Pierre DE BANE

HON. PIERRE DE BANÉ P.C., Q.C. It is with great sadness that the family of Pierre De Bané announces his passing at the Ottawa Heart Institute on January 9, 2019. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Elisabeth Nadeau (m. 1980); his son Jean-Manuel, his brother Joseph (Suzanne Tritschler); his sister Thérèse, his son's mother Andréanne Bournival; his five grandchildren Pénélope, Jean-Gabriel, Delphine, Laurent, Lambert and his cousins and many nieces and nephews. Born in Haïfa, Palestine, in 1938, he immigrated to Canada at the age of 11. He studied law at Laval University and was admitted to the Bar of Québec in 1964. He became a Professor at Laval University Law School in the same year. After joining a law firm in Québec City, he pleaded cases before courts in many jurisdictions, including the Supreme Court of Canada. In 1967, he began working for the then Minister of Justice, the Honourable Pierre Elliott Trudeau. In 1968, he was elected Member of Parliament for the riding of Matane and then Matapédia-Matane, making him the first Canadian Parliamentarian of Arab descent. He won five successive mandates and proudly represented the citizens of his riding for over 16 years. During that time he served as Minister of the Crown in several portfolios. In 1984, he was appointed to the Senate, a position he held for 29 years. At the time of his retirement in 2013 after more than 45 years of parliamentary service, his combined career in the two Houses made him the Dean of Parliament. He was especially proud of his contribution to l'Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), having served as the chair of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for 19 years. The Hon. Pierre De Bané will be remembered for his devotion to his family and friends, his love for his country, his attachment to his middle-eastern roots, his passion for language rights, and his lifetime commitment to public service. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the staff of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation. Details regarding the memorial service will be provided at a later date. Tributes may be sent to www.racinerobertgauthier.com; 613-241-3680