Michel Després
Encyclopedia
Michel Després is an administrator, consultant
and a former Quebec
politician
. He was the former MNA
member of the former riding of Limoilou from 1985 to 1994 and 1998 to 2003 and the former member of the riding of Jean-Lesage
from 2003 and 2007 when he was defeated. He was representing the Quebec Liberal Party during all his political career.
Després studied at the Université Laval
and obtained a bachelor's degree
in business administration in 1982. He would become the director of the Fishing Industry Association of Quebec.
Després jumped into politics in 1985
and became the new MNA for the Quebec City riding of Limoulou as the Liberal Party led by Robert Bourassa
defeated the Parti Québécois. He would be re-elected in 1989
before temporarily halting his political career prior to the 1994 elections
. Between 1994 and 1998 he was a consultant in management
and a councilor at the Department of Canadian Heritage
.
He would seek another election in 1998
reclaiming the riding of Limoilou before winning again in Jean-Lesage in 2003. While been a backbencher MNA during the two mandates of Robert Bourassa
, Després would have a larger role in the first mandate of Jean Charest
who nominated him as the Minister of Labor. Despres would adopted Bill 31 which introduced subcontracting in the public sector. The bill
was met with opposition by most of its employees and was staged a one-day strike in 2003. The bill would be reinforced in mid-December 2003 as a special law which was voted in favor by the Liberal majority government
.
Following a cabinet shuffle
in 2005, Després was named the Transport Minister as well as the Minister
of the Capitale-Nationale
(Quebec) region. In 2007, he would announced a significant increase of fundings on building or upgrading new highways as well as the reconstruction of bridges, roads and overpasses in the light of the Concorde Overpass
collapse in 2006. In his region, he was unable to keep the Quebec Zoo Park opened due to financial difficulties and failed to open a new mini-zoo that would have replaced the former touristic site.
Després would lost his seat in the 2007 elections
when the Action démocratique du Québec
won most of the seats in the region and caused the Liberals to lose its majority government status.
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
and a former 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....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the former 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...
member of the former riding of Limoilou from 1985 to 1994 and 1998 to 2003 and the former member of the riding of Jean-Lesage
Jean-Lesage
Jean-Lesage is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The district is located in Quebec City and includes eastern portions of the city. The riding was called Limoilou from 1965 to 2003...
from 2003 and 2007 when he was defeated. He was representing the Quebec Liberal Party during all his political career.
Després studied at the 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...
and obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in business administration in 1982. He would become the director of the Fishing Industry Association of Quebec.
Després jumped into politics in 1985
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...
and became the new MNA for the Quebec City riding of Limoulou as the Liberal Party led by Robert Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
defeated the Parti Québécois. He would be re-elected in 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...
before temporarily halting his political career prior to the 1994 elections
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.....
. Between 1994 and 1998 he was a consultant in management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and a councilor at the Department of Canadian Heritage
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...
.
He would seek another election in 1998
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...
reclaiming the riding of Limoilou before winning again in Jean-Lesage in 2003. While been a backbencher MNA during the two mandates of Robert Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
, Després would have a larger role in the first mandate of Jean Charest
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....
who nominated him as the Minister of Labor. Despres would adopted Bill 31 which introduced subcontracting in the public sector. The bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
was met with opposition by most of its employees and was staged a one-day strike in 2003. The bill would be reinforced in mid-December 2003 as a special law which was voted in favor by the Liberal majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
.
Following a cabinet shuffle
Cabinet shuffle
In the parliamentary system a cabinet shuffle or reshuffle is an informal term for an event that occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet....
in 2005, Després was named the Transport Minister as well as the 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....
of the Capitale-Nationale
Capitale-Nationale
Capitale-Nationale is one of 17 administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. Quebec City, Quebec's centre of government, is located in this region. It has a land area of 18,638.7 km2...
(Quebec) region. In 2007, he would announced a significant increase of fundings on building or upgrading new highways as well as the reconstruction of bridges, roads and overpasses in the light of the Concorde Overpass
Quebec Autoroute 19
Autoroute 19, also known as Autoroute Papineau , is an autoroute in Quebec. It crosses the Rivière des Prairies via the Papineau-Leblanc Bridge, connecting the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal and the Duvernay neighbourhood in Laval.There are plans to widen Route 335 to four lanes,...
collapse in 2006. In his region, he was unable to keep the Quebec Zoo Park opened due to financial difficulties and failed to open a new mini-zoo that would have replaced the former touristic site.
Després would lost his seat in the 2007 elections
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...
when 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....
won most of the seats in the region and caused the Liberals to lose its majority government status.