The Merit Award
The ceremony took place in the presence of Louis-Raymond Maranda, president of the Chamber of judicial officers of Quebec. Several dignitaries from the Quebec legal community were present as well as a large delegation of the UIHJ and of European judicial officers including the president of the UIHJ, Jacques Isnard, its 1st vice-president Leo Netten, its treasurer, Jean Christin, Guy Duvelleroy, President of the National Chamber of Judicial officers of France along with Alain Bobant, judicial officer (France), Chairman of the National Federation of Trusted Third Parties. The Chamber of Quebec is twinned with the Regional Chamber of Judicial Officers of the Court of Appeal of Poitiers (France) where Alain Bobant works. This twinning was conducted and finalized by our colleague during one of his many terms of office at the UIHJ. The delegation had specifically travelled from Europe to Quebec to pay a special tribute to their colleague for all those years of loyal service to his profession in Quebec and for his unflagging and exceptional interest for the UIHJ during the last forty-two years to exchange ideas and forge fraternal ties with our worldwide family.
The Merit Award has been established and is awarded annually by the Inter-professional Council of Quebec (CIQ). This agency gathers forty-six professional corporations and 347 000 members practicing in and within the Quebec territory. The award is given to a professional who at a moment of his life, stood out and showed a remarkable dynamism, determination and exceptional dedication to his profession by a strong and continued social engagement.
As a matter of fact, our colleague Mathieu has undoubtedly contributed to the advancement of the profession of judicial officer. We should mention his implications during all these years in many positions in his chamber, as a director, but also in education and a newly created professional inspection, or in his many other achievements which contributed to the reputation of his profession. Our distinguished colleague was the first Quebecer to hold the post of Permanent Secretary of the UIHJ for the Americas and the first to reach the executive board of the UIHJ as deputy secretary. He is also the first representative of the UIHJ to sit on the Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) of the UN in New York for the representativeness of the UIHJ in this important organization recognized worldwide. He was also one of the main architects in close collaboration with colleagues the late Baudouin Gielen, past president of the UIHJ, and Jacques Isnard, to allow access as an NGO membership at Ecosoc with a consultative status at the UN. The Merit Award of the CIQ is not only the testimony of an appraisal that a professional receives from his peers, but it is also a tribute of appreciation of the entire professional world, at regional, national and international levels.
A Second Tribute
André Mathieu also received from his Chamber the rank of “Knight of Justice”, like his European colleagues to whom the title was also conferred, from the hands of Louis-Raymond Maranda. Our fellow member declared himself touched to receive these prestigious awards from his peers. In a moving speech, he explained that he was a young clerk in an English speaking office of judicial officer in Montreal at the time of the 1967 World Fair in Montreal. This unique event was the starting point of an international vocation. At first, he tried to retrace his ancestor whom he eventually found several years later in West Charente (France). Because of his willingness to embrace the profession of judicial officer, he met many considerate and dedicated future colleagues. These meetings gave him the taste to deepen his legal knowledge he put to such good use in the years that followed. Since 1968 and without interruption, he visited judicial officers including in France, which is why some colleagues say that he is the most European of Quebec! The winner finally thanked his peers and the CIQ for awarding him the price. He thanked his wife Annie for her great patience during his many trips both within Quebec and cross-borders. He also congratulated the newly promoted young trainees wishing them good luck in this new profession!
A New Distinction in Quebec
The title of "Knight of Justice," is a new custom now established in Quebec by the Chamber of Judicial officers to acknowledge the personal involvement of the recipients in the elevation of our profession at regional, national, and international levels.
This distinction is purely honorary and awarded each year with a translucent glass plate with a coat of arms expressly denominated in the name of the winner and including a statement on his personal qualities. In a compelling presentation, Michel Grenier, creator of the armories, explained the various elements that compose it and the source of his inspiration, from his friendship with our colleague André Bizier.
Several other distinctions were so given at the congress in Quebec. The title of Knight of Justice was awarded by the Chamber of Quebec, from the hands of Louis-Raymond Maranda, to Ronald Dubé for creating the secretariat of the Order of judicial officers of Quebec and for setting up the regulatory body in his capacity as director general and secretary of the Chamber of Judicial officers of Quebec for several years. On the occasion of his retirement from the Quebec Secretariat, the President Isnard also gave him the silver medal of the UIHJ, to highlight his ongoing collaboration with the UIHJ alongside his colleague André Mathieu.
This title was also given to Leo Netten for his dedication to the UIHJ for many years and Jean Christin for his forty years of loyal service and membership in the UIHJ. Alain Bobant and Guy Duvelleroy both received the same distinction.
Finally, two other distinctive and special tributes were handed by the president of the Chamber of Quebec. The first distinguished Jacques Isnard. The Chamber of Quebec was very proud to award him the prestigious Prix Paul-Émile-Linteau, the highest distinction of the Order. President Isnard received the latter for his outstanding contribution over the past 15 years as chairman of the UIHJ and so to greet his many missions around the globe that have undoubtedly contributed to the rise of the profession of judicial officer in the world. Alain Coulombe, president of the Chamber of Judicial officers of Quebec during the first congress of the UIHJ held on American ground in 1985, also received the award for his exemplary contribution to the profession of judicial officer, in his capacity of former secretary of the Chamber of Judicial officers of Quebec from 1978 to 1984 and chairman from 1984 to 1989 and from 1997 to 2001.
