Death of former judge André Forget | “He was proud of what he left behind”

Retired judge André Forget died in Montreal last Thursday at the age of 84.

One of the most eminent jurists of his generation, the Honourable André Forget sat for 14 years on the Superior Court of Quebec, then for 16 years on the Court of Appeal.

In 2013, he returned to the Prévost Fortin d’Aoust (PFD) firm in Saint-Jérôme, a firm he had helped found before his career as a judge.

It was after retiring from the judiciary that André Forget played the “most rewarding” role of his life, as he confided to our colleague Yves Boisvert in 2021: listening to victims of sexual assault from religious communities after the settlement of class actions, a key role that left a deep mark on him.

André Forget died from Parkinson’s disease, which he had suffered from for three years, said his daughter, Geneviève Forget, who also had a career as a lawyer with the same firm.

“The disease affected his cognitive and physical functions, but it was not at a stage where he would suffer. My father was excessively happy until the last day. He was full of wisdom,” she said.

A resident of Querbes Avenue, near Van Horne Avenue, in Outremont, André Forget walked 10,000 steps a day in his neighborhood until a month ago.

“The pastry chefs knew him, he was always at Bilboquet, he did his little shopping… He sat on his favorite park bench to read. He had his routine.”

Geneviève Forget says her father had qualities that made him larger than life. “He was kind, respectful, extraordinary. He never forgot that he was a little guy from Saint-Antoine-des-Laurentides [aujourd’hui Saint-Jérôme]. There aren’t many lawyers who make a career defending the less fortunate. He did it out of a love of justice, of fairness. He made a difference, but always in a kind and polite way. I think he was proud of what he left behind.”

400 men victims

It was in the latter part of his career as a lawyer that André Forget was chosen to be the arbitrator who would determine the compensation to which victims of sexual assault from religious communities would be entitled after the settlement of class actions.

This stage of his career was the subject of a column entitled “Will you believe me?” written by Yves Boisvert three years ago.

Read our column “Will you believe me?”

André Forget met with victims of sexual violence suffered at the Brothers of the Holy Cross, who settled a class action for victims from Notre-Dame College in Montreal, Saint-Césaire College and Notre-Dame School in Pohénégamook.

Mr. Forget also met with victims in the Redemptorists case, and in that of the Clerics of Saint-Viateur, who managed the Institute for the Deaf and Mute.

In total, André Forget received around 400 men in his office.

“He would listen to horrible stories, he would have tears in his eyes when he talked about it. He would tell me: ‘Geneviève, they were deaf.’ But he didn’t tell us about it. He kept it inside.”

André Forget said that it was the most difficult thing he had done, but also the most rewarding.

Geneviève Forget says that the only reason her father agreed to meet the columnist The Press and to talk about this case is to encourage victims of sexual assault to raise their hands.

Étienne Morin, managing partner of PFD Avocats, points out that André Forget “was unanimously popular” around him.

“He was small and thin physically, but he was a giant. He was appreciated for his kindness, his intelligence, which he did not boast about. He hated having the spotlight on him, the parties in his honor, all that, it was not in his nature.”

His role as arbitrator for victims of sexual assault required “extraordinary” judgment, he said. “He brought honor to the profession. It was an incredible source of learning for him, he told us. It made him think about life.”