Recipients of the Department of Justice awards of distinction
for the advancement of
Canada's linguistic and legal duality

During the National Symposium on Official Languages, which was held between September 16 and 18, 1998, the Department of Justice conferred awards of distinction to four people who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of Canada’s linguistic and legal duality. Two of the recipients were chosen from across the country, and two others for their contributions from within the Department of Justice. The recipients were:

Mr. Michel Doucet

Mr. Doucet was recognized for his contribution towards the advancement of linguistic rights of Acadian and Francophone communities.

One of the first to fight for the entrenchment into the Constitution of the equality of both linguistic communities in New Brunswick, his countless public interventions over the past ten years have consistently sought the promotion and the development of the social and legal dimensions of official languages.

Mr. Doucet is the author of a report which culminated into the creation of the Association des juristes d’expression française du Nouveau-Brunswick. As a professor, he played a key role in the creation of the Centre international de la common law en français of the Law School of the University of Moncton.

He is still very active in the community today. He is a member of many associations, including the Société des Acadiens et des Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick, the Fédération des francophones hors-Québec and the Société nationale de l’Acadie, often in an executive capacity. He is a member of the management and steering committees of the National Program for the Integration of Both Official Languages in the Administration of Justice.

Mr. Doucet is currently the dean of the Law School of the University of Moncton.

Mr. Casper M. Bloom

Mr. Bloom, a founding member of Alliance Quebec, was recognized for his tireless work towards improving access to the justice system for English-speaking Quebecers.

While serving as the Bâtonnier du Barreau de Montréal between 1993 and 1994, he was instrumental in developing a series of resolutions aimed at improving access to justice for English-speaking citizens of Quebec. These resolutions were eventually adopted by the Barreau de Montréal and, later, by the Barreau du Québec. He has also made a significant contribution as the president of the Committee for the revision of the English version of the Quebec Civil Code.

Mr. Bloom’s contribution includes a three-year term of office on the Linguistic Board of the Court Challenges Program of Canada. That commitment of time and expertise had a significant impact in the advancement of linguistic rights before the Courts.

In partnership with leading figures in the French-language legal establishment in other provinces, he has also championed demands for improved access to justice in French-language jurisdictions outside of Quebec.

Mr. Bloom is a partner in the firm of Ogilvy Renault in Montreal.

The Honourable Madam Justice Anne-Marie Trahan

Madam Justice Trahan was recognized for demonstrating exceptional leadership on issues related to official languages within the Department of Justice and across the federal government during her service as Associate Deputy Minister, Civil Law and Legislative Services Sector in the Department of Justice between 1986 and 1994. During that time, she chaired the National Program for the Integration of Both Official Languages in the Administration of Justice (POLAJ).

Furthermore, she played a key role in developing the Department’s bijuralism policy and helped establish permanent and fruitful ties between Quebec jurists and French-speaking jurists in the common law provinces.

As the representative of the Department of Justice within the Francophonie, she was instrumental in building Canada’s reputation and expertise in the areas of bilingualism and bijuralism.

She was appointed judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in 1994.

Mr. Warren J. Newman

As the first director of the Official Languages Law Group within the Department of Justice, Mr. Newman led the team that drafted the Official Languages Act of 1988.

From 1982 to 1984, he provided expert legal advice to the Commissioner of Official Languages.

He has ably represented the Attorney General of Canada in a number of significant language rights cases, most notably before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Reference on Manitoba Language Rights in 1991.

He has provided expert testimony before various parliamentary committees studying constitutional and language questions and has published several works dealing with legal aspects of official languages.

He now serves as special advisor to the Associate Deputy Minister, Public Law, where he is responsible for co-ordinating advice on constitutional law and policy relating to questions of national unity.

September 21, 1998