It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our colleague and friend Jean Masson on Sunday, November 1, 2020. A true pillar of this Firm, Jean spent the vast majority of his career at Fasken. He joined the Firm in 1978 after working at the Société de développement de la Baie James, the Québec Ministry of Justice and Câblevision Nationale Ltée.
Jean was always recognized for his exceptional involvement, both in the legal community as well as the political and social community spheres. Among Jean’s long list of professional achievements was his role in co-leading the first public-private partnership project to be carried out in Québec, which won many prestigious awards for the design, construction, financing and maintenance for completion of Autoroute 25 in the greater Montréal area. Moreover, he had a deep understanding of the Plan Nord and, as such, was able to expertly advise numerous mining companies in realizing their projects.
In the political sphere, Jean was a trustee of the Robert Bourassa memorial trust fund and was instrumental in erecting a monument dedicated to the late former Premier in the gardens of Québec’s Assemblée Nationale. A proud supporter of the Québec Liberal party, he was Raymond Bachand’s chief organizer during the leadership race to succeed Jean Charest in 2012.
In addition to his professional interests, those who had the opportunity to know Jean are well-aware of his passion and dedication to conservation of peregrine falcons. He developed this interest in the early 1990s after he noticed some peregrine falcons flying outside his office. A loyal supporter of the cause from then on, he set up a collaborative project between the firm and McGill University’s Avian Science and Conservation Centre. With his rescue gear always close at hand, he became somewhat of a big brother for the falcons in downtown Montreal.
His passing will definitely leave a void in our firm. Jean’s legacy of engagement, loyalty and benevolence will continue to inspire us in our daily lives.