Marcel was born and raised in Northern Ontario and lives in Ottawa. He retired from the Ontario Public service in 2011 and has continued to be active as an acting Executive Director, Social Worker and Volunteer/Advocate. He has been a member of several Boards of Directors including six years with L’Association pour L’Integration sociale D’Ottawa (AISO) which is a member organization of Community Living Ontario. Marcel is fully bilingual and is married with one daughter and 2 wonderful grandchildren.
Marcel brings over 50 years of experience in the field of intellectual disabilities. In 1968, at the age of 17, he joined YACMR (Youth across Canada for the Mentally Retarded). Thus began his lifelong involvement with individuals with disabilities and their families. He has been a front-line worker, Executive Director, Program Supervisor and Manager with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, Board member and volunteer.
In the 1990s, Marcel managed the long overdue return of over 200 individuals from Rideau Regional Centre (RRC) in Smith Falls to their home communities across Ontario. During this time at RRC, Marcel became a volunteer with a man who had been placed at RRC in 1952 at the age of 5. This person returned to Ottawa in 2000 and since then Marcel has become his Power of Attorney but more importantly are very close friends and they continue to enjoy community activities together, travelling and just hanging out. Fourteen years ago, Marcel was also matched with a man who is blind and has an intellectual disability. This man is now 80 years old and they enjoy lunches out, shopping and spending time together.
