Jacques Frémont takes up his post as President of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse

Jacques Frémont , the new President of the Commission, took up his post today, following his nomination by the Québec National Assembly on June 12, 2013. Professor Emeritus at the Université de Montréal, he was International Higher Education Support Program Director with the New York-based Open Society Foundations where he coordinated the foundation’s work in several countries and continents. Mr. Frémont succeeds Gaétan Cousineau who left his post on August 23 after six years at the helm of the Commission.

Montréal, August 26, 2013 – Jacques Frémont, the new President of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, took up his post today, following his nomination by the Québec National Assembly on June 12, 2013.

Professor Emeritus at the Université de Montréal, he was International Higher Education Support Program Director with the New York-based Open Society Foundations where he coordinated the foundation’s work in several countries and continents.

Mr.Frémont has been regularly called to act as an expert on human rights, governance and democracy by the Canadian International Development Agency and the Délégation aux droits de l’homme et à la démocratie of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.

During more than 30 years, he held several positions with the Université de Montréal and was director of the Centre de recherche en droit public of the Law Faculty (1994-1999), Dean of the Law Faculty (2000-2004) and was Provost and Vice-rector - Academic Affairs (2007-2012).

He obtained his law degree from the Université Laval and pursued graduate studies both at Osgoode Hall Law School (York University, Toronto) and at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Early in his career, he clerked for the Hon. Justice Yves Pratte of the Supreme Court of Canada and then acted as constitutional advisor to the Government of Québec. In 1991-1992, he was Commissioner to the now defunct Law Reform Commission of Canada.

A member of the Barreau du Québec, Association québécoise de droit comparé and the Comité directeur de l’Institut international de Droit d’Expression et d’inspiration Françaises, Mr. Frémont has authored or co-authored several publications, articles, and chapters on constitutional and public law. He has been awarded several honours and prizes, including that of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes académiques de la République française (2008) and holds an honorary doctorate from the Université Paul-Cézanne (Aix-Marseille, 2010).

Appointed to a five-year term, Mr. Frémont today said: “It is as tremendous honour to be able to contribute to the development of human rights and freedoms and the rights of youth in Québec. I am fully aware that the mandate and the responsibilities of the Commission are not only sensitive but critical.”

The new President will appear before the National Assembly Committee on Institutions on September 11, 2013 which is holding special consultations on Bill 28, An Act to establish the new Code of Civil Procedure.

Mr. Frémont succeeds Gaétan Cousineau who left his post on August 23, 2013 after six years at the helm of the Commission.

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Contact :
Patricia Poirier
514 873-5146 or 1 800 361-6477 extension 358
patricia.poirier@cdpdj.qc.ca