The third born in a farm family with four brothers and two sisters, Andre grew up in the francophone community of Plamondon, Alberta where community service and church involvement were important aspects of daily life. After completing a two-year teacher training program at U of A, he was accepted as a candidate for the priesthood for the Diocese of St. Paul. Ordained in 1965, he was appointed as a teacher, school counselor and assistant pastor in the cathedral parish. In 1968, he was accepted as a graduate student in the UBC in Counseling Psychology Program. In 1969, he married a young widow, Louise Roy, a mother of three children. They moved to Tsawwassen to start a new career and a new life. After completing his graduate studies, he joined Douglas College as a college counsellor. In 1979, he moved on to private practice, in addition to contracting with UBC Counselling Psychology 252 Program to train second year graduate students. His career as a psychologist spanned 37 years in British Columbia and Alberta as well as ten-year stint as a college administrator. Special education was one of his favorite specialties. He retired at 75 years of age. In the meantime, Louise had become a renowned sculpting and watercolor artist. She passed away in 2019, leaving behind her loving husband of fifty years, three sons, a daughter and eight grandchildren. Over the years, the couple travelled extensively in South America, Mexico, France and Italy. Their preferred mode of travel was to explore on their own where local inhabitants lived, sampling their culture and food.
