Jacques Brassard
Encyclopedia
Jacques Brassard is a former Quebec
politician
and Cabinet Minister. He was the National Assembly of Quebec
for Lac-Saint-Jean
from 1976 to 2002 and occupied several portfolios as a Minister
under the Parti Québecois
governments of Rene Levesque
, Pierre-Marc Johnson
, Jacques Parizeau
, Lucien Bouchard
and Bernard Landry
.
Brassard made his university studies at Université de Montréal
and Université de Sherbrooke
and obtained a degree in pedagogy. After being teacher a local school board, he was a history teacher for nine years at Collège d'Alma
before his entry to provincial politics in 1976
. He was elected in Lac-Saint-Jean as the Parti Québécois won the elections for their first time since their creation. He was a backbencher member for the first mandate and was re-elected in 1981
and named the government Deputy Whip. He was later promoted as the Chief Whip
in 1982 before being named into the Cabinet for the first time in 1984 as Minister of Recreation, Hunting and Fishing until the 1985 elections
. Despite the PQ losing the election to the Quebec Liberal Party, Brassard was re-elected in 1985 and 1989
serving as the chief whip of the Official Opposition.
After his re-election in 1994
and the return to power of the PQ, he was named Minister for several portfolios from 1994 to his resignation in 2002 including Minister of Environment
and Wildlife
, Canadian Intergovermental Affairs, Parliamentary Reform, Transports and Natural Resources. He was also the Government House Leader
just before the 1998 elections
until his resignation on January 29, 2002. Brassard resigned after refusing a secondary Cabinet position offered by then-Premier Bernard Landry. He resigned on the same date as then-Minister of Transports Guy Chevrette
, another veteran PQ member.
He later worked for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
newspaper Le Quotidien.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and Cabinet Minister. He was 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...
for Lac-Saint-Jean
Lac-Saint-Jean (provincial electoral district)
Lac-Saint-Jean is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was created in 1890.-Geography:...
from 1976 to 2002 and occupied several portfolios as a Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
under the Parti Québecois
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...
governments of Rene Levesque
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...
, Pierre-Marc Johnson
Pierre-Marc Johnson
Pierre-Marc Johnson, , is a Quebec lawyer, physician and politician. He was the 24th Premier of Quebec from October 3 to December 12, 1985.- Early background :...
, Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau, is an economist and noted Quebec sovereignist who was the 26th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996.-Early life and career:...
, Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
and 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:...
.
Brassard made his university studies 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...
and Université de Sherbrooke
Université de Sherbrooke
The Université de Sherbrooke is a large university with campuses located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada and Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal approximately west of Sherbrooke. It is one of two universities, and the only French language university, in the Estrie region of Quebec.In 2007, the...
and obtained a degree in pedagogy. After being teacher a local school board, he was a history teacher for nine years at Collège d'Alma
Collège d'Alma
Collège d'Alma is a Cégep in Alma, Quebec, Canada.-History:The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public ones in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created. In 1970, l'Externat classique d'Alma was renamed le Collège du Lac-Saint-Jean and began...
before his entry to provincial politics in 1976
Quebec general election, 1976
The Quebec general election of 1976 was held on November 15, 1976 to elect members to National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled only by the 1960 general election, and caused major repercussions in the rest of Canada...
. He was elected in Lac-Saint-Jean as the Parti Québécois won the elections for their first time since their creation. He was a backbencher member for the first mandate and was re-elected in 1981
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
and named the government Deputy Whip. He was later promoted as the Chief Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in 1982 before being named into the Cabinet for the first time in 1984 as Minister of Recreation, Hunting and Fishing until the 1985 elections
Quebec general election, 1985
The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.This election...
. Despite the PQ losing the election to the Quebec Liberal Party, Brassard was re-elected in 1985 and 1989
Quebec general election, 1989
The Quebec general election of 1989 was held on September 25, 1989, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
serving as the chief whip of the Official Opposition.
After his re-election in 1994
Quebec general election, 1994
The Quebec general election of 1994 was held on September 12, 1994, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The Parti Québécois, led by Jacques Parizeau, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Daniel Johnson, Jr.....
and the return to power of the PQ, he was named Minister for several portfolios from 1994 to his resignation in 2002 including Minister of Environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
and Wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, Canadian Intergovermental Affairs, Parliamentary Reform, Transports and Natural Resources. He was also the Government House Leader
Government House Leader (Quebec)
The Government House Leader is responsible for being leader of the National Assembly of Quebec from the government side....
just before the 1998 elections
Quebec general election, 1998
The Quebec general election of 1998 was held on November 30, 1998, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Lucien Bouchard, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Charest.After the narrow defeat of...
until his resignation on January 29, 2002. Brassard resigned after refusing a secondary Cabinet position offered by then-Premier Bernard Landry. He resigned on the same date as then-Minister of Transports Guy Chevrette
Guy Chevrette
Guy Chevrette served as Parti Québécois leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada, from 1987 to 1989...
, another veteran PQ member.
He later worked for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean is a region in Quebec, Canada. It contains the Saguenay Fjord, the estuary of the Saguenay River, stretching through much of the region...
newspaper Le Quotidien.