President's Bio

Jean-Louis Roy was appointed President of Rights & Democracy in June, 2002, and took up his post two months later, on Aug. 19.

A former Director of the Montreal daily Le Devoir, Mr. Roy was Secretary General of the Agence de la Francophonie in Paris from 1990 to 1998. He was responsible for promoting cooperation between the 49 member states of the Francophonie and for the implementation of political, economic and social programmes agreed upon at summit meetings of Heads of State and Governments.

Since then Mr. Roy has served in an advisory capacity on related issues and was a visiting professor at York University, in Ontario and at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick. He was Chancellor of the University of Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia from 2001 to 2006.

He holds a PhD in history from McGill University where he was Director of the Centre for French Canadian Studies from 1971 to 1981. He was Director of Le Devoir from 1981 to 1986 until he was named Québec Delegate General in Paris and Delegate to Francophone Multilateral Affairs, a post he held until 1990.

President of the Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec (Quebec's Civil Liberties' Union) from 1976 to 1978, he was a member of the Commission des droits et libertés de la personne du Québec (Québec's Human Rights Commission) and in 2000, was awarded the Prix Droits et Libertés (Human Rights Prize) of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec (Québec Human Rights and Rights of Youth Commission).

Mr. Roy has written several books including: A Guide to the European Economic Community Charter; La Francophonie : Le Projet communautaire and Une Nouvelle Afrique à l'aube du XX1e siècle. He has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sainte Anne in 1985, and an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of Moncton in 1992.