- Awarded on: December 10, 2007
Claudette Blais, Laval, Quebec
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award
Claudette Blais' inspiring influence has made a difference in the lives of youth. For 35 years, she has volunteered for the Club de patinage artistique de Laval, sitting as a board member and eventually serving as the club's first female president. In 1979, she co-founded the Pirouettes de Laval with René Boucher in an effort to introduce synchronized skating to young people. Thanks to her leadership and diligent efforts, many young people in Laval, some at risk, have taken up skating and won numerous championship titles at the provincial and national levels.