Marguerite Blais

Marguerite Blais (born September 12, 1950 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Quebec politician and former journalist, radio host and television host. She is the current Liberal Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the electoral division of Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne in Montreal. She is the Minister responsible for Seniors, vice-chair of the Comité ministériel du développement social, éducatif et culturel and member of the Conseil du trésor.

Marguerite Blais did graduate studies in piano and organ at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec. After a few years spent teaching music to kindergarten students (1969–1971), she entered the world of communications, acquiring a Master’s degree (Université du Québec à Montréal, 1997), a doctorate (Université du Québec à Montréal, Université de Montréal and Concordia University, 2005) and a postdoctorate (Université du Québec à Montréal, 2008). She has some thirty years’ experience as a radio and television host and journalist (1971–2002).

From 1996 to 2003, Blais was the director general of the Fondation du maire de Montréal pour la jeunesse. She was president of the Conseil de la famille et de l’enfance (2003-2007).

Marguerite Blais joined a number of charitable organizations (Centraide, Little Brothers of the Poor, World Vision for Africa) and worked within a number of groups that assist young people, the elderly and the underprivileged in our society, with a particular focus on the deaf community and persons with hearing disabilities.

She was elected in 2007 and re-elected in Quebec general election, 2008.

Publications

• Author - Quand les Sourds nous font signe : histoires de sourds, éditions Dauphin Blanc (2003)
• Author - La culture sourde : Quête identitaires au coeur de la communication, Les Presses de l'Université Laval, collection Sociologie au coin de la Rue (2006)
• Co-Author - Apprendre à vivre aux frontières des cultures sourdes et entendantes, Les Presses de l'Université Laval, co-auteur monsieur Jacques Rhéaume (2009)

External links

• http://margueriteblais.com/fr (French)
• "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.