Cecile Guay, long-time advocate for people with low incomes and disabilties, is the recipient of the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award, presented to volunteer whose contributions provide extraordinary help or care to people in the community.

Cecile has been affiliated among others, with federated anti-poverty groups of bc (president for seven years), End Legislated Poverty, the Minister's Advisory Council for Income Assistance, the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, and Branching Out in Dawson Creek.

She serves on welfare tribunals, usually as the client's advocate, and on review panels for the Canadian Mental Health Board. She has just turned seventy, but has no intention of retiring, or even slowing down. Cecile defines an advocate as a "defender of rights" and says that has been her commitment, whether serving as an advocate, chairperson or representative of consumers.

-- with information from Peace River Block Daily News and Gladys Gray