- Christian Ouellet
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Christian Ouellet Member of the Canadian House of Commons for Brome—Missisquoi In office
2006–2011Preceded by Denis Paradis Succeeded by Pierre Jacob Personal details Born April 22, 1934
Montreal, QuebecPolitical party Bloc Québécois Residence Magog, Quebec Profession architect/professor Christian Ouellet, MP (born April 22, 1934) is a politician from the Canadian province of Quebec. He has represented Brome—Missisquoi in the Canadian House of Commons since 2006 as a member of the Bloc Québécois. At age 77, Ouellet is the oldest current Canadian MP.
He is not to be confused with another Christian Ouellet, who has worked as an organizer and policy strategist for the Quebec Liberal Party.[1]
Contents
Early life and private career
Ouellet was born in Montreal. An architect by profession, he joined the Ordre des architectes du Québec in 1969 and took a Master's Degree in building from the University of Manchester in England (1972–75).[2] He has promoted ecological housing since 1973 and was a finalist for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Healthy Housing Design Competition in 1991.[3]
Ouellet has chaired the Solar Energy Society of Canada and the Parti Québécois's national committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.[4] He taught architecture at the Université de Montréal and lectured at the Université du Québec à Montréal.[5]
Political career
Ouellet was active with the Bloc Québécois and its provincial counterpart, the Parti Québécois, before running for office himself.[6] He first sought election to the House of Commons in the 2004 federal election and finished a close second against incumbent Liberal cabinet minister Denis Paradis in Brome—Missisquoi. He challenged Paradis again in the 2006 election and won by over five thousand votes.[7]
During the 2006 election, Ouellet said that he would downplay Quebec sovereigntism if elected and would instead focus on tackling economic issues and opposing corruption. Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe criticized this statement, saying that his party would promote sovereignty as well as defending Quebec's interests in other areas.[8] After talking with Duceppe, Ouellet agreed to support the Bloc's full platform on sovereignty.
Ouellet was re-elected in the 2008 federal election, defeating Paradis by a reduced margin in a rematch from 2006.
In parliament, Ouellet has served as the Bloc's critic for social housing and as an associate critic for natural resources and the environment.[9] He has also promoted increased Via Rail access from Montreal to Sherbrooke via Quebec's Estrie.[10] In 2009, he introduced a Private Member's Bill to remove waiting times for Employment Insurance benefits.[11]
Ouellet was one of eight Canadian parliamentarians to meet with Chen Shui-bian, the president of Taiwan, in 2006.[12]
On February 24, 2011, the Bloc announced that Ouellet would not be a candidate in the next federal election.[13]
Electoral record
2008 federal election : Brome—Missisquoi edit Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures Bloc Québécois (x)Christian Ouellet 17,561 35.21 -3.12 $75,915 Liberal Denis Paradis 16,357 32.79 +4.82 $66,462 Conservative Mark Quinlan 9,309 18.66 -1.69 $78,614 New Democratic Party Christelle Bogosta 4,514 9.05 +3.20 $4,678 Green Pierre Brassard 1,784 3.58 +0.03 $126 Independent David Marler 354 0.71 $16,915 Total valid votes 49,879 100.00 Total rejected ballots 531 Turnout 50,410 65.78 -0.46 Electors on the lists 76,636 2006 federal election : Brome—Missisquoi edit Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures Bloc Québécois Christian Ouellet 18,596 38.33 -1.33 $66,782 Liberal (x)Denis Paradis 13,569 27.97 -14.11 $58,420 Conservative David Marler 9,874 20.35 +9.30 $69,104 New Democratic Party Josianne Jetté 2,839 5.85 +3.19 $2,722 Progressive Canadian Heward Grafftey 1,921 3.96 $60,081 Green Michel Champagne 1,721 3.55 -1.00 $2,460 Total valid votes 48,520 100.00 Total rejected ballots 554 Turnout 49,074 66.24 +3.61 Electors on the lists 74,088 Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
2004 federal election : Brome—Missisquoi edit Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures Liberal (x)Denis Paradis 18,609 42.08 -7.50 $56,708 Bloc Québécois Christian Ouellet 17,537 39.66 +7.93 $29,014 Conservative Peter Stastny 4,888 11.05 -6.50 $14,318 Green Louise Martineau 2,011 4.55 none listed New Democratic Party Piper Huggins 1,177 2.66 $5 Total valid votes 44,222 100.00 Total rejected ballots 790 Turnout 45,012 62.63 Electors on the lists 71,866 Percentage change figures are factored for redistribution. Conservative Party percentages are contrasted with the combined Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative percentages from 2000. Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
References
- ^ The other Christian Ouellet presented the Liberal Party's submission to the Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodation practices in Quebec. See Amy Luft, "Quebec Liberals chart middle course on reasonable accommodation," 'Montreal Gazette, 10 December 2007, A11.
- ^ Christian Ouellet, Bloc Québécois, accessed 17 November 2010.
- ^ "FINALISTS SELECTED IN CMHC HEALTHY HOUSING DESIGN COMPETITION" [press release], 19 November 1991, 12:54.
- ^ "What's New," Canadian Architect, 1 March 2010.
- ^ Miro Cernetig, "Harper heads for the hills of Martin country in Quebec," Toronto Star, 18 June 2004, A07.
- ^ Christian Ouellet, Bloc Québécois, accessed 17 November 2010.
- ^ The seat was heavily targeted by the Bloc during the latter campaign. See Philip Authier, "Gnome from Brome fights on: Clouds tight race," Montreal Gazette, 9 January 2006, A11.
- ^ Rhéal Séguin, "Duceppe chastises Bloc candidate," Globe and Mail, 8 December 2005, A11.
- ^ Christian Ouellet, Bloc Québécois, accessed 17 November 2010.
- ^ Andy Riga, "Railways studying train to Sherbrooke," Montreal Gazette, 27 February 2008, A1; "'That's the beauty of being in power,'" Montreal Gazette, 7 October 2008, A12.
- ^ "Rare speaker's vote gives EI bill second reading," Canadian Press, 29 April 2009, 16:06.
- ^ "TAIWAN: PRESIDENT CHEN MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF CANADIAN PARLIAMENT," US Fed News, 30 August 2006.
- ^ Le Bloc québécois annoncera un candidat surprise dans Brome-Missisquoi, Les Nouvelles, February 24, 2011
External links
Categories:- 1934 births
- Living people
- Bloc Québécois MPs
- Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Quebec
- People from Montreal
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