Nicolas Girard
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Nicolas Girard (born June 5, 1972) is a Canadian, Quebec politician and member of the National Assembly of Quebec. He was elected to the National Assembly in a by-election on September 20, 2004.
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.
Graduating with a BA in political science, Girard was hired by the Parti Quebecois as a communication advisor. He later worked for several ministers, including François Legault, André Boisclair and Sylvain Simard.
At the 2003 provincial election, he was appointed as the deputy communication director. Following the PQ's defeat, he was hired by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), as a communication specialist. He also supported Pauline Marois' bid to replace Bernard Landry.
In 2004, following André Boisclair's resignation, he ran for the PQ in the Gouin riding. He was backed by Pauline Marois and defeated high profile Bloc Québécois vice-president, Dominique Olivier, who was supported by Bernard Bigras, Gilles Duceppe and Louise Harel.
In 2005, following Bernard Landry's resignation, he convinced André Boisclair to make a bid for the PQ leadership, which he won.
Since then, Girard's political carreer is 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 director general.
It is said that Girard would play a leading role in an eventual Boisclair government.
