Michel Gagné C.M. is a Member of the Order of Canada, since 1991.
Biographical Notes of Michel Gagné C.M.
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Present Occupations
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Chairman of the provincial Ethics Committee for the Premier's Council on the Status of the Disabled in New Brunswick since 1994-1998
Provincial member of the Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons since 1993-1998
Chairman of the Board of Referees for the Canada Employment and Insurance Commission of the Department of Human Resources Development 1994-2000
Chairman of the citizenship ceremonies for the Citizenship court of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada since 1997
Chairman of the Regroupement Socio-culturel & Récréatif inc. and manager of Mobile Plus since 1997 (founder in 1991)
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Short Biography
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Michel Gagné was born in Edmundston (New Brunswick, Canada) in 1957. However, he attended primary and secondary schools in Sept-Iles, Québec. He earned his first bachelor's degree with major in political sciences from the University of Moncton in 1983, and he went on to get a second degree with studies in theology, by attending two universities in Montreal and Québec. His university studies extended over a period of 7 years, from 1976 to 1983. In 1980, he got married in Van Buren, Maine and is the father of two boys, 14 and 17 years old.
On December 3rd, 1997, Michel celebrated 25 years of service to the handicapped. In 1990, he received, at Rideau Hall, the highest honor to a Canadian, the Order of Canada. He also received the Confederation Medal in 1992. He has connections to many American organizations with regard of ethics and bioethics issues, and is also in contact with the United Nations in New York. He was Vice-chairman of the Chess Federation of Canada for two terms, and also Press Officer for the World Chess Federation. As a writer, his first book "`J'ai enraciné l'amour de vivre dans mes années" sold more than 3 000 copies. He has plan to write a sequel next autumn. He has received the provincial Coat of Arms from former Prime Minister Frank McKenna and his third Commemorative Medal from former Governor General, the late Jeanne Sauvé.
The following persons and organizations have paid tribute to his role as human rights activist in New Brunswick and in Canada:
 Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
Governor General Roméo LeBlanc
Lieutenant-Governor Marilyn Trenholme Counsell
Former Governor General Raymond John Natishshyn
Social Affairs Officer for the Social Policy and Development Division of the United Nations, Mr Akiko Ito
Former Lieutenant-Governor Gilbert Finn
The Chairman ot the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission
The Premier's Council on The Status of Disabled Persons in New Brunswick
By acclamation from the Legislative Assembly in Fredericton (twice)
In Edmundston, he has been:
Vice-chairman of Atelier Rado Inc. and in charge of their government liaison
Vice-chairman of the Board of Directors for Café rencontre
Chairman of La ligue d'échecs du Madawaska
Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Societe Louis-Napoléon Dugal, a regional component of the SAANB
Vice-chairman, then chairman of the Regroupement socio-culturel et récréatif Inc.
Founder and manager of the accommodative transportation system, Mobile Plus
Town councillor for the City of Edmundston
Etc.
Michel was instrumental in obtaining many awards for the City of Edmundston, such as the national Five-Star Community Award from the Department of the Secretary of State which was presented at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention held in Montreal, also the provincial Minister's Award (twice) and the Department of Tourism award which were presented in Saint John and Fredericton. He received honorable mentions for his voluntary service from, among other, Edmundston Fire and Rescue, City of Edmundston, Municipal Security, The Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the municipality of Sept-Iles, etc. Former mayor J. Pius Bard has bestowed upon him the honorary title of Chevalier de la Republique of Madawaska. He is also the only person in the Madawaska region to have an officially recognized record in the Guinness Book (1990). He is 41 years old and is an expert in the game of chess. One of his sons, Jonathan, is a polyglot (English, French, Spanish) and the other, Matthew, is bilingual (in September 1998, Matthew will start a three-year program to learn Spanish).
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Ongoing Achievements
Defender of cases with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of New Brunswick and its Court of Appeal, with the Canada Pension Plan and its Court of Appeal, etc. If all the injured and disabled people defended by Michel reach the age of 65 or over, he will have helped to obtain pensions for an amount exceeding 25 million dollars. He has won cases all the way up to the federal court in Ottawa.
In his role as defender, he has the collaboration and recognition of specialists such as psychiatrists, orthopedist, physiatrists, physicians, legal experts, etc.
The honorable Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada said to Michel, "You have been a truly committed one-man band within your community, having always put your many talents at the services of your fellow citizens. Being a person of limited mobility yourself, you are a source of inspiration for all handicapped in New Brunswick and elsewere in Canada; for you are a living proof that with courage and determination, it is possible to conquer all obstacles, to become fully integrated into society and to contribute to the well-being of the community. Moreover, when seen under this particular light, your many achievements are even more outstanding and you can be very proud." (December 1997)
Mr. Jeannot Volpé, member of the opposition for Madawaska-les-lacs, said of him, Michel is a very important asset in the Northwest when it comes to helping people in need of assistance or advice. This young man is a master in the art of diplomacy and respect. On several occasions, he succeeded in speeding up the process on the case files of citizens who had given up all hope of being heard and, in certain cases, did no longer see any possible solutions. His calm and thoughtful attitude earns him the respect and credibility of the people he works with. People who, like him, donate their time to help others are very invaluable to the community. This young man, by virtue of his work and his enthusiasm, deserves to be very highly acknowledged.
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