Mr. Etienne Saint-Aubin

Etienne Saint-Aubin served as the first Director of French Language Services for Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General from 1979 to 1986. Born in 1949 in Kirkland Lake, he graduated from the University of Ottawa law school in 1974 and began his career as an Assistant Crown Attorney in Sudbury in 1976. His position was created during Attorney General Roy McMurtry’s tenure as part of Ontario’s broader initiative to expand French language services in the justice system.

Saint-Aubin was instrumental in establishing French as an official language of Ontario courts and later played a key role in drafting the French Language Services Act of 1986. He had unique authority within the ministry to designate positions as requiring bilingual competency, allowing rapid implementation of French language capacity. His achievements included developing a professional court interpretation system for all languages, establishing the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO), and creating exchange programs between Ontario and Quebec Crown attorneys.

The interview provides valuable insights into the political challenges of expanding French language services, including resistance from within the civil service and external opposition. Saint-Aubin describes the strong support he received from Attorney General McMurtry, who viewed French language services as a defining aspect of his tenure. After McMurtry’s departure and changes in ministry leadership under the Liberal government, Saint-Aubin left Toronto in 1986 to work at the Stormont Glengarry Legal Clinic in eastern Ontario.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.