Warren Allmand and Jean Brisebois

Warren Allmand

Honorable Warren Allmand was appointed President of Rights & Democracy in February 1997 following a 33-year career as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Montréal riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. A lawyer admitted to the Québec Bar in 1958, he holds degrees from St. Francis Xavier University, McGill University and a certificate of Comparative Law from Université de Paris and the Institute of Comparative Law. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in January 1977 and was named a member of the Order of Canada in July 2000.

Mr. Allmand has held a number of cabinet posts including Solicitor General (1972-76), Minister of Indians Affairs and Northern Affairs (1976-78) and Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (1978-79). Throughout his parliamentary career he has worked against apartheid in South Africa and for the abolition of the death penalty, tougher gun control legislation, arms control and disarmament and the protection of human rights for disabled persons, native Canadians, the poor, the elderly, the unemployed, prison inmates, and minority groups.

He was International President of Parliamentarians for Global Action, a member of Parliamentarians for East Timor, Parliamentary Friends of Tibet and a member of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. He remains active in a number of local community-based organizations in Montreal.

Mr. Allmand has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law - St. Thomas University, Fredericton, N.B. (1998), an Honorary Doctorate of Law - St. Francis Xavier University (1996) and has won the World Peace Award, World Federalists of Canada (1990).

Honourable Warren Allmand accepted an advisory position at the National Pardon Centre in 2002.

Jean Brisebois

Jean Brisebois earned his undergraduate degrees from the Université de Montréal and the Université du Québec à Hull, and a Master's of Public Administration from l École nationale d'Administration publique.

He has worked in protocol and security consulting, served on the Provincial Poitras Commission to advise on criminal investigation and legislation, was director of public security for the municipality of St-Hippolyte, responsible for security at both Dorval and Mirabel airports, and was a Commander of the Canadian contingent for the United Nations peace mission to Haiti in 1995-96.

He is the immediate past president of the Quebec Council of l'Ambulance Saint-Jean and has been involved in numerous youth and charity initiatives.

Formerly an executive RCMP officer Mr. Brisebois is now Director of Security at Concordia University in Montreal. He accepted an advisory position at the National Pardon Centre in 2002.