Christian Ouellet
Encyclopedia
Christian Ouellet, MP is a politician
from the Canadian
province of Quebec
. He has represented Brome—Missisquoi
in the Canadian House of Commons
since 2006 as a member of the Bloc Québécois
. At age , Ouellet is the oldest current Canadian MP.
He is not to be confused with another Christian Ouellet, who has worked as an organizer and policy strategist for the Quebec Liberal Party.
in 1969 and took a Master's Degree
in building from the University of Manchester
in England
(1972–75). He has promoted ecological housing since 1973 and was a finalist for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
's Healthy Housing Design Competition in 1991.
Ouellet has chaired the Solar Energy Society of Canada and the Parti Québécois
's national committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. He taught architecture at the Université de Montréal
and lectured at the Université du Québec à Montréal
.
, before running for office himself. He first sought election to the House of Commons in the 2004 federal election
and finished a close second against incumbent Liberal
cabinet minister Denis Paradis
in Brome—Missisquoi
. He challenged Paradis again in the 2006 election
and won by over five thousand votes.
During the 2006 election, Ouellet said that he would downplay Quebec sovereigntism if elected and would instead focus on tackling economic issues and opposing corruption. Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe
criticized this statement, saying that his party would promote sovereignty as well as defending Quebec's interests in other areas. After talking with Duceppe, Ouellet agreed to support the Bloc's full platform on sovereignty.
Ouellet was re-elected in the 2008 federal election
, defeating Paradis by a reduced margin in a rematch from 2006.
In parliament, Ouellet has served as the Bloc's critic for social housing and as an associate critic for natural resources and the environment. He has also promoted increased Via Rail
access from Montreal
to Sherbrooke via Quebec's Estrie
. In 2009, he introduced a Private Member's Bill
to remove waiting times for Employment Insurance benefits.
Ouellet was one of eight Canadian parliamentarians to meet with Chen Shui-bian
, the president of Taiwan
, in 2006.
On February 24, 2011, the Bloc announced that Ouellet would not be a candidate in the next federal election.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the 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...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He has represented Brome—Missisquoi
Brome—Missisquoi
Brome—Missisquoi is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1925...
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...
since 2006 as a member of the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
. At age , Ouellet is the oldest current Canadian MP.
He is not to be confused with another Christian Ouellet, who has worked as an organizer and policy strategist for the Quebec Liberal Party.
Early life and private career
Ouellet was born in Montreal. An architect by profession, he joined the Ordre des architectes du QuébecOrdre des architectes du Québec
The Ordre des architectes du Québec is a professional association representing architects in the Canadian province of Quebec. As of 2010, it claims more than 2,700 members....
in 1969 and took a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in building from the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(1972–75). He has promoted ecological housing since 1973 and was a finalist for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is a Crown corporation, owned by the Government of Canada, founded after World War II to provide housing for returning soldiers...
's Healthy Housing Design Competition in 1991.
Ouellet has chaired the Solar Energy Society of Canada and the Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
's national committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. He taught architecture at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
and lectured at the Université du Québec à Montréal
Université du Québec à Montréal
The Université du Québec à Montréal is one of four universities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Basic facts:The UQAM is the largest constituent element of the Université du Québec , a public university system with other branches in Gatineau , Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec City, Chicoutimi, and...
.
Political career
Ouellet was active with the Bloc Québécois and its provincial counterpart, the Parti QuébécoisParti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
, before running for office himself. He first sought election to the House of Commons in the 2004 federal 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...
and finished a close second against incumbent Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
cabinet minister Denis Paradis
Denis Paradis
Denis Paradis, PC is a politician and lawyer from the Canadian province of Quebec. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1995 to 2006 and was a minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin...
in Brome—Missisquoi
Brome—Missisquoi
Brome—Missisquoi is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1925...
. He challenged Paradis again in the 2006 election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
and won by over five thousand votes.
During the 2006 election, Ouellet said that he would downplay Quebec sovereigntism if elected and would instead focus on tackling economic issues and opposing corruption. Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe is a Canadian politician, and proponent of the Québec sovereignty movement. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for over 20 years and was the leader of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois for almost 15 years. He is the son of a well-known Quebec actor, Jean...
criticized this statement, saying that his party would promote sovereignty as well as defending Quebec's interests in other areas. After talking with Duceppe, Ouellet agreed to support the Bloc's full platform on sovereignty.
Ouellet was re-elected in the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, defeating Paradis by a reduced margin in a rematch from 2006.
In parliament, Ouellet has served as the Bloc's critic for social housing and as an associate critic for natural resources and the environment. He has also promoted increased Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
access from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to Sherbrooke via Quebec's Estrie
Estrie
The Estrie is an administrative region of Quebec that overlaps mostly the Eastern Townships. Estrie, a French neologism, was coined as a derivative of est, "east."...
. In 2009, he introduced a Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
to remove waiting times for Employment Insurance benefits.
Ouellet was one of eight Canadian parliamentarians to meet with Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
, the president of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, in 2006.
On February 24, 2011, the Bloc announced that Ouellet would not be a candidate in the next federal election.