Michel Lizée’s Corner

The history of the Régime de retraite des groupes communautaires et de femmes could not have been written without the invaluable contribution of Michel Lizée. A development officer at UQAM’s community services department, and above all an economist passionate about retirement and social justice, Michel Lizée was concerned about the plight of community workers in retirement. For him, there was no doubt that if the sector did not address this aspect of working conditions, all these individuals would inevitably face poverty in retirement. He found this situation particularly shocking as it meant that people, predominantly women, who had dedicated their lives to improving society and the living conditions of others, would find themselves, upon retirement, living on incomes below the poverty line.

Thus, thanks to Michel, and more importantly, with his active involvement, community and women’s groups began to explore the possibility of offering a retirement plan to the community sector. After several years of dedicated effort, the Régime de retraite à financement salarial des groupes communautaires et de femmes (RRFS-GCF) was successfully established.

However, Michel Lizée did not merely help create the plan; he remained actively involved until his death. He supported the administrative implementation of the plan and ensured that its investments and rules aligned with our values. He was the primary trainer for the members of the retirement committee, for whom he was an invaluable source of knowledge. He constantly sought new ways to democratize knowledge regarding retirement. Michel was always available to answer questions from the secretariat staff, even when he needed to do research and draft opinions.

Michel Lizée’s Corner is therefore a way for the plan to pay tribute to him, and especially to highlight his immense contribution to the world of retirement. Here, you will discover not only his role in the creation and strength of our plan, but also who he was, why he earned the title of ‘Mr. Retirement,’ the recognition he received for his work, as well as testimonials from those who knew him and anecdotes that will help you better understand this humble and dedicated man.

Happy reading!