lequebecfume
03-09-2011, 10:17 AM
Marie-Andrée Bertrand (1925-2011)
I have very sad news to report.
Québec and Canada have lost a pioneer Feminist and Activist that I had the pleasure of knowing over the past 20 years.
At 89 she was still teaching at the Université de Montréal !
Marie-Andrée Bertrand was a type of Activist that WE will NEVER see again !!!
Queen's Council John Conroy, I feel summed up the death of such a fantastic Québec and such a rare, talented Activist, best.
Not only was she the most favourable of the LeDain Commissioners regarding the legalization of Cannabis (http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/ille-e/presentation-e/bertrand-e.htm) but also a great criminologist, feminist and friend.
I had the privilege of having her serve on a Canadian Bar Committee on Imprisonment and Release of the National Criminal Justice Section for many years that I had also the privilege of Chairing. That Committee participated in recommending and seeing implemented many of the progressive changes arising out of the many Royal Commissions in the 70's and 80's including the Sentencing Commission dealing with imprisonment and conditional release.
The current minority government is undoing most of these(fifteen year reviews by juries of life sentences, accelerated parole, bring back mandatory minimums )without any evidence to support their changes(and lots against them), just using high profile unusual and exceptional cases played over and over in the media then cherry picked by politicians to prey on the fears of the uninformed and misinformed.
Marie-Andrée Bertrand was one of group of idealistic professionals dedicated to making things better for all and contributed to making Canada one of the most civilized nations in the modern world. Too bad her idealism has been betrayed by the election of the current group of manipulators and that the Liberals, the NDP, the Bloc and others don't have the ability or apparent desire to stop our descent or return to an uncivilized nation where raw emotion and gut reaction rule the day.
Ironic she should leave us on the eve of International Women's Day.
She was a great Canadian francophone woman who made a great contribution to Canada.
She will be sorely missed
John Conroy, QC
(AND by All of us that had the privilege of knowing such a rare Woman) «MJMP»
http://www.recherche.umontreal.ca/English/researchers/1995_bertrand.html
LEQ/Michael
I have very sad news to report.
Québec and Canada have lost a pioneer Feminist and Activist that I had the pleasure of knowing over the past 20 years.
At 89 she was still teaching at the Université de Montréal !
Marie-Andrée Bertrand was a type of Activist that WE will NEVER see again !!!
Queen's Council John Conroy, I feel summed up the death of such a fantastic Québec and such a rare, talented Activist, best.
Not only was she the most favourable of the LeDain Commissioners regarding the legalization of Cannabis (http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/ille-e/presentation-e/bertrand-e.htm) but also a great criminologist, feminist and friend.
I had the privilege of having her serve on a Canadian Bar Committee on Imprisonment and Release of the National Criminal Justice Section for many years that I had also the privilege of Chairing. That Committee participated in recommending and seeing implemented many of the progressive changes arising out of the many Royal Commissions in the 70's and 80's including the Sentencing Commission dealing with imprisonment and conditional release.
The current minority government is undoing most of these(fifteen year reviews by juries of life sentences, accelerated parole, bring back mandatory minimums )without any evidence to support their changes(and lots against them), just using high profile unusual and exceptional cases played over and over in the media then cherry picked by politicians to prey on the fears of the uninformed and misinformed.
Marie-Andrée Bertrand was one of group of idealistic professionals dedicated to making things better for all and contributed to making Canada one of the most civilized nations in the modern world. Too bad her idealism has been betrayed by the election of the current group of manipulators and that the Liberals, the NDP, the Bloc and others don't have the ability or apparent desire to stop our descent or return to an uncivilized nation where raw emotion and gut reaction rule the day.
Ironic she should leave us on the eve of International Women's Day.
She was a great Canadian francophone woman who made a great contribution to Canada.
She will be sorely missed
John Conroy, QC
(AND by All of us that had the privilege of knowing such a rare Woman) «MJMP»
http://www.recherche.umontreal.ca/English/researchers/1995_bertrand.html
LEQ/Michael