An Action Plan for Pain in Canada
The AQDC welcomes the Canadian Pain Task Force’s final report An Action Plan for Pain in Canada published by Health Canada on May 5, 2021.
3 June 2021
About
Founded in 2004, the Quebec Chronic Pain Association, is a non-profit organization and registered charity, created by patients, for patients. Our governance system includes patient members and volunteer professionals from health care and other related fields.
As an association, QCPA works to help its members enjoy a better quality of life, informing and raising awareness of chronic pain for all those concerned, whether directly or indirectly. It also plays an advocacy role with stakeholders.
QCPA’s work is guided by the principles of mutual support, solidarity, collaboration and sharing.
Our mission
The mission of the Quebec Chronic Pain Association (QCPA) is to improve quality of life and reduce isolation for those living with chronic pain in Quebec.
Our objectives
- Unite people living with chronic pain from all regions of Quebec, in a dynamic and influential association.
- Support people living with chronic pain, along with their loved ones, by offering conferences, support groups, a support line, and other services, as needed.
- Inform and educate the public about the harmful effects that chronic pain can have for the affected person, their loved ones, and society as a whole.
- Advocate for chronic pain to be recognized as a disease in its own right, by both the public and health professionals.
- Influence policymakers so that chronic pain becomes a priority in our health care system, and services for those affected are improved.
- Share and promote new knowledge in the field of chronic pain.
- Pursue all other related objectives that align with the Association’s mission.
Board of Director
Executive Committee
Pierre Genest, President
Pierre Genest holds a bachelor's degree in administration and a certificate in human resources management from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières. He has extensive experience in the municipal sector, in particular due to his time as director general of the municipalities of Ville-Marie, Beaupré, Trois-Pistoles, and Nicolet. Throughout his career, Mr. Genest has shown a strong interest in occupational health and safety. He served on the board of directors of the Joint Association for Workplace Health and Safety, Municipal Affairs (Association paritaire pour la santé et la sécurité du travail, secteur affaires municipales—APSAM) for many years. He has also served on several other boards. Mr. Genest has been living with chronic pain for many years, having been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, and subsequently with mechanical dorsolumbar pain due to multilevel discopathy, and fibromyalgia. He joined the QCPA Board of Directors in the winter of 2021, to contribute to the association's mission. His hope is for people like himself, living with physical limitations caused by chronic pain, to be able to fully access the care and support they need to remain active members of society. He would also like to see chronic pain recognized in the same way as other more easily diagnosed conditions.
Alice Wagenaar-Tison, Vice-Presidente
Alice studied human kinetics, followed by a master's degree in human movement science research. She also completed a doctorate in biomedical sciences and her doctoral studies focused on pain and cognition. She is passionate about knowledge transmission and scientific popularization, which has led her to teach various neuroscience courses at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Alice has been a support group facilitator at QCPA, and is dedicated to reducing the stigma around chronic pain.
Géhane Greis, Vice-Presidente
Dr. Géhane Greis graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University, Egypt, in 1995. She completed her residency in anesthesia and intensive care in 2000, and then chose to do her doctorate in pain management, which she successfully completed in 2003. Since then, she has worked as a specialist in pain medicine. Upon arriving in Montréal, she joined Dr. Aline Boulanger's team at the Pain Management Clinic of the University of Montréal Health Centre (CHUM), as well as at the Montréal Sacred Heart Hospital (Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur-de-Montréal). Dr. Greis has served on the QCPA Board of Directors since 2015. She is an active member of several non-profit organizations, a conference speaker, and was named Volunteer of the Year by the National Assembly of Quebec in both 2013 and 2016. She is passionate about working for the good of society, and especially for people suffering from pain.
André Harbec, Treasurer
André worked as an economist at Hydro-Québec, Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Livestock Feed Board. He was also a professor of economics at HEC. Later, he served as secretary for the Fédération des producteurs de céréales du Québec (Quebec Federation of Grain Producers), and as vice-president for the Régie des grains du Québec (Quebec Grain Regulatory Board). He continued his career as an investment advisor and financial planner. In this capacity, he helps his clients achieve their goals by building and implementing comprehensive and tax-efficient strategies. André recognizes the importance of family values and taking care of future generations, both his own and those of his clients. In recent years, he has specialized as a financial planner in major gifts and planned giving, and has helped several foundations and non-profit organizations raise significant amounts of money through his tax strategies. André's wife, Francine, has been suffering from chronic lower back pain since 2014, which is not controlled even with the use of opioids, daily physical exercises, and various other strategies. He is involved with the QCPA to help his wife gain greater access to information to help alleviate her pain.
Katie St-Jacques, Secretary
Helping people is a top priority for Katie. That passion led her to return to school and earn a diploma in special education in 2011. Working with the Des Chênes School Board, she helped students increase their autonomy and self-confidence, and improve their learning. In 2015, following a cycling accident, she developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Since then, she has focused on learning to adapt and better live with pain. Katie joined QCPA as a participant in 2018, became a group facilitator in 2021, and has been active on the board of directors since 2022. Her goal is to increase awareness of the Association's services, reduce isolation, and facilitate a sense of belonging for people living with pain.
Board members
Hélène Beaudry, Board member
Researcher in the field of pain since 2006, Hélène Beaudry is currently executive director of the Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN). Dr. Beaudry received her postdoctoral fellowship training at Columbia University, then at McGill University, where she developed expertise in pharmacology and optogenetics to treat pain. She was appointed associate professor at the University of Montréal in 2019. As executive director of the QPRN, she is involved in building teams of Quebec researchers to increase the cohesion and complementarity of actions. She works to create a strong network with academic, private, and association partners, both in Quebec and at the Canadian and international levels, in order to catalyze collaborations. Her active role in strengthening research capacity has led to improved integration of knowledge into practice and policy, as well as optimization of research investments.
Dr. Manon Choinière, Board member
Dr. Manon Choinière, trained in psychology, pursued doctoral and postdoctoral studies in the field of pain at McGill University. She is a full professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of Montréal, and a full-time researcher at the CRCHUM (research centre affiliated with the University of Montréal Health Centre), where she conducts evaluative, epidemiological, and clinical research on pain among various clienteles living with chronic pain. Her work has always been and continues to be funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (Quebec Research Fund−Health sector). She has published over 170 articles in leading scientific journals and presented the results of her work at numerous national and international conferences. She is one of the founding members of the Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN) and the Canadian Chronic Pain Network (CPN).
Gérard Paquette, Board member
Gérard has been an active member of the AQDC for several years, where he is involved in activities and self-help groups. Building mechanics technician for over 40 years, he worked with consulting engineering firms and entrepreneurs. A 2023 AQDC conference on neuroplasticity "Thwarting chronic pain", transformed his life by helping him overcome his chronic pain through strategies he put into practice. Passionate about walking and exercise, he places great importance on physical well-being. Committed to the cause, Gérard was treasurer for three years at another association related to chronic pain, Migraine Québec, where he gained solid experience in operating and funding non-profit organizations. He now wishes to put his skills and experience at the service of the AQDC.
Dr. Charles Paquin, Board member
Dr. Charles Paquin did his initial training in dentistry at Laval University and worked for 7 years in Gaspé Peninsula as a dentist. He then completed his medical training in Quebec as well. He will be doing his family medicine residency in Gaspé Peninsula. His interest in the treatment of chronic pain dates back to his first contact with patients as a health professional. He is currently completing a microprogram in chronic pain management with the University of Montreal. He has been involved since 2025 within the AQDC as a volunteer and since 2026 as a member of the board of directors and as a co-organizer of self-help groups.
Isabelle Robillard, Board member
Isabelle Robillard holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and has more than 25 years of experience in complex, regulated environments, particularly in the fields of transportation, training and health. Over the course of her career, she has developed expertise in popularizing specialized issues, developing training programs, and building relationships between various stakeholders. She has been living with ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia for many years. This reality, which she learns daily, allows her to better understand the very real, but often invisible, challenges faced by people with chronic pain. Over time, she has developed a particular sensitivity to the importance of raising awareness about this reality, breaking down isolation and promoting better access to information and support for people who live with pain in their daily lives.
Observers
Vincent Raymond, Ex officio President
After obtaining his medical degree, Vincent Raymond completed a PhD in physiology-endocrinology at Laval University. He is a professor at the Department of Molecular Medicine at Laval University, and continues his research in human genetics and neuroscience at the CHUQ (University Hospital Center in Québec). The chronic lower back pain he suffers from has been managed for 10 years through the use of opioid medication, daily physical exercises, and various other strategies acquired through QCPA support groups. Vincent advocates for chronic pain to be recognized as a legitimate illness and for its treatment to include the responsible use of opioids. He has served on the QCPA Board of Directors since June 2013.
Executive Direction
Geneviève Couture, Executive Director
Geneviève Couture has extensive experience in directing non-profit organizations, and over 20 years of experience in consulting, and in communications and marketing management. Trained in communications and management, she also holds several certificates in marketing, leadership, and management skills. She has held a number of management positions, including as the executive director of a community social pediatrics centre, as the regional director of a socio-professional integration organization, and coordinating a foundation. She has also collaborated on the development and management of various projects with multidisciplinary teams, and has promoted the outreach and visibility of organizations within the community and with partners. She leverages her expertise to foster the best conditions possible for the growth, prominence, and visibility of the Association, as well as to create a positive impact in the lives of the individuals supported.
Sonia Léon-Laterreur, Member services Coordinator
Coming soon
Céline Naricadou, Administrative assistant
Coming soon
Our history
The QCPA held its first meeting in January 2004, thanks to the vision and dedication of Dr. Aline Boulanger. She initiated the first gathering of what would become the founding board members of the QCPA. Nine of the twelve founding members were individuals living with chronic pain, and represented Quebec’s largest pain management clinics. All founding members were volunteers motivated by the desire to make a difference for people living with chronic pain.
Since then, QCPA has developed a number of projects, notably, a public awareness campaign on opioids, and a pain scale to help individuals living with chronic pain better identify their level of suffering. In addition, the Association has also collaborated on promoting the children’s book Y’a de la visite! (translated, We Have Company!), and on two consecutive years, organized a vernissage, showcasing artists living with chronic pain.
From left to right, first row (seated): Dr. Aline Boulanger, Jacques Laliberté, Irène Couture; second row: Louise O’Donnell, Marcelle Vézina Cadoret, Line Brochu; third row: Dr. Manon Choinière, Yves Beauchamp, Lucie Moisan, Jean-Claude Lamouche, France Boulianne.
News
The MSSS Action Plan
Last November, the Health and Social Services Minister launched an Action Plan for Chronic Pain 2021-2026, intended to improve access to services for people living
8 March 2021
Annual reports
The QCPA held its first meeting in January 2004, thanks to the vision and dedication of Dr. Aline Boulanger. She was the instigator of the first meeting of those who would become the founding directors of the QCPA. Nine of the association’s founding members, among the twelve directors on the board of directors, were people living with chronic pain and represented the largest pain treatment clinics in Quebec. All of the founding members were volunteers who wanted to make a difference for people with chronic pain.
The QCPA has developed several projects, including an opioid campaign and a pain charter to help people with chronic pain identify their level of suffering. She also helped promote the children’s book Il y a de la visite! , then organized two consecutive years a vernissage bringing together artists suffering from chronic pain.