Diane Sasson, C.M.
Montréal, Quebec
Diane Sasson is devoted to the welfare of women. For 20 years, she led Auberge Shalom pour femmes, the first and only Jewish centre for abused women and their children in Canada.
A respected advocate for legal reform, she was instrumental in the collaborative process that altered Quebec’s Civil Code in favour of allowing victims of spousal violence or sexual assault to terminate their residential lease without penalty. Her capacity for building partnerships has strengthened the province-wide network of shelters, thereby offering greater support to vulnerable women and families.