University of Ottawa alumni, friends and supporters were once again being honoured on February 7 when the names of the Personnalités de l’année 2006 Radio-Canada – Le Droit were revealed.
In the health, education and high technology category, the recipient was Huguette Labelle, chancellor of the University of Ottawa. Huguette Labelle was president of the Canadian International Development Agency for seven years and in 2005 was named chair of Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption.
Two years ago, Guy Laflamme felt compelled to launch an aid campaign for Niger as part of his social marketing course. The result was $40,000 in donations and $250,000 in medical equipment and other products and a close collaboration with the University of Niame. Both professor and students also gained a new appreciation of the importance of helping our global citizens. Professor Laflamme was recognized for his efforts with the socio-community award. Laflamme is also the vice-president, national programming, communications and marketing at the National Capital Commission.
Eugène Tassé received an award in the business category. Philanthropist and patron of the University of Ottawa, Tassé is one of the most eminent graduates from the University’s former Faculty of Administration (now the School of Management). In fact, he was one of the first recipients of the Trudeau Medal and was honoured by the School of Management with the Dean’s Philos Award in 2004.
The Persons of the Year awards are selected from the Persons of the Week chosen throughout 2006. This included uOttawa alumni Jean-François Carrey who is the youngest Canadian ever to climb Everest and Jessen Paulin, a uOttawa student who won two Canadian strongman championships. Dr. Antoine Hakim, a professor and the chair of neurology at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine, was named person of the week in February 2007.
