On November 9, 2006, Mr. Denis Roy, president of Legal Aid Services handed out the 2006 Robert-Sauvé awards. The winners of this 6th edition were Ms. Ruth Gagnon, general director of the Société Elizabeth Fry du Québec in the general public category, and Mr. Jacques Racine, general director (retired) of the Centre communautaire juridique of Bas-Saint-Laurent-Gaspésie, for the community category.

The Robert-Sauvé prize is a distinction of honor which serves to highlight the exceptional contribution of two people to the promotion of human rights for the poor. The prize is offered to one person working in the legal aid community (community category) and to another working outside of the legal aid community (general public category).

The Robert-Sauvé prize, general public category, was given to Ms. Gagnon for her exceptional contribution to the promotion of the rights of marginalized persons. Criminologist by profession, Ms. Gagnon has devoted her life to assisting criminalized persons as well as those at risk of becoming criminalized by offering her services to prevent criminality and to encourage social reintegration. With her work, she has helped many such individuals find the dignity that they deserve.

This prize carries the name of the president-founder of Legal Aid Quebec, the Honorable Robert Sauvé, president of the Legal Aid Commission from 1972 to 1977. The Honorable Robert Sauvé was persuaded that the creation of a legal aid service was of the utmost importance to the advancement of Quebecers in their search for justice. The winners of this prize therefore see their names associated with one of the most ardent defenders of the rights of the poor.