interim committee in 1997-1998. She is now retired.
Edgar Gallant was granted honorary membership in 2001. Mr. Gallant has over 30 years of experience in the federal public service, where he has held many senior management positions. He later chaired provincial advisory committees to implement French-language school systems in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Manitoba. As a retiree, Mr. Gallant volunteered with various local organizations. He served as Réseau Chair from 1998 to 1999, and was also Vice-Chair of the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s Ottawa Chapter. Mr Gallant passed away on November 28, 2019, in Ottawa.
Nicole Lafrenière-Davis was granted honorary membership in 2014. She served as the Champlain LHIN’s Senior Director of Health System Integration from 2011 to 2014 and sat on the Réseau Board of Directors from 2006 to 2011, serving as Chair in 2007 and 2009. Ms. Lafrenière-Davis has also served on the Société Santé en français Board of Directors (2007-2009), on the provincial French Language Health Services Working Group (2005) and on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s French Language Services Advisory Board (2008), where she also served as Acting Chair until December 2010.
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GISÈLE LALONDE Gisèle Lalonde is an honorary member of the Réseau, posthumously appointed in 2023. Gisèle, an iconic figure, dedicated her life to promoting Francophone culture and women's rights. She became the face of the S.O.S Montfort movement, passionately advocating for the Francophone hospital in Ontario. Gisèle played a crucial role in numerous causes, wholeheartedly investing herself to help others. Her resilient character and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark.
In addition to her activism, Gisèle Lalonde actively engaged in various regional and provincial boards, shaping policies and initiatives for the Francophone community. She also held key positions, including as a teacher and the mayor of the city of Vanier from 1985 to 1991. Her professional journey highlights her dedication and leadership, showcasing her involvement in education and her contribution to local governance. Gisèle Lalonde has been recognized with numerous awards and honorary titles for her exceptional contributions, acknowledging her significant impact in promoting Francophonie and women's rights.
GÉRALD SAVOIE Gérald Savoie was granted honorary membership in 2009. Mr. Savoie served as Executive Director of Hôpital Montfort from 1986 to 1997, as well as President and CEO from 1997 to 2009. During his tenure, he has played a key role in the campaign to save the hospital, as well as in its modernization as a teaching institution. As Chair of the French Language Health Services Working Group on Ontario’s major reform of the health care system (2005), he tabled the “Savoie Report”. M. Savoie was also a member of the French Language Health Services Advisory Council to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Gérald Savoie sat on the Réseau Board of Directors from 1998 to 2009.
MADELEINE MEILLEUR The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur was granted honorary membership in 2014. Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier from 2003 to 2016, she served as Ontario’s Attorney General, as well as Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. Under these roles, she has been committed to building stronger Francophone communities through significant investments in healthcare, including the expansion of the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa, and the creation of the Office of the French-Language Services Commissioner. Minister Meilleur is a registered nurse and lawyer specializing in labour and employment law.
A lawyer by training, François Boileau is Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner, a position he has from 2007 to 2019. Mr. Boileau was named an honorary member of the Réseau in 2018 in recognition of his commitment to French language health services. In addition to his part in the campaign to save Montfort Hospital, he has played an important role on a number of issues. His Special Report on French Language Health Services Planning in Ontario (2009) led to the creation of the French Language Health Planning Entities. His latest contributions include a Special Study, Designation: [Re]vitalize French Language Services (2018); as well as the recent changes to Ontario Regulation 515/09 on the role of the Planning Entities. Before his appointment as Commissioner, Mr. Boileau served as legal counsel for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada.