Allyre Sirois

Allyre Sirois
Born 25 August 1923[1]
Vonda, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died 8 September 2012(2012-09-08) (aged 89)[2]
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Unit Special Operations Executive (F section)
Awards MBE, Croix de guerre
Other work Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan

Allyre Louis Joseph Sirois (25 August 1923 – 8 September 2012) was a Canadian judge of the Court of the Queen's Bench in Saskatchewan, Canada.[3]

Wartime experience

Sirois was born and raised in Vonda, Saskatchewan during his elementary-school years; his parents were Paul Emile Sirois and Bertha Pion Sirois.[4] He was educated in several secondary schools, and enrolled in Toronto's Radio College of Canada (1940–1941). In 1941 he responded to the call to aid Great Britain in World War II by enrolling in the Canadian Army, being assigned to the Signal Corps. In 1943 he was loaned to the War Office (MI5) for espionage duty in Occupied France, primarily owing to his fluency in the French Language. He was an agent in Special Operations Executive's F section and was sent to occupied France as a radio operator under the codename Gustave. Operating from Angoulême, he organised 24 arms drops and the bombing of Angoulême. He returned to Saskatchewan shortly before Christmas 1944.[5]

Education and career

Sirois enrolled in the University of Saskatchewan and graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1948 and Bachelor of Laws in 1950. He passed the Bar in 1951, and practiced as an attorney in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan from 1951 until 1964, when he was appointed to the Bench.

Sirois retired from the Bench in 1998. He lived in Saskatoon after retiring.

Personal life

Sirois was active in the community. He was president of the Gravelbourg School Board for 10 years (1953–1963), president of the ACFC, the national network of French-language theaters (1963-1963),[6] served as fundraising co-chair of the La Troupe du Jour finance campaign to erect a performing studio, and served on several other municipal boards.[7]

Sirois married Madeline Anne Marie Ehman on 14 September 1948; she preceded him in death. During their marriage they had six children, Valerie, Richard, Guy, Marianne, Lisa and Norman.

Professional controversy

On 26 September 1996 an investigation began into remarks he had made at a bail hearing apparently blaming (which was not the case) a woman for the physical assault her former partner inflicted on her (after being beaten by a boyfriend because she failed to get up and hand him the TV remote), he is reported to have remarked that "it takes two to tango",[8][9] and having in 1993 referred to prostitutes as belonging to "a different caste". He was also derided in a newspaper article for stating in 1992 that a female who had been assaulted when she was 12 years old that she bore some responsibility for the incident.[10]

Recognition

For his service behind the lines in World War II, Sirois received three distinguished honors:

References

  1. ↑ Canadian Who's Who 2003 (edited by Elizabeth Lumley), p. 1255
  2. ↑ The StarPhoenix, The StarPhoenix September 11, 2012 (2012-08-29). "Groundbreaking judge Sirois dies at age 89". Thestarphoenix.com. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
  3. ↑ Canadian Secret Agents in the Second World War (website) accessed 27 Sept. 2009
  4. ↑ Who's Who
  5. ↑ Green & White (Univ of Sask. alumni magazine, Fall 2005 issue; p. 12) accessed 27 Sept. 2009
  6. ↑ La Troupe du Jour website (in French), accessed 27 Sept. 2009
  7. ↑ Who's Who
  8. ↑ "Justice Minister Requests An Investigation Into Judge'S Conduct - Government Of Saskatchewan". Gov.sk.ca. 1996-09-24. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
  9. ↑ "Stupid judge tricks". Fact.on.ca. 1999-03-13. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
  10. ↑ Sandra Martin, Stupid Judge Tricks, The Globe and Mail, 13 March 1997, website accessed 27 Sept. 2009
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