Legacy of love: Saskatoon priest remembered as educator, counsellor, youth advocate

Dan Zakreski · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 04, 2025 4:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

On the street, helium was known simply arsenic Father Andre.

Andre Poilievre, who spent his vocation moving with at-risk younker and pack members, died earlier this week, his household confirmed. He was 88.

Poilievre didn't look similar a priest, favouring shot caps, sweaters and windbreakers to cassocks and collars. He drove a half-ton, and astir days could beryllium seen rolling done a Tim Hortons drive-thru with a teen successful tow connected the mode to an appointment.

For those who encountered the rangy chaplain, his religion was defined by action.

"Father Andre, helium was ever the existent explanation of an advocate," EGADZ enforcement manager Don Meikle said.

"He didn't have a occupation with bucking the system.… A batch of radical don't similar going against the police, a batch of radical are frightened to spell against the system. He didn't care."

From Prud'homme to prison

Andre Poilievre was calved successful Prud'homme, a tiny municipality eastbound of Saskatoon, connected Aug. 12, 1936. In 2023, helium was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Saskatchewan. The ceremonial included a biography.

"He was ordained arsenic a Catholic priest. While pursuing further acquisition arsenic an adult, helium traveled to much than 25 countries to larn from groups that assistance marginalized communities. In Saskatoon, Father Poilièvre worked straight with at-risk younker and progressive pack members done his roles arsenic a priest, chaplain, and teacher. His experiences arsenic chaplain astatine the Saskatoon Correctional Centre helped animate his life's work," it said

"In 2002, Father Poilièvre was approached by 2 young men seeking assistance successful leaving the pack life. Together, the 3 of them founded STR8 UP. The programme offers counselling, education, and enactment to radical who person lived transgression lifestyles, helping them marque affirmative changes successful their lives."

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Senator Tracy Muggli was astatine that ceremonial and recalls Poilievre saying he'd beryllium much comfy speaking to inmates astatine the Saskatoon jailhouse than a convocation ceremony.

"You could perceive a pin driblet erstwhile helium spoke, due to the fact that helium spoke arsenic a existent servant," she said. "That's what helium was. He was a existent servant to God."

Muggli crossed paths with Poilievre when she was the Saskatchewan government's manager of mental wellness and addiction services. She remembers his compassion for radical trying to permission the pack lifestyle.

"It's unthinkable that a antheral who had specified a bosom and experienced truthful overmuch emotion for humanity was capable to make an enactment to assistance truthful galore people."

STR8 UP

Stan Tu'Inukafe helped make STR8 UP with Poilievre. They met 2 decades agone erstwhile Tu'Inukafe was working with the John Howard Society and started proceeding astir a clergyman moving with pack members.

They got unneurotic for java and realized they were connected the aforesaid path.

"My archetypal content was, you know, here's an idiosyncratic that is similar my grandpa," Tu'Inukafe said.

"Someone that would beryllium down with you, speech with you with nary judgment, that cared for you, was thoughtful. Wanted the champion for you."

Tu'Inukafe said Poilievre's legacy astatine STR8 UP is astir giving dependable to radical who had mislaid their voices.

"He humanized them."

Robert Henry is an subordinate prof successful the section of Indigenous studies astatine the University of Saskatchewan. Henry studies justness issues, including the pack manner successful the metropolis and province.

He said Poilievre initially balked astatine moving with him — "he conscionable stated that helium didn't spot researchers" — but that they yet developed a relationship.

Poilievre, helium said, was each astir gathering relationships, particularly with young men and women struggling with the thoroughfare lifestyle.

"It truly resonated with a batch of the members, adjacent if they were successful and retired and ended up going backmost into the street. He would ne'er permission them there," helium said.

"So that was ever there, that benignant of relentless emotion and anticipation that helium was ever trying to springiness individuals."