Réal Ménard

Infobox CanadianMP | name=Réal Ménard


| term_start=1993
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predecessor= Allan Koury
birth_date= birth date and age |1962|5|13
birth_place= Montreal, Quebec
successor=
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death_place=
profession= political science
party=Bloc Québécois
party colour=Bloc
residence=Montreal
riding=Hochelaga
footnotes=
term_start2=
term_end2=
predecessor2=
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spouse=
religion=|

Réal Ménard (born May 13, 1962 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian politician, and is member of the Canadian House of Commons for the Quebec riding of Hochelaga. He is a member of the Bloc Québécois and is the second Canadian Member of Parliament to come out as gay.cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2002_Sept_17/ai_91567121 |title=Northern enlightenment: Canada has something to teach the U.S. when it comes to equal recognition of gay and lesbian relationships |date=2002-09-17 |accessdate=2007-03-21 |last=Bull |first=Chris |work=The Advocate]

Ménard is a political scientist with B.A. and M.A. degrees. He first stood for federal office in the 1984 federal election as candidate for the small Parti nationaliste du Québec in Hochelaga–Maisonneuve. Defeated in this first try, he contested the riding in the 1993 election for the new and larger Bloc Québécois. He was elected, and re-elected in the riding in the 1997, 2000, and, the riding being renamed Hochelaga, 2004, and 2006 federal elections.

Early in his parliamentary career, he served variously as Bloc critic for Health, for science, research and development, for Labour, for National Defence, and for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec. From 1998 to June 29, 1999, he was critic for Citizenship and Immigration and for public housing.

The next day, he again became critic for health, in which capacity he has served since. During three sessions, Ménard has been vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Health. On September 14, 2001, he took on additional critic responsibility for the Montreal region.

In March 2006 he was shuffled from the health critic position to become the Bloc Québécois justice critic.

References

External links

* [http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=595bcf3a-ea43-42d7-937e-1018bfde5547&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience Parliament of Canada Webpage] s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve
years=1993–2004s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Hochelaga
years=2004–present