Brother Lalancette was awarded Life Membership in 2014.
Denis joined the Department of National Revenue of Canada in May 1983 and, starting in July of that same year, held a union steward position as representative on the Health and Safety Committee. Denis got involved with the union when the Quebec Regional Vice-Presidents came to speak to the local about a pending strike. He moved up through the ranks to become Local Vice-President in 1984 and President in 1990. After being elected Regional Vice-President at the UTE Convention in Vancouver in 1990, he continued to work his way up and moved into the position of 2nd National Vice-President during the UTE National Convention in Edmonton in 1996. He held that position until 2014, when he returned to being Regional Vice-President for the Quebec region.
During his terms at the national level, Denis held positions as committee chair or committee member on various national committees such as: Health and Safety, By-Laws and Regulations, Technological Change, Honours and Awards, Standing Bargaining Committee, National Bargaining Committee and member of the bargaining team and Executive Committee.
Denis has been a committed individual to both the union and his community because he has been involved in various sports and social organizations since his teens.
The highlights during his union involvement are: the major reform of the UTE By-Laws and Regulations undertaken at the Vancouver Convention in 1990; the re-organization of the bargaining process following the creation of the Revenue Agency in 1999; and his contribution to the amending of PSAC Regulation 15. The two collective agreements signed before their expiry date when he was 2nd National Vice-President responsible for bargaining and member of the bargaining team. Lastly, his involvement on the committee for creating regionalization within the PSAC.
Denis has been married to Josette Blackburn for 40 years and is the father of two sons, Éric and Jonathan. His favourite sport is golf, although he no longer plays. He calls himself an epicure, yet the list of things he likes is long. He lives in Chicoutimi (Saguenay), Quebec, which he enjoys saying is one of the most beautiful cities in the world (even though he has never left Canada). To describe it, he says that the houses there grow among the trees, since the forest is very prevalent.
To close, Denis has always focussed on communication, and one of his favourite quotes is “A well-informed member is a member apt to make a good decision”.
Denis Lalancette was awarded the title of Life Member at the UTE Triennial Convention in Windsor, July 18, 2014.
In the photo: Robert Campbell, Jean-Pierre Fraser, Denis Lalancette, Marc Brière, Robin Johnson