MONTREAL — Younger English-speaking Quebecers more than ever before are “better equipped linguistically and attitudinally” to play a role in the province, Victor Goldbloom says.
With husband Victor looking on, Sheila Goldbloom speaks at the Quebec Community Group Network press conference launching an award in their name.
Goldbloom made the comments at a downtown press conference last week to launch the Quebec Community Groups Network’s (QCGN) Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Award.
The first award is to be presented Sept. 12 at the organization’s annual general meeting in Gatineau. It will be given annually by QCGN, an umbrella group for 32 Quebec English-language community organizations.
The potential recipients, QCGN says, will have “gone above and beyond in contributing to the vitality and understanding of English-speaking Quebec and to building bridges to understanding between Quebecers of different backgrounds.”
QCGN chose to name the award in honour of the Goldblooms because they embody the values of the organization, president Robert Donnelly said.
“For more than half a century, Dr. and Mrs. Goldbloom have invested their talents and skills for the betterment of the community, and inspired others through their outstanding contributions,” he said
Volunteers and professionals will be equally considered and candidates can come from any part of Quebec society anywhere in the province, including arts and culture, social services, health, business and academia.
At the launch, the Goldblooms, who have been married for more than 60 years, were clearly pleased to have the QCGN prize named for them, as were their sons Michael, a former publisher of the Montreal Gazette, and Jonathan, founder and president of the Jonathan Goldbloom & Associates public relations firm.
Longtime Quebec Liberal party member John Parisella, now an advisor to Premier Jean Charest, has agreed to head a five-member panel that will select the ultimate winner or winners. Another panel member will be former McGill University chancellor Gretta Chambers.
Among Victor Goldbloom’s many accomplishments cited by the QCGN was his being the first Jewish member of a Quebec cabinet, CEO of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews and commissioner of official languages.
Sheila Goldbloom, who was a social work professor at McGill University, has been active with numerous Quebec institutions and social agencies, among them Centraide, Red Feather and Jewish Family Services. She was also a founding member of the Foundation of Montreal. Last year, she co-chaired a provincial commission on the condition of Quebec seniors.
She and her husband are members of the orders of both Canada and Quebec.
“This is a very great honour,” Victor Goldbloom said of the award being named for him and his wife.
The award “will continue into the future, and that makes it of very special significance and very special appreciation on our part,” said Goldbloom, now outgoing president of the Quebec Jewish Congress.
He spoke of the continued need for “defensive action” on the part of English-speaking Quebecers “to protect the interests of the community,” but in the context of a community that has adapted to the times by having evolved “linguistically and attitudinally.”
“There will… be exceptional opportunities as we move forward to be a full and vigo–rous part of Quebec society,” he said.
Sheila Goldbloom also expressed gratitude for the new award. She said their activities have served as a reflection of the “Jewish tradition [of] being part of community.”
The deadline for nominations is July 15 and more information is available on the network’s website, www.qcgn.com.
Submissions should be mailed to the Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Awards, c/o QCGN, 1255 University, Suite 1000, Montreal Que., H3B 3W6; or faxed to 514-868-9049.