Toronto, ON May 18, 2018 – The Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL) is pleased to announce that it has chosen Catholic physician Dr. Catherine Ferrier from Montreal as winner of this year’s Archbishop Adam Exner Award for Catholic Excellence in Public Life.
The award will be presented at the CCRL’s annual Spring Dinner on June 18 in Toronto at 6:30 pm at the Sala Caboto Ballroom at 40 Playfair Ave, west of Dufferin, south of Lawrence, featuring a keynote address by Tanya Granic Allen, CCRL Ontario Director and President of Parents as First Educators (PAFE).
CCRL President Phil Horgan confirmed the League’s selection:
Dr. Catherine Ferrier has used her talents and skills far beyond providing medical care to her patients, advancing studies in geriatrics, or teaching future doctors from her base in Montreal, or at McGill University. We recognize the tireless work of Dr. Ferrier in our modest way with the League’s Exner Award and we thank her for her professional excellence.
Dr. Ferrier has been an active opponent to euthanasia since the mid 1990s. 
From 2010, Dr. Ferrier has been active in the formation of Living with Dignity, an organization established to protect the life and the inherent and inalienable dignity of people who have become vulnerable through illness, old age, or disability.
In 2012, Dr. Ferrier was part of the original group of Quebec doctors to form the Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia, to take on the challenge imposed by governments and lobbyists who sought to introduce and impose euthanasia into Quebec and Canadian society. She continues to serve as its President since 2014.
She continues to participate in leading roles in these organizations, which have no religious or political affiliation, while remaining active within the Catholic community in Montreal, and the rest of Canada, through conferences, writing, and other engagements.
She has also served as the President of the Association Jérôme Lejeune des médecins catholiques de Montréal since 2008.
On receiving the Exner award, Dr. Ferrier said:
I am grateful to the CCRL for choosing me for the Archbishop Adam Exner award for Catholic excellence in public life. It gives well-deserved recognition to all my colleagues and friends in Quebec and across the country who have been working tirelessly to protect vulnerable Canadians from the euthanasia laws and to defend doctors’ freedom of conscience. It is in their name that I accept the award.
For Spring Dinner tickets, please email ccrl@ccrl.ca or call 416-466-8244 or 1-844-722-CCRL. Tickets are $125 each for individuals. We are offering a special rate of $1000 for a table of 10. We encourage organizations, or even groups of friends to save money and help the CCRL by organizing a table. With either option an RSVP is required by calling (416) 466-8244 or 1-844-722-CCRL or by emailing ccrl@ccrl.ca.
About the Archbishop Exner Award
The CCRL established the Archbishop Exner Award in 2004 to honour Archbishop Adam Exner, OMI, Archbishop Emeritus of Vancouver, upon his retirement and to recognize outstanding achievement in advocacy, education, life issues, media and culture, and philanthropy.
Previous recipients include:
Dr. Robert Walley, founder of MaterCare International (2017)
Alex Schadenberg, anti-euthanasia/assisted suicide activist (2016)
Dr. Donald DeMarco, scholar, writer, seminary professor, and pro-life activist (2015)
Gwen Landolt, long time national Vice-President of REAL Women of Canada, pro- life advocate, promoter of the family in national and international circles (2014)
Fr. Alphonse de Valk, CSB, pro-life activist, writer and editor (2013)
Michael D. O’Brien, artist and author, for creative work incorporating authentic Catholicism and Catholic teaching (2012)
Michael Coren, author and broadcaster, for his outspoken defense of Catholicism in media (2011)
Suzanne LaVallee of Quebec for leadership in education (2010)
The late Frank Chauvin of Windsor, Ontario, founder of Haiti’s first orphanage for girls and initiator of an application for review of the process by which Henry Morgentaler was awarded the Order of Canada (2009)
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew and Joan Simone of Toronto, co-founders of Canadian Food for Children, for services to philanthropy and international aid (2008)
Campaign Life Coalition President Jim Hughes of Toronto for service to the pro-life movement (2007)
J. Fraser Field of Vancouver, founder of Catholic Educators’ Resource Centre, for service to education (2006)
The late Regina business leader Frederick W. Hill for philanthropy and community service (2005)
About the CCRL
Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL) (www.ccrl.ca) assists in creating conditions within which Catholic teachings can be better understood, cooperates with other organizations in defending civil rights in Canada, and opposes defamation and discrimination against Catholics on the basis of their beliefs. The CCRL was founded in 1985 as an independent lay organization with a large nationwide membership base. The CCRL is a Canadian non-profit organization entirely supported by the generosity of its members.
To donate to the CCRL, please click here.
For further information:
Christian Domenic Elia, PhD
CCRL Executive Director
416-466-8244
@CCRLtweets