Jean-Guy Carignan

Jean-Guy Carignan BA, MBA (born May 3, 1941 in Victoriaville, Quebec) was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 2000 to 2004.

Carignan joined the 37th Canadian Parliament on 27 November 2000 after being elected a Liberal member for the Quebec East electoral district.

On his election day, however, he was charged with offences relating to a hit and run incident on 3 October 2000. He pleaded guilty to these charges on 6 November 2001 and was sentenced to a partial house arrest that allowed him to attend the House of Commons. He resigned from the Liberal party on 14 December 2001 and continued as an independent member of Parliament.

He declared himself an "Independent Liberal" for a year, beginning 7 October 2002. On 8 October 2003 he rejoined the Liberal party, but was ejected from the party the following day when it was learned he did not disclose that he remained under sentence for his 2001 conviction.

Further controversy ensued following a mailing of 2000 Christmas cards featuring Carignan with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Jewish groups condemned the MP's choice of seasonal greetings.

Carignan was defeated by Bloc Québécois candidate Bernard Cleary at the next federal general election on 28 June 2004. He contested the Louis-Saint-Laurent electoral district since the Quebec East district was redistributed in 2003.

External links

* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/bio.asp?Language=E&query=17792&s=M Parliament of Canada: Jean-Guy Carignan] , accessed 10 July 2006
* [http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2001/11/06/hitrun011116 CBC: "Quebec Liberal MP pleads guilty to hit-and-run"] , 6 November 2001, accessed 10 July 2006
* [http://www.cbc.ca/story/news/?/news/2001/12/14/carignan_011214 CBC: "CBC News: Liberal MP quits caucus after crash conviction"] 14 December 2001, accessed 10 July 2006
* [http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2004/candidatesridings/changingpartners.html CBC: Canada Votes 2004, "Changing Partners"] , accessed 10 July 2006
* [http://www.cjc.ca/template.php?Story=100&action=itn Canadian Jewish Congress: "Quebec MP criticized for Arafat greeting"] , 12 December 2002 accessed 10 July 2006