Thomas Mulcair
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Thomas J. Mulcair | |
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Member of Parliament
for Outremont |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Jean Lapierre |
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| Born | October 24, 1954 Ottawa, Ontario |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Catherine Pinhas |
| Residence | Montreal |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Roman Catholic ([1]) |
Thomas J. Mulcair, B.C.L.,LL.B (born on October 24, 1954 in Ottawa, Ontario) is the Member of Parliament for Outremont, Quebec, Canada. He was the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Chomedey in Laval from 1994 to 2007. He served as the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks from 2003 until 2006. In 2007, he was named Deputy Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, jointly with Libby Davies.
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[edit] Early career
Mulcair graduated from McGill University in 1977 with degrees in law and civil law. He was named to the Quebec Bar in 1979.
He taught courses in civil law at Concordia University in Montreal in 1984 and also taught at the Saint Lawrence Campus of Champlain Regional College in Sainte-Foy.
He has held several key positions during his career including the Commissioner of the Appeals Committee on the Language of Instruction in 1986, and President of l'Office des professions du Québec from 1987 to 1993.
He also served the boards of Alliance Quebec and the Conseil de la langue française.
[edit] Provincial politics
He first entered the National Assembly in the 1994 election, winning the riding of Chomedey. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003. When the Liberal Party of Quebec formed a government in 2003, Premier Jean Charest named Mulcair Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks. During his tenure he was a supporter of the Kyoto Protocol.
On November 25, 2004, Mulcair launched Québec's Sustainable Development Plan and tabled a draft bill on sustainable development. Also included was a proposed amendment to the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to create a new right, the right to live in a healthy environment that respects biodiversity, in accordance with the guidelines and standards set out in the Act.[1] Mulcair's Sustainable Development Plan was based on the successful European model and was described as one of the most avant-garde in North America.[2] Mulcair followed the proposal by embarking on a 21-city public consultation tour and the Act was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly in April 2006.
During a Cabinet shuffle, Charest offered Mulcair the position of Minister of Government Services and Mulcair chose to resign from cabinet rather than accept the demotion.[3] There was speculation that his contrary opinion on the Mont Orford project lead to his removal as Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.[4]
Accomplishments related to infrastructure included the completion of Autoroute 30 between Vaudreuil and Brossard, Autoroute 50 between Gatineau and Lachute, the widening of Route 175 between Stoneham and Saguenay, the widening of Route 185 from Rivière-du-Loup and New Brunswick and the introduction of a toll bridge which would complete Autoroute 25 between Montreal and Laval [5] despite some public opposition by environmental groups.
On February 20, 2007, he announced that he would not be a Liberal candidate in the 2007 general election.[6]
[edit] Federal politics
On Friday April 20, 2007 Mulcair confirmed that he would be running for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the next federal election.[7] [8] His presence in the front row during a speech in Montreal by NDP Leader Jack Layton in March 2007, had already led to speculations to that effect. [9] He had previously given a speech at the Federal NDP Convention in Quebec City in September 2006. Mulcair admits that he also had considered offers from other federal parties. However, he claims that he declined joining the Conservatives, because they have shown no interest in becoming more pro-active about the environment or respecting the Kyoto Protocol. [10] Mulcair also became Layton's Quebec lieutenant.
On June 21, in an uncontested nomination, Mulcair became the NDP's candidate in the riding of Outremont for a by-election on September 17. Mulcair won the byelection, defeating handpicked Liberal candidate Jocelyn Coulon 48 percent to 29 percent. The seat had been a Liberal stronghold since 1935.
Jean Lapierre suggested that Mulcair was likely aided by defecting Bloc supporters (the Bloc candidate had finished second in the 2006 federal election). In addition, Coulon's writings were condemend by B'nai Brith Canada, and the local Jewish community in Outremont makes up 10% of the riding demographics. [11] [12] The Conservatives focused their attacks on the leadership skills of Stéphane Dion, and there were allegations that Michael Ignatieff's supporters tried to sabotage the race for the Liberals to undermine Dion's leadership. [13] [14] [15]
Mulcair is only the second NDP Member of Parliament ever elected from Quebec, following Phil Edmonston in 1990, as well as only the second non-Liberal ever to win Outremont, following Jean-Pierre Hogue in 1988.
He and colleague Libby Davies were jointly appointed deputy leaders of the party. [16] Mulcair was sworn in on October 12, 2007. [17]
[edit] Personal
Mulcair's maternal great-grandfather was former Quebec Premier Honoré Mercier, to whom he compared himself when he announced his return to politics: "My great grandfather was Honoré Mercier, so what else could you expect from me." [18]
His family background is bilingual. Considered an anglophone because his 'first language learned and still understood' is English, Mulcair's preferred language of correspondence for House of Commons business is French. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Sustainable Development: Because Quality of Life Counts!, Press Release, November 25, 2004
- ^ Citizens voice concerns over environmental plan; Mulcair gathers public feedback during Chomedey public consultation, The Chomedey News, May 19, 2005
- ^ Mulcair quits in a huff, The Gazette, February 28, 2006
- ^ Corbeil, Michel, Mulcair règle ses comptes: Malgré ses flèches à Charest, il reste député Le Soleil, Quebec, March 7, 2006, page A1
- ^ Meunier, Hugo, Prolongement de l'autoroute 25 : Les environnementalistes s'adressent à la Cour supérieure, La Presse, April 1, 2006, page A6
- ^ Mulcair will not be a Liberal candidate in the next election (press release distributed by Canada NewsWire), February 20, 2007
- ^ NDP recruits ex-Quebec environment minister Thomas Mulcair for next election, EarthEast, April 20, 2007
- ^ Mulcair sera candidat pour le NPD, La Presse, April 20, 2007
- ^ Mulcair courtisé par quatre partis fédéraux, La Presse, March 12, 2007
- ^ Liberal and NDP candidates speak out, The McGill Daily, September 13, 2007
- ^ Jocelyn Coulon est contesté par le B'nai Brith - LCN - National
- ^ B'nai Brith has many reasons to doubt Jocelyn Coulon
- ^ Coup dur pour Stéphane Dion, Le Devoir, September 18, 2007
- ^ NDP grabs seat, Tories vindicated in byelections
- ^ globeandmail.com: National
- ^ Mulcair monte en grade, Gilles Toupin, September 27, 2007
- ^ Mulcair assermenté comme nouveau député d'Outremont, La Presse, October 12, 2007
- ^ Mulcair is back, Courrier Laval, 20 April 2007
[edit] External links
| Parliament of Canada | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jean Lapierre, Liberal |
Member of Parliament for Outremont 2007-present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| National Assembly of Quebec | ||
| Preceded by Lise Bacon (Liberal) |
MNA, District of Chomedey 1994–2007 |
Succeeded by Guy Ouellette (Liberal) |
| Preceded by André Boisclair (PQ) |
Minister of Environment 2003–2006 |
Succeeded by Claude Béchard (Liberal) |
