On July 26, following an eight-week labor dispute during which Radio-Canada locked out an estimated 1,400 employees, Michele Fortin, head of French-language television at CBC, announced her resignation.

She will step down as executive VP in September, following a short vacation.

Fortin, a 10-year veteran of Radio-Canada who launched both the RDI and ARTV specialty channels, was unavailable for comment at Playback press time.

CBC president and CEO Robert Rabinovitch praises Fortin’s efforts to promote French-language media, despite lean budgets at the Corp. ‘Very few corporate leaders have led a large communications enterprise in Canada for a period as long as Michele Fortin did,’ he says. ‘She leaves behind a rich heritage and impressive accomplishments.’

Fortin joined the network in 1992, following executive positions at both Telefilm Canada and the Quebec Department of Education. She was appointed EVP of French TV in June 1994.

Daniel Gourd, general manager of programming at SRC, will fill in for Fortin until a permanent replacement can be found.