Cheryl Gallant
Encyclopedia
Cheryl Gallant, MP (born May 23, 1960 in Sarnia, Ontario
) is a Conservative Canadian
politician representing the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
.
. She attended the University of Western Ontario
, graduating with a Bachelor of Science
degree in chemistry
. Prior to becoming a politician, she worked for a major Canadian life insurance
company as a group insurance executive and a time as an office manager of a family-owned professional practice. Gallant has been married since 1985, and is the parent of four daughters ranging in age from 15 to 21. She has served as the Chair of the City of Pembroke Downtown Development Commission and as a member of the Economic Advisory Committee for the city.
in the Canadian House of Commons
. She has represented the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
since 2000, and was a member of the Canadian Alliance
party from 2000 to 2003.
She is a former deputy house leader of the Official Opposition, and the Canadian Alliance deputy house leader. She has served as CPC critic for science, research and development, was a member of the Commons Standing Committee on National Defence and Veteran’s Affairs, and the Standing Committee on Industry. She has also served as opposition critic of Canadian Heritage, Amateur Sport, the National Capital Commission
, Science, Research and Development, the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
, and Small Business. In the 39th Parliament, she served as government vice-chair of the House NATO committee and on the House Committee for Natural Resources.
She is largely viewed as one of the strongest social conservative in the House of Commons, and is a popular figure among the Christian Right
, yet has occasionally drawn the ire of opponents. In 2002, she was accused of making anti-gay
remarks to then Minister of Foreign Affairs
Bill Graham, when during a heated exchange, she kept interrupting "Ask your boyfriend" or "How's your boyfriend?". Graham is married and has two children with his wife Catherine Graham. Gallant later apologized for her remarks.
Shortly before the 2004 election
, Gallant made headlines for her criticism of Bill C-250, an amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada
introduced by NDP MP Svend Robinson
which would protect sexual orientation from hate propaganda. Among other things, Gallant claimed that the bill would limit freedom of opinion, make sections of the Bible
"hate literature" and provide protection to pedophiles
. Conservative House Leader John Reynolds
distanced the party from Gallant's views.http://everything2.com/e2node/Cheryl%2520Gallant
During the 2004 election
, a controversy erupted when Gallant compared abortion
to the beheading of Iraq
war hostage
Nick Berg
. The Conservative Party then announced that she was suffering from laryngitis
, and after this, she did not appear at some scheduled debates.
Gallant resurfaced in the spotlight on March 17, 2005, when she suggested that Christians
were being persecuted by the Liberal Party in a flyer she sent to her constituents. Tory leader Stephen Harper
, confronted with the news, said "I'll let Cheryl Gallant explain those remarks herself; I haven't seen them."
Several constituents accused Gallant of obtaining birth-date information from a passport application during the 2006 campaign. Her office regularly sends out greeting cards to constituents when his or her birthday comes. One affected resident told the Ottawa Citizen
, "The principle is really bothering me: that my information has been gathered without my knowledge. I don't know how it's going to be used." Two families who received cards have sent letters to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
, asking confirmation the MP won't use the collected personal information. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has no jurisdiction in investigating such matters. Gallant's aide says the Member receives many requests for birthday and anniversary cards, and the office is unsure how the information was put on the list, since Gallant receives thousands of requests for salutations and the birth date could have been on one of the request forms returned by a constituent.
Of around 60 major candidates in 15 Eastern Ontario and West Quebec ridings, Gallant was the only one who didn't attending a meeting with the Ottawa Citizen
editorial board. "Ms. Gallant's decision to duck every difficult question from the media is nothing short of childish", commented Citizen columnist Kelly Egan. Gallant has stated that she is focused on campaigning locally in order to keep in touch with the concerns of local constituents.
However on October 3, 2008, Gallant continued to dodge all campaigning within her local riding. Local radio station CHVR-FM
held an all candidates debate to which Gallant refused to attend. Something myFM President Jon Pole says is very un-democratic and it's also been fodder for her competitors in the election, who say that Gallant's failure to attend most of the debates in the area shows a lack of commitment to the people of this riding.
In the 2008 election, Gallant won her fourth term in Parliament, winning 28,906 of 47,314 votes (61.1% of the total). Her nearest rival, Liberal candidate Carole Devine, received 9,740 votes (20.6%).
In February 2011, Gallant told an audience in Newfoundland
that the federal government should not provide Coast Guard
rescue helicopters on ocean coasts saying, "In Ontario we have inland seas, the Great Lakes, and it would never occur to any of us, even up in the Ottawa River, to count on the Coast Guard to come and help us." Gallant said ocean rescue should be privately operated or provided by local governments. Gallant's remarks were made during Defence Committee hearings in St. John's before an audience which included the family and co-workers of mariners lost at sea in recent accidents on the Atlantic. Gallant’s comparison of recreational boaters in sheltered inland waters to mariners on the Atlantic hundreds of miles from land drew outrage from many who had lost family at sea. She initially refused to apologize saying her remarks were misinterpreted, but on February 10, Gallant said she was sorry and did not mean in minimize ocean dangers.
On March 28, 2011, after stating in a press release that she hoped for a clean election campaign, Gallant compared Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Gallant wrote on her Twitter page: “No carbon tax please, Igaffi!” Her initial tweet was deleted, but not before it was screen-captured and made the national press. She tweeted an apology to Ignatieff for her remarks on April 1.
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
) is a Conservative Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician representing the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.It is represented by Cheryl Gallant of the Conservative Party....
.
Personal life
Gallant was raised in Blenheim, OntarioBlenheim, Ontario
Blenheim is a community located in south-central Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,800.- History :By 1783, there were French settlers in Detroit and Windsor. There were also settlers in the Niagara and Kingston region, but no real settlers to speak of in the Kent County region...
. She attended the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
, graduating with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. Prior to becoming a politician, she worked for a major Canadian life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
company as a group insurance executive and a time as an office manager of a family-owned professional practice. Gallant has been married since 1985, and is the parent of four daughters ranging in age from 15 to 21. She has served as the Chair of the City of Pembroke Downtown Development Commission and as a member of the Economic Advisory Committee for the city.
Political career
She is currently a member of the Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. She has represented the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.It is represented by Cheryl Gallant of the Conservative Party....
since 2000, and was a member of the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
party from 2000 to 2003.
She is a former deputy house leader of the Official Opposition, and the Canadian Alliance deputy house leader. She has served as CPC critic for science, research and development, was a member of the Commons Standing Committee on National Defence and Veteran’s Affairs, and the Standing Committee on Industry. She has also served as opposition critic of Canadian Heritage, Amateur Sport, the National Capital Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...
, Science, Research and Development, the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
FedNor
The Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario is a program of Industry Canada whose mission is to address the economic development, diversification and job creation in Northern Ontario. FedNor especially aids women, Franco-ontarians, youth, and Aboriginal peoples in Ontario...
, and Small Business. In the 39th Parliament, she served as government vice-chair of the House NATO committee and on the House Committee for Natural Resources.
She is largely viewed as one of the strongest social conservative in the House of Commons, and is a popular figure among the Christian Right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
, yet has occasionally drawn the ire of opponents. In 2002, she was accused of making anti-gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
remarks to then Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada....
Bill Graham, when during a heated exchange, she kept interrupting "Ask your boyfriend" or "How's your boyfriend?". Graham is married and has two children with his wife Catherine Graham. Gallant later apologized for her remarks.
Shortly before the 2004 election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, Gallant made headlines for her criticism of Bill C-250, an amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada
Criminal Code of Canada
The Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
introduced by NDP MP Svend Robinson
Svend Robinson
Svend Robinson is a former Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, representing the suburban Vancouver-area constituency of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party...
which would protect sexual orientation from hate propaganda. Among other things, Gallant claimed that the bill would limit freedom of opinion, make sections of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
"hate literature" and provide protection to pedophiles
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
. Conservative House Leader John Reynolds
John Reynolds
John Reynolds may refer to:* John Reynolds , English writer* John Reynolds , soldier in the English Civil War* John Reynolds , farmer and agricultural innovator from Kent, England...
distanced the party from Gallant's views.http://everything2.com/e2node/Cheryl%2520Gallant
During the 2004 election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, a controversy erupted when Gallant compared abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
to the beheading of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
war hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
Nick Berg
Nick Berg
Nicholas Evan "Nick" Berg was an American businessman who went to Iraq after the US invasion of Iraq. He was abducted and later beheaded according to a video released in May 2004 by Islamist militants...
. The Conservative Party then announced that she was suffering from laryngitis
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
, and after this, she did not appear at some scheduled debates.
Gallant resurfaced in the spotlight on March 17, 2005, when she suggested that Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
were being persecuted by the Liberal Party in a flyer she sent to her constituents. Tory leader Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, confronted with the news, said "I'll let Cheryl Gallant explain those remarks herself; I haven't seen them."
Several constituents accused Gallant of obtaining birth-date information from a passport application during the 2006 campaign. Her office regularly sends out greeting cards to constituents when his or her birthday comes. One affected resident told the Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
, "The principle is really bothering me: that my information has been gathered without my knowledge. I don't know how it's going to be used." Two families who received cards have sent letters to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Privacy Commissioner of Canada
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is a special ombudsman and an officer of parliament who reports directly to the House of Commons and the Senate....
, asking confirmation the MP won't use the collected personal information. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has no jurisdiction in investigating such matters. Gallant's aide says the Member receives many requests for birthday and anniversary cards, and the office is unsure how the information was put on the list, since Gallant receives thousands of requests for salutations and the birth date could have been on one of the request forms returned by a constituent.
Of around 60 major candidates in 15 Eastern Ontario and West Quebec ridings, Gallant was the only one who didn't attending a meeting with the Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
editorial board. "Ms. Gallant's decision to duck every difficult question from the media is nothing short of childish", commented Citizen columnist Kelly Egan. Gallant has stated that she is focused on campaigning locally in order to keep in touch with the concerns of local constituents.
However on October 3, 2008, Gallant continued to dodge all campaigning within her local riding. Local radio station CHVR-FM
CHVR-FM
CHVR-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 96.7 FM in Pembroke, Ontario. The station airs a country music format branded as Star 96....
held an all candidates debate to which Gallant refused to attend. Something myFM President Jon Pole says is very un-democratic and it's also been fodder for her competitors in the election, who say that Gallant's failure to attend most of the debates in the area shows a lack of commitment to the people of this riding.
In the 2008 election, Gallant won her fourth term in Parliament, winning 28,906 of 47,314 votes (61.1% of the total). Her nearest rival, Liberal candidate Carole Devine, received 9,740 votes (20.6%).
In February 2011, Gallant told an audience in Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
that the federal government should not provide Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
rescue helicopters on ocean coasts saying, "In Ontario we have inland seas, the Great Lakes, and it would never occur to any of us, even up in the Ottawa River, to count on the Coast Guard to come and help us." Gallant said ocean rescue should be privately operated or provided by local governments. Gallant's remarks were made during Defence Committee hearings in St. John's before an audience which included the family and co-workers of mariners lost at sea in recent accidents on the Atlantic. Gallant’s comparison of recreational boaters in sheltered inland waters to mariners on the Atlantic hundreds of miles from land drew outrage from many who had lost family at sea. She initially refused to apologize saying her remarks were misinterpreted, but on February 10, Gallant said she was sorry and did not mean in minimize ocean dangers.
On March 28, 2011, after stating in a press release that she hoped for a clean election campaign, Gallant compared Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Gallant wrote on her Twitter page: “No carbon tax please, Igaffi!” Her initial tweet was deleted, but not before it was screen-captured and made the national press. She tweeted an apology to Ignatieff for her remarks on April 1.
External links
- http://myfmradio.ca/1049/wire/news/5280068_B_Gallant_notthere2-web_090504.php 104.9 myFM
- Cheryl Gallant, official site