Rachel Massicotte

Rachel Massicotte shared her big heart with everyone in her life. That included her family, friends, as well as all the people she helped in the community such as at-risk children, teenagers and women affected by domestic violence. She was a proud Franco-Manitoban and was highly active in supporting her community through many commitments. She was president of the Provincial Youth Council, activist of the New Democratic Party and Commissioner of the Division Scolaire franco-Manitoba mine.

She also was a pioneer for the creation of l’Entre-temps des Franco-Manitobaines, a second-stage shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence, the only provincial shelter whose mandate is to provide bilingual services and to serve the French-speaking community. It was while performing her duties as the shelter’s executive director that she passed away suddenly in 2006 at the age of fifty-three. L’Entre-temps des Franco-Manitobans was renamed ChezRachel in her honour to celebrate her contributions to the organization and ensure her legacy. She is also celebrated by a memorial endowment fund started by her son, which has reached over $100,000 and will help support ChezRachel each year in perpetuity. Massicotte may no longer be with us physically, but she continues to show love and support for the community that she cared so deeply about.