Bernard Valcourt
The Honourable Bernard Valcourt PC KC | |
---|---|
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development | |
In office February 22, 2013 – November 3, 2015 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | James Moore (acting) |
Succeeded by | Carolyn Bennett |
Associate Minister of National Defence | |
In office July 4, 2012 – February 21, 2013 | |
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Julian Fantino |
Succeeded by | Kerry-Lynne Findlay |
Minister of Labour | |
In office June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993 | |
Prime Minister | Kim Campbell |
Preceded by | Marcel Danis |
Succeeded by | Lloyd Axworthy |
Minister of Employment and Immigration | |
In office April 21, 1991 – November 3, 1993 | |
Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney Kim Campbell |
Preceded by | Barbara McDougall |
Succeeded by | Lloyd Axworthy |
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans | |
In office February 23, 1990 – April 20, 1991 | |
Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney |
Preceded by | Tom Siddon |
Succeeded by | John Crosbie |
Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs | |
In office January 30, 1989 – July 4, 1989 | |
Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney |
Preceded by | Harvie Andre |
Succeeded by | Harvie Andre (acting) |
Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche | |
In office May 2, 2011 – October 18, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Jean-Claude D'Amours |
Succeeded by | René Arseneault |
Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick | |
In office May 14, 1995 – October 17, 1997 | |
Preceded by | Greg Hargrove |
Succeeded by | Elvy Robichaud |
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick | |
In office May 14, 1995 – October 17, 1997 | |
Preceded by | Dennis Cochrane |
Succeeded by | Bernard Lord |
MLA for Edmundston | |
In office September 11, 1995 – June 6, 1999 | |
Preceded by | Roland Beaulieu |
Succeeded by | Madeleine Dubé |
Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Victoria | |
In office September 4, 1984 – October 25, 1993 | |
Preceded by | Eymard Corbin |
Succeeded by | Pierrette Ringuette |
Personal details | |
Born | (1952-02-18) February 18, 1952 (age 72) Saint-Quentin, New Brunswick, Canada |
Political party | Conservative (2011–) |
Other political affiliations | Progressive Conservative (1984–1993) |
Residence(s) | Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada |
Profession | Lawyer |
Bernard Valcourt PC KC (born February 18, 1952) is a Canadian politician and lawyer, who served as Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Madawaska—Restigouche, New Brunswick until he was defeated in the 2015 federal election.
Early federal political career and Mulroney cabinet
Valcourt was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1984 election that brought Brian Mulroney to power. He was appointed to the Cabinet of Canada in 1986 as a Minister of State. In January 1989, he was promoted to Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs,[1] but was forced to resign from Cabinet in August when he was involved in a drunk driving motorcycle accident that cost him an eye.[2]
He returned to Cabinet seven months later as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.[1] In 1991, he was promoted to Minister of Employment and Immigration,[1] and held the position until the government of Mulroney's successor as Progressive Conservative Party leader and prime minister, Kim Campbell, was defeated in the 1993 election. Valcourt was defeated in that election, along with every Tory MP in Atlantic Canada except Elsie Wayne.
Provincial leader
In May 1995, Valcourt was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.[3] While he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 1995 provincial election, his party only won six seats against 48 for Frank McKenna's Liberals. Valcourt resigned as leader in 1997 following a lukewarm endorsement of his leadership at a party convention, and was succeeded by Bernard Lord.[4]
Return to federal politics
On March 28, 2011, Valcourt declared his candidacy in the 2011 federal election, running in the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, which covers the bulk of the territory he'd represented two decades earlier.[5][6] He was elected on May 2, 2011, defeating Liberal incumbent Jean-Claude D'Amours. He was subsequently appointed to cabinet as Minister of State for both the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and La Francophonie. His sister Martine Coulombe was elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 2010 provincial election.[7] On July 4, 2012, he was given the additional portfolio of Associate Minister of Defence.[8] Valcourt was part of the AEG initiative, saying co-operation between both the federal and provincial governments, as well as utilities, is key. "The Atlantic Energy Gateway initiative has brought the critical players in the region's energy sector together to not only work toward an affordable, secure, clean energy future, but to also maximize the business and job growth potential of further developing our region's clean and renewable energy industries," said Valcourt in a release.[9]
On February 22, 2013, Valcourt became Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in a cabinet shuffle.[10] Valcourt stirred controversy when he claimed that the high rates of suicide among aboriginal youths were "the responsibility of their parents".[11]
In the 2015 federal election, Valcourt was defeated by Liberal René Arseneault, finishing third with just over 16% of the vote.[12]
Electoral record
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Liberal | René Arseneault | 20,778 | 55.70 | +20.91 | $66,315.47 | |||
New Democratic | Rosaire L'Italien | 9,670 | 25.92 | +6.58 | $92,730.82 | |||
Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 6,151 | 16.49 | -23.99 | $101,364.85 | |||
Green | Françoise Aubin | 707 | 1.90 | +0.10 | – | |||
Total valid votes/expense limit | 37,306 | 99.08 | $199,271.58 | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 348 | 0.92 | – | |||||
Turnout | 37,654 | 74.02 | – | |||||
Eligible voters | 50,871 | |||||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +22.45 | ||||||
Source: Elections Canada[13][14] |
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 14,224 | 40.64 | +7.41 | $52,308.15 | |||
Liberal | Jean-Claude D'Amours | 12,309 | 35.17 | -12.23 | $60,570.18 | |||
New Democratic | Wilder Jules | 6,562 | 18.75 | +3.13 | $6,934.01 | |||
Independent | Louis Bérubé | 1,290 | 3.69 | – | $113.00 | |||
Green | Lynn Morrison | 612 | 1.75 | -2.00 | $0.00 | |||
Total valid votes/expense limit | 34,997 | 100.0 | $81,731.56 | |||||
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 577 | 1.62 | +0.04 | |||||
Turnout | 35,574 | 69.80 | +3.03 | |||||
Eligible voters | 50,966 | |||||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.82 | ||||||
Sources:[15][16] |
1995 New Brunswick general election: Edmundston | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Progressive Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 4,215 | 59.20 | +38.41 | ||||
Liberal | Roland Beaulieu | 2,803 | 39.37 | −26.91 | ||||
New Democratic | Maureen Michaud | 102 | 1.43 | −11.50 | ||||
Total valid votes | 7,120 | 100.0 | ||||||
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +32.66 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Pierrette Ringuette | 16,058 | 48.8 | +5.0 | |
Progressive Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 15,045 | 45.7 | −2.5 | |
Reform | Kimberly Spikings | 955 | 2.9 | +2.9 | |
New Democratic | Parise Martin | 844 | 2.6 | −5.4 | |
Total | 32,902 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 14,747 | 48.2 | −3.7 | |
Liberal | Romeo Rossignol | 13,385 | 43.8 | +1.9 | |
New Democratic | Réal Couturier | 2,441 | 8.0 | +1.8 | |
Total | 30,573 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 16,411 | 51.9 | +29.0 | |
Liberal | Gerald Clavette | 13,245 | 41.9 | −23.9 | |
New Democratic | Floranne McLaughlin-St-Amand | 1,968 | 6.2 | −5.1 | |
Total | 31,624 |
References
- ^ a b c "Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation". Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ "No more Mr. Nice Guys?". The Globe and Mail. May 21, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
- ^ "New Brunswick's new top Tory set to make political sparks fly..." Toronto Star. May 15, 1995. Retrieved June 7, 2010.[dead link] (subscription required)
- ^ "Valcourt resigns as leader of NB Tories Former high flyer had little..." Toronto Star. May 20, 1997. May 20, 1997. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2010. (subscription required)
- ^ "Valcourt plans political comeback in N.B. riding". CBC News. March 28, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ "Former Mulroney Tory cabinet minister attempting comeback in N.B. riding". Winnipeg Free Press. March 28, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ "Valcourt's sister hopes to tap ex-MP's popularity". CBC News. September 9, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ Woods, Allan (July 4, 2012). "Julian Fantino to replace Bev Oda as international co-operation minister". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "CBC news – Regional co-operation focus of energy meeting". CBC news. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
- ^ "Bernard Valcourt, new aboriginal affairs minister, a 'straight talker' who knows the file". Ottawa Citizen. February 22, 2013. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Canada's Aboriginal Minister Shrugs Off Responsibility for Youth Suicides on Reserves, Says It's Parents' Problem". VICE NEws. VICE News. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
- ^ "Madawaska-Restigouche elects Liberal René Arseneault". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Madawaska—Restigouche, 30 September 2015
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Elections Canada – Official voting results, Forty-first general election, 2011
- ^ Elections Canada – Candidate's electoral campaign return, 41st general election
External links
- Bernard Valcourt official site
- Profile at Parliament of Canada
- Bernard Valcourt – Parliament of Canada biography
- Speeches, votes and activity at OpenParliament.ca
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Danny Cameron | Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick 1995–1997 | Succeeded by |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by | Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick 1995–1997 | Succeeded by |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by James Moore | Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development 2013–2015 | Succeeded by |