L’Acadie and the Canadian Francophonie can now count on a new ally in the Senate. Appointed among five senators from the Maritime provinces on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, Réjean Aucoin is a well-known and recognized figure in Acadian circles in Nova Scotia and elsewhere. The native of Chéticamp is a lawyer with more than thirty years of experience. Before practicing law, Réjean Aucoin was a journalist, radio producer, writer and community development agent.
From 2004 to 2007, he also served as a part-time commissioner on the Parole Board of Canada. In terms of volunteer commitment, Réjean Aucoin is tireless. In 1994, he founded l’Association des juristes d’expression française de la Nouvelle-Écosse, where he currently serves as outgoing president. He is also the founding president of the Chéticamp Economic Council. “These two organizations have greatly contributed to the development and vitality of the Acadian community in the region,” we read in a biography published by the office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
On a national scale, Réjean Aucoin's fervor for the Francophonie is just as strong since he was vice-president of the Fédération des associations de juristes d'expression française de common law, vice-president of the Société nationale de l’Acadie, vice-president of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, vice-president of the Canadian Community Radio Fund and president of the Alliance of Community Radios of Canada.
His work and involvement have earned him numerous distinctions, including the 2017 Jurist of the Year Award from the l’Association des juristes d’expression française de la Nouvelle-Écosse, the Community Development Award from the Canadian Bar Association, Nova Scotia division, and the Community Speaker Award from the Alliance of Community Radios of Canada.
He was also named volunteer of the year by the Société Saint-Pierre de Chéticamp and recipient of the Léger-Comeau certificate of merit from the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Réjean Aucoin was appointed advisor to the King in 2014. He holds a specialized bachelor's degree in social work and a bachelor's degree in law from the University of Moncton.