CPA member awarded France’s highest honour for pioneering work in psychiatry in prisons

In June, CPA life member Dr. Chunilal Roy was awarded France’s top honour when he was named a Chevalier (knight) de l’Ordre de la Légion d’honneur, by the French government.

Considered a pioneer in treatment in prisons, the Vancouver-based psychiatrist and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia was awarded the medal by Canada’s ambassador to France, Raymond Chrétien, at a ceremony in Paris earlier this year.

Dr. Roy was recognized by France for his work in forensic psychiatry, which he has specialized in for the past 30 years. Instrumental in promoting the Oath of Athens, a 1979 declaration adopted by Amnesty International that outlines ethical principles for doctors working in prison settings, Dr. Roy is a long-time and ongoing supporter of the ethical practice of medicine in prisons. He helped establish the International Council of Penitentiary Medicine in 1977, which is now affiliated with the United Nations. He was the first medical director of the Abbotsford Regional Psychiatric Centre.

Dr. Roy was also awarded Knighthood by the Order of St. John (Knights of Malta) in 1993. In July 2001, he was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for his contribution in the field of mental health on behalf of the House of Commons. DV