Evan and Kay Blake Scholarship

Evan Blake

Evan attended school and university in Ontario, ultimately graduating from Queen’s University Law School in 1979. His parents had always impressed upon him the value of a good education, not so much for the financial advantages it could provide but more importantly for reasons of personal fulfillment.

Seeking adventure and new experiences, Evan travelled to British Columbia immediately after law school graduation and took up the practice of law in Victoria. He practised mainly in the areas of criminal law and civil litigation for over 20 years before being appointed a Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia. That appointment brought about an immediate move to Quesnel and a great deal of travel throughout the central and northern parts of the province. Dealing with the social and legal challenges facing many individuals in some of the more remote parts of the province revived in him the recognition of the crucial importance of a solid education.

Evan retired from the Provincial Court in 2020, still filled with the spirit of adventure but also anxious to help others to reach their life’s potential through education, and not be held back by financial constraints.

Catherine (Kay) Blake

Kay Blake was born and raised in modest circumstances in Scotland. After finishing high school, but while still a teenager, she emigrated to Canada with her parents and her brother, and the whole family started over in a new land. Kay herself worked at many occupations before becoming a legal assistant in Victoria. Her path then crossed with Evan’s and they worked together for many years in the practice of law. When he was appointed to the Bench she accompanied him to Quesnel and for the next few years she embraced an entirely new lifestyle in the interior of the province. Now happily retired and back in Victoria, she also well understands that a helping hand can make a huge difference in clearing the path for others to reach their true potential in life.