Évelyne Pedneault

Dedicated to Fighting Prejudice Towards the Poor

Evelyne Pedneault views social commitment as an opportunity to learn and grow as an individual and spares no effort when it comes to defending the rights of people living in poverty. Giving free rein to her leadership abilities and sense of responsibility, the Université Laval law student intends to put her skills and strengths towards helping others find theirs.

“The type of social commitment I subscribe to is based on the principle that the means of achieving something are just as important as the final result. The collective goal must take precedence over personal recognition, with our contribution measured in terms of individual bricks added to a collective building,” she explained with conviction.

Her work with the Collectif pour un Québec sans pauvreté organization bears witness to this philosophy of collectivism. Hosting a committee, managing a budget or coordinating a working group, the examples of Evelyne’s contribution are numerous. Among other things, her active role in the development of the AVEC project, which aims to involve people living in poverty in the issues relating to their situation, has had a significant impact. “I believe that Evelyne’s great presence and personal qualities were key elements in the quality of the actions carried out by the Collectif in the pursuit of its mission. I discovered on a day-to-day basis a constantly evolving person who has become vital in achieving many of the objectives of our action plan,” confided Vivian Labrie, the Collectif’s spokesperson until 2006.

Bolstered by this experience and aware of the need for tangible results, Evelyne, who also has a master’s degree in political science, then went on to help set up a housing cooperative offering quality affordable accommodation. “At our first meeting, there were only three of us, then nine, then fifteen, and so on. It was to meet an individual need that I helped create a dynamic living environment, involved and recognized in its neighbourhood,” Evelyne pointed out, adding that the project also led to the creation of a community composting site.

In addition to these major projects, Evelyne has been involved in the fight for refugee rights and the protection of human rights and has given talks at the European Social Forum, an international seminar held by UNESCO and to a group of social workers in Burkina Faso. For Evelyne, there are challenges in every step we take, challenges she has chosen to take up in both her studies and her social commitment.

“Evelyne has distinguished herself through her ability to find a balance between academic success and her personal and social achievements thanks to her leadership and the tangible results of her efforts. She dedicates energy, resources and time to helping others and working towards making the world a better place. This dedication has had and continues to have a positive impact at various levels throughout Québec and the world,” declared Louis Langevin, who holds the Claire-Bonenfant Chair for Research on the Status of Women at Université Laval.

Évelyne Pedneault