Tasting 2011

The 16th edition of the Mental Illness Foundation’s Prestige Wine-Tasting event, presented on April 13 at the Montreal Science Centre, was an unqualified success. More than 375 guests from the business world and the healthcare network took part in the benefit event, helping to raise more than $200,000 for the Partners for Life program. Since 1998, the program’s team of field facilitators has visited more than 630 schools across Quebec, meeting with 700,000 students, 8,000 parents and 22,000 care providers to raise awareness about depression, prevent suicide and encourage young people to stay in school.

Serving as honorary co-presidents for the event were Philippe Duval, president and CEO of the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), and Éric Bédard, partner at Fasken Martineau. The event’s major partners were the SAQ and Quebecor.

François Chartier, sommelier and author of the best-selling book Taste Buds and Molecules, drew on his expertise in aroma science to create the menu and wine pairings, with invaluable assistance from Denise Cornellier of Cornellier Traiteur. The emcee for the evening was Winston McQuade.

Leading CEOs and influential figures from the business world support the Mental Illness Foundation. From left: Jean-Luc Taschereau, president, Mental Illness Foundation; Donald Bastien, executive committee member, senior vice-president and general manager, CTV Montreal; Denise Cornellier, Cornellier Traiteur; Jean Brosseau, vice-president, Marketing Business Services & Sales Support, Mouvement Desjardins; François Chartier, sommelier and author; Dr. Martin Tremblay, chair of the Board, psychiatrist and co-director, Clinique Expertise Neurosciences; Gabriela Aninaru, director, business development and fundraising, Mental Illness Foundation.