Fred Doucet
Encyclopedia
Jean Alfred "Fred" Doucet (born 1939) is a Canadian
lobbyist, educator, university administrator, and political aide. He was Chief of Staff
to Brian Mulroney
, from 1983 to 1984, when he was Leader of the Opposition
and was a Senior Adviser, from 1984 to 1987, after Mulroney was elected Prime Minister of Canada
.
, Nova Scotia
, Doucet received a Bachelor of Science
degree from St. Francis Xavier University
in 1960, a Bachelor of Education
degree in 1964 from Mount Allison University
, and a Master of Education
degree in 1966 from Mount Allison University. In 1976, he received a doctorate
in Educational Administration from the University of Ottawa
. It was while Doucet was at St. Francis Xavier University he met Brian Mulroney. Fred Doucet is the younger brother of Gerald Doucet
, a Canadian Progressive Conservative politician and lobbyist.
. From 1962 to 1965, he was a High School Principal in Quebec
. In 1965, he was appointed Dean of Studies at St. Lawrence College, Université Laval
. In 1968, he was appointed administrative assistant to the President of St. Francis Xavier University. After a doctoral study leave from 1974 to 1976, he was appointed a director of Student Services and a Professor of Organizational Behavior & Administration Theory at St. Francis Xavier University. From 1979 to 1982, he was a Director of Development. Doucet enlisted Mulroney to spearhead a fundraising drive for the school; Mulroney's leadership helped bring in $11 million, $4 million over the original goal (The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky
, 1991, p. 498).
, was highly speculative, and wound up being significantly undercapitalized. Offshore petroleum development is much more expensive than land-based petroleum development, with exploration, well-drilling, and extraction costs being in the hundreds of millions of dollars, restricting entry to the major industry players. East Coast Energy, a new company with little specialized expertise, foundered in 1983 (On The Take: Crime, Corruption, and Greed in the Mulroney Years, by Stevie Cameron
, 1994), and most of its investors, including Walter Wolf, Brian Mulroney, and others, lost everything, as no petroleum was ever produced by the company.
, 1991, p. 501). In 1983, he was appointed Chief of Staff to Brian Mulroney after he became Leader of the Opposition (The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky
, 1991, p. 502). Doucet played a significant role in the 1984 national election campaign (The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky
, 1991). After Mulroney was elected Prime Minister, Doucet was his senior adviser from 1984 to 1987. From 1987 to 1989, he was an organizer for the economic summit in the Department of External Affairs.
. In 1990, he was appointed CEO of Government Business Consulting Group Inc. which he founded with Jean-Jacques Blais
, John Manion
, Lincoln Alexander
, and Judd Buchanan
.
German-Canadian lobbyist and dealmaker Karlheinz Schreiber
filed an affidavit in Ontario Superior Court in early November 2007, which claimed that Fred Doucet had requested cash transfers on behalf of Mulroney for the Airbus affair
deal. Doucet denied this. A public inquiry was called by Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
, and Schreiber appeared before the Canadian House of Commons
Ethics Committee
, under its study of the Mulroney Airbus Settlement, where he repeated the statement. Both Mulroney and Doucet are on the list of witnesses which the Ethics Committee intends to call in the future. Doucet had also testified in the libel suit brought by Mulroney against the Government of Canada
, over allegations that Mulroney had received cash from Schreiber; Mulroney claimed to have done no business with Schreiber after he stepped down as prime minister. Mulroney won a $2.1 million judgement and an apology in 1997. It was later revealed that Mulroney had in fact accepted $300,000 in three cash installments from Schreiber, facts which were not disclosed at the trial. Schreiber stated that Fred Doucet had set up the three meetings where Schreiber paid Mulroney in 1993 and 1994 (the first meeting occurred while Mulroney was still a member of Parliament), and was present at the final meeting where cash changed hands (The Globe and Mail
, November 9, 2007, p. A1; and December 7, 2007, p. A1).
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...
lobbyist, educator, university administrator, and political aide. He was Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, from 1983 to 1984, when he was Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...
and was a Senior Adviser, from 1984 to 1987, after Mulroney was elected Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
.
Early life and education
Born in Grand ÉtangGrand Étang, Nova Scotia
Grand Étang is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.-References:*...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Doucet received 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 from St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University is a post-secondary institution located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The school was founded in 1853, but did not offer degrees until 1868. The university has approximately 5000 students.-History:...
in 1960, a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
degree in 1964 from Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
, and a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
degree in 1966 from Mount Allison University. In 1976, he received a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Educational Administration from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. It was while Doucet was at St. Francis Xavier University he met Brian Mulroney. Fred Doucet is the younger brother of Gerald Doucet
Gerald Doucet
Gerald Doucet is a former politician and lobbyist from Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented the electoral district of Richmond in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1963–1974, as a Progressive Conservative.He graduated from St...
, a Canadian Progressive Conservative politician and lobbyist.
Academic career
From 1960 to 1962, Doucet was a high school teacher in ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. From 1962 to 1965, he was a High School Principal in 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....
. In 1965, he was appointed Dean of Studies at St. Lawrence College, Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
. In 1968, he was appointed administrative assistant to the President of St. Francis Xavier University. After a doctoral study leave from 1974 to 1976, he was appointed a director of Student Services and a Professor of Organizational Behavior & Administration Theory at St. Francis Xavier University. From 1979 to 1982, he was a Director of Development. Doucet enlisted Mulroney to spearhead a fundraising drive for the school; Mulroney's leadership helped bring in $11 million, $4 million over the original goal (The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky
John Sawatsky
Ferdinand John Sawatzky is a Canadian author, journalist and expert on interviewing techniques.-Early career:Born in Winkler, Manitoba, he graduated from Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford and attended Simon Fraser University in the late 1960s. Graduating in political science, he...
, 1991, p. 498).
Business career
In 1982, he was appointed C.E.O of East Coast Energy Limited. This company, which aimed to develop offshore oil and gas resources in Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, was highly speculative, and wound up being significantly undercapitalized. Offshore petroleum development is much more expensive than land-based petroleum development, with exploration, well-drilling, and extraction costs being in the hundreds of millions of dollars, restricting entry to the major industry players. East Coast Energy, a new company with little specialized expertise, foundered in 1983 (On The Take: Crime, Corruption, and Greed in the Mulroney Years, by Stevie Cameron
Stevie Cameron
Stevie Cameron is an award-winning Canadian investigative journalist and best-selling author. Born in Belleville, Ontario in 1943, she now lives in Toronto with her husband, David Cameron, a professor at the University of Toronto. They have two daughters; both Toronto-based screenwriters.-Early...
, 1994), and most of its investors, including Walter Wolf, Brian Mulroney, and others, lost everything, as no petroleum was ever produced by the company.
Political career
Doucet became a backroom Tory in his university years. He assisted Mulroney with his 1983 local campaign in the Central Nova riding (The Politics of Ambition, by John SawatskyJohn Sawatsky
Ferdinand John Sawatzky is a Canadian author, journalist and expert on interviewing techniques.-Early career:Born in Winkler, Manitoba, he graduated from Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford and attended Simon Fraser University in the late 1960s. Graduating in political science, he...
, 1991, p. 501). In 1983, he was appointed Chief of Staff to Brian Mulroney after he became Leader of the Opposition (The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky
John Sawatsky
Ferdinand John Sawatzky is a Canadian author, journalist and expert on interviewing techniques.-Early career:Born in Winkler, Manitoba, he graduated from Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford and attended Simon Fraser University in the late 1960s. Graduating in political science, he...
, 1991, p. 502). Doucet played a significant role in the 1984 national election campaign (The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky
John Sawatsky
Ferdinand John Sawatzky is a Canadian author, journalist and expert on interviewing techniques.-Early career:Born in Winkler, Manitoba, he graduated from Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford and attended Simon Fraser University in the late 1960s. Graduating in political science, he...
, 1991). After Mulroney was elected Prime Minister, Doucet was his senior adviser from 1984 to 1987. From 1987 to 1989, he was an organizer for the economic summit in the Department of External Affairs.
Lobbyist
In 1988, he founded his own lobbying firm Fred Doucet Consulting International (FDCI) in association with his brother Gerald DoucetGerald Doucet
Gerald Doucet is a former politician and lobbyist from Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented the electoral district of Richmond in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1963–1974, as a Progressive Conservative.He graduated from St...
. In 1990, he was appointed CEO of Government Business Consulting Group Inc. which he founded with Jean-Jacques Blais
Jean-Jacques Blais
Jean-Jacques Blais, PC, QC is a former Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Nipissing in the Canadian House of Commons from 1972 to 1984...
, John Manion
John Manion
John Lawrence Manion, OC was a Canadian civil servant.Born in Almonte, Ontario, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Ottawa in 1953. He joined the Canadian civil service working for the Immigration Service of Canada from 1953 to 1969. From 1969 to 1972, he was a Director of...
, Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander
-External links:* * *...
, and Judd Buchanan
Judd Buchanan
Judd Buchanan, PC, OC is a former Canadian politician and businessman.After a career in the life insurance industry working for London Life, Buchanan, born in Edmonton, Alberta, was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1968 election as the Liberal Member of Parliament for London West.He...
.
German-Canadian lobbyist and dealmaker Karlheinz Schreiber
Karlheinz Schreiber
Friedrich Karlheinz Hermann Schreiber is a German and Canadian citizen, an industrialist, lobbyist, fundraiser, arms dealer and businessman...
filed an affidavit in Ontario Superior Court in early November 2007, which claimed that Fred Doucet had requested cash transfers on behalf of Mulroney for the Airbus affair
Airbus affair
The Airbus affair refers to allegations of secret commissions paid to members of the Government of Canada during the term of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in exchange for then-crown corporation Air Canada's purchase of a large number of Airbus jets...
deal. Doucet denied this. A public inquiry was called by Canadian Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
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...
, and Schreiber appeared before 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...
Ethics Committee
Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
The Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics is a permanent standing committee of the Canadian House of Commons that reports to the Parliament of Canada on issues related to ethics and the Access to Information Act. The committee may be referred to...
, under its study of the Mulroney Airbus Settlement, where he repeated the statement. Both Mulroney and Doucet are on the list of witnesses which the Ethics Committee intends to call in the future. Doucet had also testified in the libel suit brought by Mulroney against the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, over allegations that Mulroney had received cash from Schreiber; Mulroney claimed to have done no business with Schreiber after he stepped down as prime minister. Mulroney won a $2.1 million judgement and an apology in 1997. It was later revealed that Mulroney had in fact accepted $300,000 in three cash installments from Schreiber, facts which were not disclosed at the trial. Schreiber stated that Fred Doucet had set up the three meetings where Schreiber paid Mulroney in 1993 and 1994 (the first meeting occurred while Mulroney was still a member of Parliament), and was present at the final meeting where cash changed hands (The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, November 9, 2007, p. A1; and December 7, 2007, p. A1).