Marie-Françoise Mégie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marie-Françoise Mégie
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| Senator for Rougemont, Quebec | |
| Assumed office November 25, 2016 |
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| Nominated by | Justin Trudeau |
| Appointed by | David Johnston |
| Preceded by | Suzanne Duplessis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 21, 1950 |
| Political party | Independent Senators Group |
| Profession | Doctor Professor Senator |
Marie-Françoise Mégie (born September 21, 1950) is a Canadian doctor and university professor. She is also a member of the Independent Senators Group in the Senate of Canada. She was born in Jacmel, Haiti, and moved to Quebec, Canada, in 1976.
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About Marie-Françoise Mégie
Her Early Life and Medical Career
Marie-Françoise Mégie was born in Jacmel, Haiti. She finished her primary and secondary schooling there. In July 1974, she earned her medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at the Université d'État d'Haïti in Port-au-Prince.
In November 1976, Dr. Mégie came to Quebec. She decided to continue her medical career in Canada. She completed an internship that helped her get her license from the Medical Council of Canada. She officially became a doctor in Canada in 1981. In June 1981, she passed an exam from the Federation of State Medical Boards in the United States. Then, in July 1981, she received her diploma from the Corporation des Médecins du Québec. This group is now called the Collège des médecins du Québec.
In October 1981, she started working at a local community health center (CLSC) in Laval. She provided home care for older people, those with severe disabilities, and people nearing the end of their lives. Before becoming the medical director of the Laval palliative care center, she also worked in other care settings. These included another CLSC, a retirement home, and a long-term care center.
Teaching and Research
Dr. Mégie also had a career in teaching. She became a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine at the Université de Montréal. She helped create a home care internship, which became a required part of training for family medicine doctors. She also worked on a committee that reviewed how elder care was taught. Dr. Mégie worked at the Université de Montréal for almost 30 years.
She taught about many different medical topics. These included diseases affecting multiple body systems, how doctors think through health problems, and ethical rules in caring for older people. She also taught about palliative care, which focuses on comfort for serious illnesses. She organized internships for doctors-in-training to learn about elder care. She also taught them about medical ethics and getting consent for treatment.
Throughout her career, she helped organize and spoke at many conferences. In the 1990s, Dr. Mégie took part in research about health and aging in Canada. She studied how often Alzheimer's disease appeared. She also examined patients for a project looking into the genetic parts of Alzheimer's. In 2004, she was a co-researcher in a study about chronic wounds in home care. This study looked at the issue across Quebec. She also was an expert in a study about the quality of health care for older people.
She received a grant to create a way to evaluate medical training websites. She shared her medical knowledge at many conferences for family doctors in Quebec. She also takes part in conferences held by the Canadian Association of Wound Care.
Senator Mégie in the Senate of Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Dr. Mégie to the Senate on November 25, 2016. She officially started her role on December 2, 2016. She serves as an independent senator for the area of Rougemont.
As a senator, she has been a part of several important committees. These include the Standing Committee of Social Affairs, Science and Technology. She has also served on committees for Official Languages, Agriculture and Forestry, and Aboriginal Peoples. In 2019, she spoke in favor of the Canadian Accessibility Act. This law helps make Canada more accessible for people with disabilities.
She also supported Bill C-243, which aims to create a national plan for maternity support.
Senator Mégie supported a motion to bring attention to vaccine hesitancy. This is when people are unsure about getting vaccines. She highlighted how this can be a threat to public health. This motion was important before the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccine hesitancy became a big issue.
The Senator is also a member of the Parliamentary Black Caucus. This group works to focus on issues affecting Black communities in Canada. In 2020, she helped write a statement from the Caucus. This document asked the government to take real steps to fight against systemic racism in Canada. She asked the Senate to accept this statement. She then suggested the Senate hold a special meeting to discuss the government's role in fighting racism.
During the Senate's study of racism, Senator Mégie gave an important speech. In her speech, she included the recommendations from the Parliamentary Black Caucus.
Professional Groups
Senator Mégie is a member of several professional groups. In 1993, she joined the Société québécoise de gériatrie, which focuses on care for older people. In 1995, she became a member of the Association Médicale Haïtienne à l'Étranger. She was vice-president of this group from 1997 to 1998, and then president for five years. From 2014 to 2017, she was president of the Association Médecins francophones du Canada. She also edited the bulletin for this group.
She helped create the Maison de soins palliatifs de Laval, a hospice that opened in 2009. She was its medical director until 2016. She also joined the board of directors for this hospice and later became its vice-president.
Awards and Recognition
- June 2001: Received an award from the health and social services board of Laval. This was for her book about health care services provided at home.
- October 2001: Received the Gilles des Rosiers Award from the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec. This award recognized her efforts in educating other doctors.
