Emceed by Global Montreal report Tim Sargeant, the 11th edition of the Quebec Community Groups Network’s Community Leadership Awards took place on November 6, 2019, at Montreal’s Saint-James Club. The QCGN would like to congratulate this year’s winners, Senator and longtime journalist Joan Fraser, commentator and humourist Josh Freed, and community advocate Martin Murphy.
JOAN FRASER
Former Senator and longtime journalist, Joan Fraser humbly rejects the notion that she is a community leader. So when she learned that she had won the Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Community Service Award, it came as a pleasant surprise. “I was moved and honoured,” she said. “There’s something very special about being recognized by your own community.” Read more
JOSH FREED
Josh Freed is an optimist by nature. He doesn’t like to dwell on the doom and gloom that seeps into the news cycle every day. As a writer, he prefers to approach typically dark situations with humour and light-heartedness. “You have to laugh through your tears, maybe that’s my job,” he said. “When things are bad I make them laugh, I try to make them smile all the time – it’s in my nature.” Read more
MARTIN MURPHY
Martin Murphy is known as the godfather of the Quebec Community Groups Network – and with reason. As the QCGN’s first president, Murphy helped establish its current by-laws and structure. He has defended Quebec’s English- speaking minority fiercely since the organization’s inception in 1995. “When we were confronted with so many challenges, and people were operating in silos in a way, this network brought people closer together to better manage projects and program funding priorities,” said Murphy. Read more
The QCGN is funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.
