Photo: James Duggan

A prominent Montreal-area lawyer was among the three victims of a plane crash that occurred in a remote region of northern Quebec on Friday.

Quebec provincial police say 67-year-old James Duggan was aboard the float plane that went down near Lac Boulene, southeast of Chibougamau.

Duggan was a prominent labour lawyer who was instrumental in the battle to unionize RCMP officers, as well as spearheading a class-action lawsuit on behalf of officers alleging harassment in the force.

Frederic Serre of the Quebec RCMP Members' Association describes Duggan as a tireless advocate for the rights of officers who approached sensitive situations with dignity and respect.

A search and rescue team on a separate mission responded to the distress call for the plane on Friday evening and later found three men without vital signs.

Duggan died alongside Jacques Bissonnette, 69, and Claude Laplante, 77, as they travelled to a fishing trip. A fourth man survived the crash.