Marc Godbout

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (July 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Marc Godbout (born June 8, 1951) is the former Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ottawa—Orléans riding. He was first elected in the Canadian federal election, 2004, representing the Liberal Party of Canada.

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Godbout has a Master's degree in education from the University of Ottawa.

Before entering politics, he worked as a history teacher. He has been Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for elementary and secondary education in Ontario and Director General and Secretary Treasurer of the Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est de l’Ontario (the French Catholic School Council of Center-East Ontario).

He entered federal politics by running for the Liberal nomination against sitting Liberal MP Eugene Bellemare. Bellemare, who held the riding for several elections, was removed.After his defeat in the nomination, Bellemare retired from politics, complaining he - not his riding - had been poorly done by.

Godbout succeeded in beating the Conservative candidate Walter Robinson in the general election of 2004, by a slim majority. He campaigned on bringing more federal government jobs to the east end of Ottawa.

In the 2006 general election Godbout ran on a platform of Liberal support for municipalities and infrastructure.

After thirteen years of the riding being held by the Liberals, Godbout was defeated for re-election when the Conservative Party of Canada won the riding under Royal Galipeau in the federal election of January 23, 2006.

Godbout, along with a block of former and present Ontario Liberal MPs endorsed party leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy.

At the Liberal Party Convention in Montreal, Marc Godbout and his wife supported Michael Ignatieff after Mr. Kennedy dropped off the ballot. At the final ballot, Mr. Ignatieff was defeated by Mr. Stéphane Dion.

On April 29, 2007, Godbout was nominated to run in the 40th Canadian federal election in a re-match against Royal Galipeau. He defeated Michel Bellemare, Rachel Décoste, Gar Knutson and Marc Thibault for the right to be the Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orléans.