Elsie Lefebvre
Encyclopedia
Elsie Lefebvre is a Quebec
politician. She was the Member of the National Assembly
for the Laurier-Dorion
riding from 2004 to 2007, and currently serves on Montreal City Council
. She is trilingual, speaking French
, Spanish
and English
.
(PQ), since the age of 17. Following her bachelor's degree in political science at Université de Montréal
, her studies took her to the Universidad de las Américas in Puebla, Puebla
, Mexico
. There she gathered much political experience, notably as an intern at the Quebec Government House in Mexico City
and as parliamentary assistant to French politician Philippe Séguin
.
in her native riding, Laurier-Dorion, and began a campaign of outspoken left-wing and sovereigntist
politics (opposing the Charest government
). On September 20, 2004, at the age of 25, she became the youngest elected female MNA
in the National Assembly of Quebec
's history. Her arrival was touted by some as the sovereigntist new blood and breath of fresh air for the party and movement. Four by-elections occurred on the day of her victory. The Liberals lost all but one (with a smaller victory than usual for one of the strongest Liberal fortresses, Nelligan
), with the PQ winning two and the Action démocratique du Québec
one.
Coming at a time when the Charest government was low in opinion polls, her victory in the Laurier-Dorion was described as historic for reasons other than Lefebvre's relative youth. Laurier (later merged with the riding of Dorion) had been won only once before by the PQ, by Lise Payette
, and had been held by Liberal Christos Sirros
for two decades. As one of the most multicultural ridings in Quebec, the surprise victory was seen as a major step in the long ongoing PQ "charm operation" towards Quebec cultural minorities. In addition, the riding is remembered as the first riding of the party founder René Lévesque
. Twice elected in Laurier as a Liberal, Lévesque never managed to win it with the PQ, despite being party leader.
Lefebvre lost her Montreal seat to the Quebec Liberal Party in the 2007 provincial election
.
In June 2005, after answering her question in the National Assembly about a possible conflict of interest involving his spouse, Premier Jean Charest mumbled "hostie de chienne", an insult which would roughly translate in English as "fucking bitch".
Lefebvre supported then-leader Bernard Landry
in February 2005 in the Parti Québécois leadership race. In September 2005, she announced her support for Richard Legendre
.
as a high-profile candidate for Montreal City Council
in the district of Villeray. She won the election, defeating incumbent Union Montréal
councillor Sylvain Lachance.
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....
politician. She was the Member of the National Assembly
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
for the Laurier-Dorion
Laurier-Dorion
Laurier-Dorion is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The district is located in Montreal and includes the neighbourhoods of Villeray and Parc-Extension...
riding from 2004 to 2007, and currently serves on Montreal City Council
Montreal City Council
The Montreal City Council is the governing body of Montreal, Quebec. The head of the city government in Montreal is the mayor, who is first among equals in the City Council. The mayor is Gérald Tremblay, who is a member of the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l'Île de Montréal...
. She is trilingual, speaking French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Background
Lefebvre has been involved in politics, with 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...
(PQ), since the age of 17. Following her bachelor's degree in political science at 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...
, her studies took her to the Universidad de las Américas in Puebla, Puebla
Puebla, Puebla
The city and municipality of Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico. Being a planned city, it is located to the east of Mexico City and west of Mexico's main port, Veracruz, on the main route between the two.The city was founded...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. There she gathered much political experience, notably as an intern at the Quebec Government House in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and as parliamentary assistant to French politician Philippe Séguin
Philippe Séguin
Philippe Séguin was a French political figure who was President of the National Assembly from 1993 to 1997 and President of the Cour des Comptes of France from 2004 to 2010....
.
Election
In 2004, she won the Parti Québécois candidacy for the coming by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in her native riding, Laurier-Dorion, and began a campaign of outspoken left-wing and sovereigntist
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
politics (opposing the Charest government
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
). On September 20, 2004, at the age of 25, she became the youngest elected female MNA
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
in the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
's history. Her arrival was touted by some as the sovereigntist new blood and breath of fresh air for the party and movement. Four by-elections occurred on the day of her victory. The Liberals lost all but one (with a smaller victory than usual for one of the strongest Liberal fortresses, Nelligan
Nelligan (electoral district)
Nelligan is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The riding was created in 1980 from parts of Pointe-Claire and Robert-Baldwin. It includes portions of the Montreal Island including Île Bizard, Kirkland and Senneville...
), with the PQ winning two and the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
one.
Coming at a time when the Charest government was low in opinion polls, her victory in the Laurier-Dorion was described as historic for reasons other than Lefebvre's relative youth. Laurier (later merged with the riding of Dorion) had been won only once before by the PQ, by Lise Payette
Lise Payette
Lise Payette, is a Quebec politician, feminist, writer and columnist. She was a Parti Québécois minister under the leadership of Premier René Lévesque and National Assembly of Quebec member for the riding of Dorion....
, and had been held by Liberal Christos Sirros
Christos Sirros
Christos Sirros is a politician in the Province of Quebec, Canada. He was a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the Laurier-Dorion riding for two decades as a member of the Liberal Party of Quebec....
for two decades. As one of the most multicultural ridings in Quebec, the surprise victory was seen as a major step in the long ongoing PQ "charm operation" towards Quebec cultural minorities. In addition, the riding is remembered as the first riding of the party founder René Lévesque
René Lévesque
René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
. Twice elected in Laurier as a Liberal, Lévesque never managed to win it with the PQ, despite being party leader.
Lefebvre lost her Montreal seat to the Quebec Liberal Party in the 2007 provincial election
Quebec general election, 2007
The Quebec general election of 2007 was held in the Canadian province of Quebec on March 26, 2007 to elect members of the 38th National Assembly of Quebec. The Quebec Liberal Party led by Jean Charest managed to win a plurality of seats, but were reduced to a minority government, Quebec's first in...
.
Parliament
Lefebvre was the Official Opposition critic for immigration and cultural communities during her tenure in office.In June 2005, after answering her question in the National Assembly about a possible conflict of interest involving his spouse, Premier Jean Charest mumbled "hostie de chienne", an insult which would roughly translate in English as "fucking bitch".
Lefebvre supported then-leader Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry, is a Quebec lawyer, teacher, politician, who served as the 28th Premier of Quebec , leader of the Opposition and leader of the Parti Québécois .-Personal:...
in February 2005 in the Parti Québécois leadership race. In September 2005, she announced her support for Richard Legendre
Richard Legendre
Richard Legendre is a former professional tennis player and a Quebec politician.- Tennis :Legendre once represented Canada at the Davis Cup and had a career-high tennis ranking of World No. 232 in singles...
.
Montreal City Council
Lefebvre was recruited by Vision MontréalVision Montreal
Vision Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It has been in existence since 1994 and presently forms the Official opposition on Montreal City Council under leader Louise Harel.-Origins:...
as a high-profile candidate for Montreal City Council
Montreal City Council
The Montreal City Council is the governing body of Montreal, Quebec. The head of the city government in Montreal is the mayor, who is first among equals in the City Council. The mayor is Gérald Tremblay, who is a member of the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l'Île de Montréal...
in the district of Villeray. She won the election, defeating incumbent Union Montréal
Union Montreal
Union Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It currently governs Montreal's city government.-Origins:It was established as the Montreal Island Citizens Union in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger of 2001 and not long before the municipal election...
councillor Sylvain Lachance.