Edmond Blanchard

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Edmond P. Blanchard (born May 31, 1954 in Atholville, New Brunswick) is a Canadian jurist and former politician.

Blanchard was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 1987 general election as a member of the Liberal Party, which won every seat in the legislature. He joined cabinet as the minister of state responsible for mining in 1989 and, following his re-election in 1991 was appointed Minister of Justice and carried several other ministerial responsibilities. He was elected to a third term in 1995 and given the senior portfolio of finance minister.

His good looks, fluent bilingualism and success as Minister of Finance made him a strong candidate to succeed Frank McKenna for the Liberal leadership in 1998. He looked as though he would steal the mantle of front-runner from Camille Thériault who had been organizing for the post for several years. Thériault's supporters began to spread quiet rumours that Blanchard, a bachelor, was homosexual. Blanchard dropped out of the race rather than expose his personal life.^{[citation needed]}

He continued in the finance ministry after Thériault became Premier of New Brunswick and was re-elected to his Campbellton riding in 1999. He served briefly in opposition before being appointed to the Federal Court of Canada in 2000, shortly thereafter he also took a seat on the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada. When the Federal Court of Canada was split into the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal in 2003, he took a seat on the Federal Court while maintaining his post on the Court Martial court.

In 2004, he became Chief Justice of the Court Martial appeals court.

Provincial Government of Camille Thériault
Cabinet Post
Predecessor	Office	Successor
himself in Frenette government	Minister of Finance (1998-1999)	Norm Betts
Special Cabinet Responsibilities
Predecessor	Title	Successor
himself in Frenette government	Minister of State for Quality (1998-1999) designation discontinued	none

Provincial Government of Ray Frenette
Cabinet Post
Predecessor	Office	Successor
himself in McKenna government	Minister of Finance (1997-1998)	himself in Thériault government
Special Cabinet Responsibilities
Predecessor	Title	Successor
himself in McKenna government	Minister of State for Quality (1997-1998)	himself in Thériault government

Provincial Government of Frank McKenna
Cabinet Posts (3)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
Allan Maher	Minister of Finance (1995-1997)	himself in Frenette government
Jim Lockyer	Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1991-1995)	Paul Duffie
Aldea Landry	Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (1991-1994)	Roland Beaulieu
Special Cabinet Responsibilities
Predecessor	Title	Successor
none	Minister of State for Quality (1995-1997) new designation	himself in Frenette government
?	Minister of State for Mines & Energy (1989-1991)	Doug Tyler

Preceded by Barry L. Strayer

Chief Justice of the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada 2004-present

Incumbent