HALIFAX, N.S. – Oct. 22, 2018 – The RDÉE PEI team and board of directors congratulate their business development officer Robert Maddix for being named the 2018 recipient of the Jean-Robert Gauthier Award for his outstanding contribution to the growth of the French language in education.

The Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones (FNCSF) presented Maddix his award Oct. 19, in front of his wife and two sons, during its annual meeting in Halifax, N.S.

This award is presented annually to a school board trustee who contributes or has contributed in a remarkable way to the development of French first-language education outside of Quebec. The national award is named in honor of former parliamentarian Jean-Robert Gauthier, who was a strong defender of francophone rights outside Québec.

“Robert Maddix sat as an elected school board trustee for 14 years, from 2002 to 2016, including nine years as its chairman, from 2004 to 2014,” explains Emile Gallant, the chairperson of the French Language School Board in P.E.I.

“During his tenure, when he represented the Évangéline region and the Charlottetown area, Robert played a key role in establishing four new French-language schools on P.E.I. – in Summerside, in West Prince, in Rustico and in Souris – as well as in the expansion of Charlottetown’s École François-Buote.”

Gallant added that Maddix also was the chairman of the national federation from 2011 to 2015.

Maddix is originally from the Evangeline region and now resides in Charlottetown.