Régine Laurent prize
Since 2017, at every convention the FIQ awards the Régine Laurent prizes, which highlight individual and collective union engagement.
The delegation will choose the winners at the convention, held from June 2 to 6, 2025.
Annie Fournier
It is with deep admiration that we nominate Annie Fournier, emergency nurse at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (HMR), for the Individual Régine Laurent Prize. Annie is an exceptional nurse, an inspiring union representative and a model of resilience.
Throughout her career, Annie has embodied the very essence of advocacy in nursing. Proactive in defending patients’ rights, she has never hesitated to stand up for fairness, safety, and dignity in care. In the HMR emergency room, she has always been that strong, caring voice that ensures no one is left behind.
But Annie has also stood up for the next generation. She played a key role in the fight against mandatory overtime, taking part in sit-ins, demonstrations, public testimonials, and even delivering her message to thousands of people on the set of Tout le monde en parle. Through her courage, she crystallized the discontent of a network running out of steam, but above all, she sowed the seeds of hope for real change.
In February 2024, a massive stroke brutally interrupted her active fight. Intubated and twice in a coma, Annie had to face the most difficult ordeal of her life. But true to herself, she did not give up. Today, in the midst of her rehabilitation, she continues to fight with fierce determination, driven by a single dream: to one day return to the emergency room, alongside her colleagues and the patients she loves so much.
This tragic event does not diminish her contribution. On the contrary, it reveals the depth of her inner strength. Even while recovering, Annie Fournier continues to embody the values of nursing advocacy: defending the most vulnerable, solidarity, social justice and uncompromising commitment.
Annie Fournier represents the strongest, most humane and most committed aspects of the profession. Presenting her with this award is a recognition of the struggle of all those who, like her, refuse to give up.
Raphael Michaud
It is with great pleasure that we nominate Raphael Michaud who has been working with the FIQ-SIL team in Lanaudière for just over a year now. He has put his heart and soul into setting up an OHS committee in our CISSS. He has forged close ties with the OHS committees of other unions. He quickly convinced us that we were stronger as a team in denouncing injustices.
He has worked hard on several issues, including one we are very proud of: the case of non-compliant and/or expired gloves, in which the employer, with full knowledge of the facts, put its employees at risk by providing them with expired gloves that tore or were not adequate to protect them when using chemotherapy products. He quickly took charge of the matter and conducted his own research. He was even interviewed by the media. An inter-union tour of all the facilities was conducted with the employer. All expired gloves and disinfection equipment were removed. At the same time, they found a lot of other expired medical equipment (probes, syringes, needles, etc.) that could have harmed patients. Everything was removed and thrown away.
He promoted the use of DEAs and DSRs, which have become indispensable tools in advancing and reporting issues. We now use them for almost everything. As soon as an incident occurs, he does not hesitate to call on managers and all those responsible to inform them of the situation and the risks involved and quickly works with them to find solutions.
Thanks to him, a committee to monitor issues and risks is now in place in the emergency department. For us, he is like a superhero who protects employees and patients with his shield. He even convinced us to boost his impact by adding two new colleagues to his team so that he can act even more quickly in situations.
He is a generous man who welcomes, appreciates and thanks each of us after every intervention.
Thank you for considering him for the incredible work he has been doing since February 2024.
