2021 Laureates

Every year, the YMCAs of Québec celebrates individuals, groups and corporations who demonstrate vision, creativity and an extraordinary commitment to making our communities, our country or our world more peaceful and just. With peace as their main focus, they invest tremendous energy in bringing it to life. They inspire us and they deserve to be recognized.

Dr. Stanley Vollant

Individual for Peace

Dr. Stanley Vollant is the first Indigenous surgeon in Québec. He is particularly well-known for embarking on the Innu Meshkenu, a 6,000-kilometre walk to visit Indigenous communities across the province and encourage healthy lifestyle habits and academic perseverance.

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Stanley Vollant | Individual for Peace

Dr. Stanley Vollant is the first Indigenous surgeon in Québec. He is particularly well-known for embarking on the Innu Meshkenu, a 6,000-kilometre walk to visit Indigenous communities across the province and encourage healthy lifestyle habits and academic perseverance.

His journey is an inspiration to Indigenous youth who want to pursue medical careers.

To make these more accessible, he founded mini medical schools in Aboriginal communities in 2001. In 2016, Dr. Vollant launched Puamun Meskenu, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the holistic development of communities by focusing on improving their mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.

Through his work, which brings together traditional culture and modern medicine, Dr. Vollant builds bridges between communities, fights stigmas and systemic racism in the health field, and raises awareness about important issues.

Équité 253 — Equity Fund for Diversity and Inclusion — Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

Company for Peace

In the fall of 2020, the CDPQ launched Équité 253 on the initiative of a group of employees. Deployed over four years, this $250 million investment fund aims to increase diversity and inclusion in SMEs in Québec and Canada. This is the largest Canadian fund ever created to target companies that leverage diversity as a vector of development and expansion.
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Équité 253 — Equity Fund for Diversity and Inclusion — Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec​ | Company for Peace

In the fall of 2020, the CDPQ launched Équité 253 on the initiative of a group of employees. Deployed over four years, this $250 million investment fund aims to increase diversity and inclusion in SMEs in Québec and Canada. This is the largest Canadian fund ever created to target companies that leverage diversity as a vector of development and expansion.

Équité 253 is a concrete example of the positive changes the CDPQ can implement and is aligned with its sustainable investment priorities. The organization believes that a business culture founded on equity, diversity, and inclusion is vital in building stronger communities and achieving its business objectives. It is determined to promote these core values with its peers, but also within its own organization, and to offer an inclusive work environment and equal access to employment for all.

Wils Théagène, CDPQ Senior Director, Québec, will represent the organization and accept the prize on their behalf. Mr. Théagène oversees the Equity 253 Fund’s transactions and sits on the strategic committee. His expertise and his many years of experience are an invaluable asset in achieving the Fund’s objectives.

Wils Théagène, CDPQ Senior Director, Québec

Décoloniser l'histoire (Decolonizing History)

Coup de cœur​

Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash, Vanessa Destiné, and Youssef Shoufan

Residential schools, racism in the taxi industry in the 1980s, the doctor’s strike against the hiring of senior Jewish intern Sam Rabinovitch in 1934, the Gatineau allumettières (match girls) who founded the country’s first women’s union, the disgraceful treatment of Chinese railroad workers in Canada, the 1969 student riot at Sir George Williams University, the 1981 police raid at Listuguj…

These are some of the topics covered in Télé-Québec’s documentary webseries Décoloniser l’histoire (decolonizing history), produced by Picbois Productions.

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Décoloniser l'histoire (Decolonizing History) | Coup de cœur​

Residential schools, racism in the taxi industry in the 1980s, the doctor’s strike against the hiring of senior Jewish intern Sam Rabinovitch in 1934, the Gatineau allumettières (match girls) who founded the country’s first women’s union, the disgraceful treatment of Chinese railroad workers in Canada, the 1969 student riot at Sir George Williams University, the 1981 police raid at Listuguj…

These are some of the topics covered in Télé-Québec’s documentary webseries Décoloniser l’histoire (decolonizing history), produced by Picbois Productions. The series, consisting of 10 ten-minute episodes, was directed by Ky Vy Le Duc and hosted by Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash, Vanessa Destiné, and Youssef Shoufan.

These episodes shed light on significant events, which are often forgotten, and encourage us to reflect on the past, specifically on the way it can better inform the present.

La voix des jeunes compte (young voices matter)

Youth Peacemaker

The group La voix des jeunes comptent (young voices matter) is made up of young women between 15 and 20 years of age who, for the past four years, have been mobilizing their efforts to make schools safer and free from any form of sexual violence. They are specifically fighting to have a framework law adopted which would provide elementary and high school students with the same protections offered to CEGEP and university students
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La voix des jeunes compte (young voices matter)​ | Youth Peacemaker​

The group La voix des jeunes comptent (young voices matter) is made up of young women between 15 and 20 years of age who, for the past four years, have been mobilizing their efforts to make schools safer and free from any form of sexual violence. They are specifically fighting to have a framework law adopted which would provide elementary and high school students with the same protections offered to CEGEP and university students.

Moreover, this collective provides support for prevention, awareness, and educational initiatives so that students and school staff are better aware and informed about sexual violence, and equipped with the tools to end it.

These young women are behind intervention protocols for sexualized behaviour and violence, adopted by the Commission scolaire de Montréal, the largest public school board in Québec. There is no doubt that their commitment will create a better social climate for generations to come.

The Shield of Athena

Organisation for Peace

Melpa Kamateros, The Shield of Athena CEO

Founded in 1991, the Shield of Athena is a community organization that provides integrated services to women and children who are victims of family violence.

These services are adapted to Montréal’s ethnocultural communities. The organization has offices in Montréal and Laval and offers a wide range of services such as information sessions, support groups, consultation services, crisis intervention, and legal aid.

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The Shield of Athena | Organisation for Peace

Founded in 1991, the Shield of Athena is a community organization that provides integrated services to women and children who are victims of family violence.

These services are adapted to Montréal’s ethnocultural communities. The organization has offices in Montréal and Laval and offers a wide range of services such as information sessions, support groups, consultation services, crisis intervention, and legal aid.

It also operates Athena’s House, a 24/7 emergency shelter for women and children who are victims of family violence. Shield of Athena also aims to raise awareness in communities about family violence and inform people about the laws and available resources. Services are offered in 16 languages to facilitate the sharing and understanding of crucial information, and ultimately, to create safer communities for everyone.

In 2022, a fourth service point will open in a Laval: second-stage housing consisting of 17 units with a community kitchen offering integrated services to women and children who have stayed in the emergency shelter.

Past Peace Medals laureates

People and groups who have received a Peace Medal have come from all walks of life: artists, volunteers, community or health workers, support groups, etc. To see the profiles of past laureates or to join our community, visit our website.

2020 laureates

Selection committee members in 2021

  • Brian Bronfman - Peace Network for Social Harmony​
  • Isabelle Lamarre - Société ABB Inc.​
  • Hon. Louise Otis - Mediator and arbitrator​
  • François L. Morin - Borden Ladner Gervais​
  • Fady Dagher - Longueuil police service
  • Michel Forgues - YMCAs of Québec
  • Emilie Maigné - YMCAs of Québec
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