Marthe Asselin-Vaillancourt has been actively engaged in the betterment of society for nearly 50 years. A champion of several causes, she helped to establish a shelter for abused women, held leading positions with the Fédération des femmes du Québec, and helped to set up a network of crime victims assistance centres in Quebec. Her efforts to promote greater social justice also led her to co-chair the Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women, and to share her leadership expertise with the Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées et préretraitées.