Rina Arseneault

In 1993, Arseneault joined the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre in their inaugural opening year after convincing from the president of the New Brunswick Coalition of Transition House.^[2] While there, she was the recipient of the 1997 NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women Recognition Award for her contribution to improving the status of women in New Brunswick.^[3] A few years later, she was awarded the 2002 Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Award for "outstanding contributions toward preventing and eliminating family violence in Canada."^[4]

In 2013, Arseneault was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.^[5] Three years later, she received the Canadian Association of Social Workers Distinguished Service Award.^[6] While working for the Murial McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research, Arseneault helped conduct a study which showed that women in rural New Brunswick had difficulty escaping violence than those in urban areas.^[7] Two years later, she was selected to attend United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.^[8] In December 2018, Arseneault was the recipient of the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.^[9][10]

Arseneault and her husband Dan have three sons together.^[3]