Gilles Pouliot

Gilles Pouliot (born May 25, 1942 in Montreal, Quebec) is a retired politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a member of the Ontario legislature from 1985 to 1999, representing the Northern Ontario riding of Lake Nipigon for the New Democratic Party.

He was first elected in the 1985 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative Jim Files by over 1,200 votes. He was re-elected by greater margins in the provincial elections of 1987 and 1990. He supported Dave Barrett for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party in 1989.

The NDP unexpectedly won a majority government in the 1990 election, and Pouliot was named as Minister of Mines and Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs in Bob Rae's government on October 1, 1990. In early 1991, he introduced legislation allowing mining companies to expropriate unused resource land from private ownership.

He retained responsibility for Francophone Affairs throughout the Rae government. On July 31, 1991, he was transferred from Mines to the Ministry of Transportation. On October 21, 1994, near the end of the Rae government's time in office, he was shifted back to Northern Development and Mines.

The NDP were defeated in the 1995 election, although Pouliot retained the Lake Nipigon riding without too much difficulty. In 1996, he supported Howard Hampton's successful campaign to replace Rae as party leader.

Pouliot's riding was eliminated by redistribution in 1996. He rarely spoke in the legislature thereafter, and he chose not to run again in the 1999 election. He lived in Manitouwadge during his time in office.