Home / Education / N.W.T. Advocate Suzette Montreuil Dies at 63
N.W.T. Advocate Suzette Montreuil Dies at 63
29 Jul
Summary
- Montreuil was a dedicated advocate for gender equality and poverty reduction.
- She championed seniors' rights and the promotion of French language.
- Montreuil was inducted into the Order of the N.W.T. in 2022.
Suzette Montreuil, a prominent advocate in the Northwest Territories, died on July 20 at the age of 63, following a battle with cancer. Arriving in Yellowknife in 1986, she became deeply involved in community activism, co-founding Alternatives North, a grassroots organization focused on various social issues.
Montreuil was particularly dedicated to anti-poverty initiatives, leading efforts to calculate living wages and advocating for a guaranteed basic income. Her professional career included decades as an occupational therapist and leading the N.W.T. Seniors' Society, where she raised awareness about elder abuse.
Her lifelong commitment to equality and justice extended to her French-Canadian heritage. Montreuil dedicated over 15 years to advocating for francophone students' rights as president of the Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CSFTNO).
Montreuil received numerous honors for her contributions, culminating in her induction into the Order of the N.W.T. in 2022. Her family is planning a celebration of life in the fall.
