Two Quebecers to sit on Panel of Experts for Language Rights Support Program

MONTREAL, Oct. 29 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Community Groups Network is pleased to announce that two representatives of Quebec minority English language community have been named by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, to serve on the Panel of Experts of the Language Rights Support Program (LRSP).

Montreal attorney Richard McConomy and Gaspé health-care advocate Brad McDonald were both named to the panel that will administer the LRSP which replaces the Court Challenges Program. The Panel of Experts, which is made up of lawyers, specialists in alternative dispute resolution, and minority language community representatives, will be responsible for guiding Program efforts and selecting files to be supported.

    
    Richard McConomy is a Montreal lawyer who has spent more than three
    decades in general and private practice as both a lawyer and mediator. A
    founder and name partner in the law firm of McConomy Narvey Green, he is
    a member of the Quebec and Canadian Bar Associations. Mr. McConomy was
    Batonnier of the Bar of Montreal and secretary of the Liaison Committee
    for mediation of the Superior Court of Montreal. He has conducted various
    international symposiums and conferences, He also served as head of both
    Centraide Montreal and United Way/Centraide Canada. Mr. McConomy received
    his undergraduate degree from Loyola College (now Concordia University)
    in 1966 and his law degree from McGill University in 1970. He has been a
    member of the Quebec bar since 1971.

    Brad McDonald is a project manager with Francoeur McDonald, a project
    management, communications and marketing firm, and since 2005 he has
    served as a municipal counselor for the city of Gaspé.  He was previously
    employed as a project manager for the Centre de santé et de services
    sociaux de La Côte-de-Gaspé, where he worked to assure service delivery
    for English-speakers in the region. In his varied career he has worked as
    a nurse, teacher, personal development planner, and political aide.
    Furthermore, he has long been active in his community in a variety of
    capacities.  Mr. McDonald has been involved with Vision Gaspé - Percé Now
    since 2003, an organization which works to promote and improve the
    delivery of health and social services to English-speakers in the region.
    He has volunteered his time with youth employment programs and on
    consultative committees for the Forillon National Park, as well as being
    a co-founder of Gaspé's local music festival, and as the recently-
    appointed President of the École de cirque Gaspésie.
    

Along with the Canadian Bar Association and the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, the QCGN was asked to provide the names of potential candidates for the creation of its nine-member Panel of Experts. Other members of the panel are Johanne Dumas, British Columbia; Neil Turcotte, Saskatchewan; David Dandeneau, Manitoba; J.L. Gilles LeVasseur, Ontario; Michelle Vaillancourt, Ontario; Maurice F. Bourque, New Brunswick; and Ali Chaisson, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Quebec Community Groups Network (www.qcgn.ca) is a not-for-profit organization bringing together 32 English language community organizations across Quebec. Its mission is to identify, explore and address strategic issues affecting the development and vitality of English-speaking Quebec and to encourage dialogue and collaboration among its member organizations, individuals, community groups, institutions and leaders.

For further information: Rita Legault, Director of Communications, [phone], ext. 223, cellular: [phone], [email protected]