Nicolas Girard

Nicolas Girard
MNA for Gouin
Incumbent
Assumed office September 20, 2004
Preceded by	André Boisclair
Personal details
Born	June 5, 1972 (1972-06-05) (age 39) Montreal, Quebec
Political party	Parti Québécois
Residence	Montreal
Portfolio	Social housing, poverty, community action, State of Hospital ER's

Nicolas Girard (born June 5, 1972 in Montreal, Quebec) is a politician in Quebec, Canada, and member of the National Assembly of Quebec. He was elected to the National Assembly in a by-election as a Parti Québécois member on September 20, 2004 in riding of Gouin in the Montreal region.

Student activism

Girard was involved in politics in his teens, notably on the Parti Québécois (PQ) Youth Association in the riding of La Prairie.

As a student of Collège Édouard-Montpetit, Girard was involved in the Parti Québécois local cell. He was then elected president of the student college association. He fought against budget cuts made by the Canadian federal government.

During the 1995 Quebec referendum, he founded a student organization supporting the yes side. He gave several speeches along with PQ leader, Jacques Parizeau.

Girard has a bachelor's degree in political sciences at the Université de Montréal and did studies for the master's degree in industrial relations.

During his stay at the Université de Montréal, he was elected leader of student association - Fédération des associations étudiantes du campus de l'Université de Montréal (FAÉCUM).

He is a former student activist, notably organizing student rallies against former minister Lloyd Axworthy's cuts in education. He then became the president-elect of the Federation des associations étudiantes du campus de l'Université de Montréal (FAECUM). FAECUM supported the yes side during the 1995 Quebec referendum.

Early political career

Upon graduation, Girard was hired by the Parti Québécois as a communication advisor. He later worked for several ministers, including François Legault, André Boisclair and Sylvain Simard as a press secretary.

At the 2003 provincial election, he was appointed as the deputy communication director for the campaign. Following the PQ's defeat, he was hired by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), as a communication specialist. He also joinded Pauline Marois's organization as an advisor, in her attempt to quickly replace Bernard Landry.

2004 by-election

In 2004, following André Boisclair's resignation, he ran for the PQ in the Gouin riding. In the candidate selection process, he was backed by Pauline Marois and defeated high profile Bloc Québécois vice-president, Dominique Ollivier, who was supported by Bernard Bigras, Gilles Duceppe and Louise Harel.

He won his selection at the third round by a one vote margin.

Political career 2004 - 2007

Early after his election, he left Marois' organization to back Bernard Landry who was gaining support in order to get a decent confidence score at a mandatory PQ internal vote.

In 2005, Bernard Landry resigned after gaining only 75% of his party support, Girard then convinced André Boisclair to make a bid for the PQ leadership, which he won.

Since, Girard's political career has been on the fast-track. Boisclair appointed him the PQ critics in social services and as the chief strategist for the upcoming provincial election. Girard then appointed long-time friend, Pierre-Luc Paquette, as PQ's general manager.

It is said that Girard would play a leading role in an eventual Boisclair government.

General election 2007

Girard was re-appointed the PQ's candidate in the Gouin riding in 2007. He faced Françoise David, the leader of Quebec Solidaire, a left wing political party.

His electoral office was occupied by FRAPRU, a social lobby supporting more public funded housing, police were forced to evacuate the illegal protesters.

He was re-elected with almost 40% of the vote, however the PQ finished in third position.

Electoral record (partial)

Quebec provincial by-election, September 20, 2004 : Gouin edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	Parti Québécois	Nicolas Girard	8,661	57.78
	Liberal	Edith Keays	3,645	24.32
	UFP	Gaétan Breton	1,195	7.97
	Action démocratique	Stéphane Deschênes	749	5.00
	Green	Christian Lajoie	558	3.72
	Bloc pot	Hugô St-Onge	148	0.99
	Independent	Régent Millette	33	0.22
Total valid votes			14,989	100.00
Rejected and declined votes			123
Turnout			15,112	34.46
Electors on the lists			43,858

References

• Biography at National Assembly of Quebec (French)

Persondata
Name	Girard, Nicolas
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 5, 1972
Place of birth	Montreal, Quebec
Date of death
Place of death