Thomas Mulcair
Encyclopedia
Thomas J. "Tom" Mulcair (born October 24, 1954) is a Canadian lawyer
, university professor
, and politician
. He is the federal Member of Parliament for Outremont
, Quebec
, Canada
, and currently holds a seat in the New Democratic Party of Canada. Mulcair is a candidate for the 2012 NDP leadership election, to be determined in Toronto
in March 2012.
He was the provincial Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
for the riding of Chomedey
in Laval
from 1994 to 2007, holding the seat for the Liberal Party of Quebec. He served as the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks from 2003 until 2006, in the Liberal government of Premier Jean Charest
. Elected MP for Outremont in a by-election in 2007, he was named Deputy Leader
of the New Democratic Party
, jointly with Libby Davies
, shortly afterwards, and has won re-election twice. On May 26, 2011 he was named the New Democratic Party's Opposition House Leader
. Prior to entering politics, Mulcair was a civil servant in the Quebec provincial government, ran a private law practice, and taught law at the university level.
mother. He is the second-oldest of the couple's ten children, and was raised in Wrightville district in Hull
(now Gatineau
) and in Laval
, just north of Montreal. He graduated from Laval Catholic High School, and in Social Sciences from CEGEP
Vanier College
.
Mulcair graduated from McGill University
in 1977 with degrees in common law
and civil law
. During his penultimate year, he was elected president of the McGill Law Students Association, and sat on the council of the McGill Student Union. He has been married to Catherine Pinhas since 1976. She is a psychologist
with Turkish-Jewish heritage who was born in France
, and the couple have two sons.
in 1978, and Mulcair was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1979. He worked in the Legislative Affairs branch in Quebec's Ministry of Justice and later in the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Superior Council of the French Language
.
In 1983 Mulcair became Director of Legal Affairs at Alliance Quebec
. In 1985 he began a private law practice, and was named the reviser of the statutes of Manitoba
following the Supreme Court of Canada
ruling in the Manitoba reference case. Mulcair also taught law courses to non-law students at Concordia University
(1984), at the Saint Lawrence Campus of Champlain Regional College
in Sainte-Foy, and at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
. He served as Commissioner of the Appeals Committee on the Language of Instruction (1986).
Mulcair was President of the Office des professions du Québec (1987 to 1993), where he introduced reforms to make disciplinary hearings more transparent and successfully led a major effort to have cases of alleged sexual abuse of patients decisively dealt with. Mulcair was also a board member of the group Conseil de la langue française, and at the time of his appointment to the Office des Professions he had been serving as President of the English speaking Catholic Council.
in the 1994 election
, winning the riding of Chomedey
. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003. When the Quebec Liberal Party formed a provincial government in 2003, Premier of Quebec
Jean Charest
named Mulcair Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks. At the time of his appointment to Cabinet he had been serving on several volunteer boards including The Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, Operation Enfant Soleil and the Saint-Patrick's Society. During his tenure he was a supporter of the Kyoto Protocol
.
. Also included was a proposed amendment to the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to create a new right, the right to live in a healthy environment that respects biodiversity
, in accordance with the guidelines and standards set out in the Act. Mulcair's Sustainable Development Plan was based on the successful Europe
an model and was described as one of the most avant-garde in North America
. Mulcair followed the proposal by embarking on a 21-city public consultation tour, and the Act was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec
in April 2006.
Accomplishments related to infrastructure included the completion of Autoroute 30
between Vaudreuil and Brossard
, Autoroute 50
between Gatineau
and Lachute
, the widening of Route 175
between Stoneham
and Saguenay
, the widening of Route 185
from Rivière-du-Loup
to the New Brunswick
border and the introduction of a toll bridge
which would complete Autoroute 25
between Montreal and Laval, despite some public opposition by environmental groups.
shuffle, Charest offered Mulcair the position of Minister of Government Services (Quebec), and Mulcair chose to resign from cabinet rather than accept the apparent demotion
. There was speculation that his contrary opinion on a project that would have transferred lands in Mont Orford
Provincial park to private condominium developers lead to his removal as Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.
On February 20, 2007, he announced that he would not be a Liberal candidate in the 2007 Quebec general election
.
(NDP) in the next federal election
. His presence in the front row during a speech in Montreal by NDP Leader Jack Layton
in March 2007 had already led to speculations to that effect. He had previously given a speech at the Federal NDP Convention in Quebec City
in September 2006. Mulcair admits that he also had considered offers from other federal parties. However, he claimed that he declined joining the Conservatives
, because they have shown no interest in becoming more pro-active about the environment or respecting the Kyoto Protocol
. The Quebec Liberals were independent of any federal party, and there was no provincial NDP in Quebec.
. On June 21, 2007, in an uncontested nomination, Mulcair became the NDP's candidate in the riding of Outremont for a by-election on September 17. Mulcair won the by-election, defeating Liberal candidate Jocelyn Coulon
48% to 29%; the seat had been a Liberal stronghold since 1935 (except for the 1988 election). Jean Lapierre
suggested that Mulcair was likely aided by defecting Bloc Quebecois
supporters (the Bloc candidate had finished second in the 2006 federal election). In addition, Coulon's writings had been condemned by B'nai Brith Canada
, and the local Jewish community in Outremont makes up 10% of the riding demographics. The Conservatives focused their attacks on the leadership skills of Stéphane Dion
, and there were allegations that Michael Ignatieff
's supporters tried to sabotage the race for the Liberals to undermine Dion's leadership.
Mulcair was only the second NDP Member of Parliament ever elected from Quebec, following Phil Edmonston
in 1990 (one previous MP, Robert Toupin
of Terrebonne, had crossed the floor to the NDP in 1986). Mulcair is also only the second non-Liberal
ever to win Outremont, following Progressive Conservative Jean-Pierre Hogue
in 1988
.
were jointly appointed deputy leaders of the party. Mulcair was sworn in on October 12, 2007.
On October 14, 2008, Mulcair was re-elected the Member of Parliament for Outremont, making him the first New Democrat to win a riding in Quebec during a federal general election. He defeated the federal Liberal candidate, Sébastien Dhavernas
, by 14,348 votes to 12,005 (a margin of 6.4%).
In the 2011 federal election, despite facing a strong challenge from Liberal Martin Cauchon
, a former federal justice minister, Mulcair was re-elected once more with 56.4% of the popular vote, 21,916 to 9,204.
television interview following Osama bin Laden
's capture and killing in Pakistan
, Mulcair was asked whether the U.S. should "release pictures of Osama bin Laden". Mulcair answered "I don't think from what I've heard that those pictures exist, and if they do I'll leave that up to the American military." Mulcair's answer was initially interpreted as casting doubt on the existence of photos of bin Laden's corpse. It received attention from American media outlets
and was criticized by Canadian politicians
including Paul Dewar
, Chris Alexander, and Marc Garneau
. Mulcair later clarified that he had actually been referring to the question of whether any pictures exist showing bin Laden reaching for a gun before he was killed. He added that he never doubted American forces had killed bin Laden nor that the U.S. had photographs proving bin Laden was dead. Paul Wells
of Maclean's
, noted that the CBC interviewer, Evan Solomon
failed to pose a clear question, thus leading to the miscommunication.
On May 26, 2011, Mulcair was named Opposition House Leader. He and Libby Davies
have been deputy leaders of the NDP since 2007.
passed away on August 22, 2011, following a battle with cancer
, and was honoured with a state funeral
. Mulcair stated that Layton's death had hit him exceptionally hard, and that while he was considering a federal NDP leadership bid, he would need several weeks to make up his mind on that decision.
Mulcair declared his candidacy for the federal NDP leadership
at a press conference in suburban Montreal on October 13, 2011. He has attracted the support of over 30 MPs.
Mulcair's maternal great-grandfather was former Quebec Premier Honoré Mercier
, to whom he referred when he announced his return to politics in 2007: "My great grandfather was Honoré Mercier, so what else could you expect from me." Mulcair identified former Quebec Liberal Party leader Claude Ryan
as his political mentor.
|Liberal
|Thomas J. Mulcair
|align="right"|25,363
|align="right"|71.10
|align="right"|+1.23
|-
|Parti québécois
|Coline Chhay
|align="right"|6,568
|align="right"|18.41
|align="right"|-3.49
|-
|Action démocratique
|Vicken Darakdjian
|align="right"|3,384
|align="right"|9.49
|align="right"|+2.65
|-
|Marxist-Leninist
|Polyvios Tsakanikas
|align="right"|210
|align="right"|0.59
|align="right"|-
|-
|Equality
|Robert Tamilia
|align="right"|148
|align="right"|0.41
|align="right"|-0.50
|}
|-
|Liberal
|Thomas J. Mulcair
|align="right"|28,293
|align="right"|69.87
|align="right"|+2.17
|-
|Parti québécois
|Monia Prévost
|align="right"|8,869
|align="right"|21.90
|align="right"|-2.26
|-
|Action démocratique
|Vicken Darakdjian
|align="right"|2,768
|align="right"|6.84
|align="right"|+1.62
|-
|Equality
|Pierre Fortier
|align="right"|368
|align="right"|0.91
|align="right"|-0.01
|-
|Socialist Democracy
|Jean-Pierre Roy
|align="right"|195
|align="right"|0.48
|align="right"|-
|}
|-
|Liberal
|Thomas J. Mulcair
|align="right"|25,885
|align="right"|67.70
|align="right"|+14.31
|-
|Parti québécois
|Lidi Costache
|align="right"|9,239
|align="right"|24.16
|align="right"|-0.44
|-
|Action démocratique
|Gaétane Piché
|align="right"|1,997
|align="right"|5.22
|align="right"|-
|-
|Equality
|Gary Brown
|align="right"|353
|align="right"|0.92
|align="right"|-17.69
|-
|Economic
|Richard Gagné
|align="right"|243
|align="right"|0.64
|align="right"|-
|-
|CANADA!
|Benjamin Simhon
|align="right"|212
|align="right"|0.55
|align="right"|-
|-
|Commonwealth
|John Ajemian
|align="right"|154
|align="right"|0.40
|align="right"|-
|-
|Natural law
|John Wolter
|align="right"|150
|align="right"|0.39
|align="right"|-
|}
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, university professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is the federal Member of Parliament for Outremont
Outremont (electoral district)
Outremont is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1949, and since 1968...
, 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....
, Canada
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...
, and currently holds a seat in the New Democratic Party of Canada. Mulcair is a candidate for the 2012 NDP leadership election, to be determined in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in March 2012.
He was the provincial Member of 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 the riding of Chomedey
Chomedey (electoral district)
Chomedey is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, in the western part of Laval. It takes in part of the Chomedey neighbourhood. The current boundary is the Rivière des Prairies to the south, Autoroute 15 to the east, Autoroute 440 to the north and Autoroute 13 to the west.The district...
in Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
from 1994 to 2007, holding the seat for the Liberal Party of Quebec. He served as the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks from 2003 until 2006, in the Liberal government of Premier 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....
. Elected MP for Outremont in a by-election in 2007, he was named Deputy Leader
Deputy Leader
A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is...
of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
, jointly with Libby Davies
Libby Davies
Libby Davies is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party , representing the riding of Vancouver East in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, she was named Deputy Leader of the federal NDP, jointly with Thomas Mulcair.-Background:Davies was born in Aldershot, England and...
, shortly afterwards, and has won re-election twice. On May 26, 2011 he was named the New Democratic Party's Opposition House Leader
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons (Canada)
The Leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons, more commonly known as the Opposition House Leader, is a member of the Official Opposition, not to be confused with the Leader of the Official Opposition, but is generally a senior member of the frontbench...
. Prior to entering politics, Mulcair was a civil servant in the Quebec provincial government, ran a private law practice, and taught law at the university level.
Early life, family, and education
Mulcair was born in 1954 at the Ottawa Civic Hospital to Harry Donnelly Mulcair, an Irish Canadian father, and Jeanne Hurtubise, a French CanadianFrench Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
mother. He is the second-oldest of the couple's ten children, and was raised in Wrightville district in Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
(now Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
) and in Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, just north of Montreal. He graduated from Laval Catholic High School, and in Social Sciences from CEGEP
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
Vanier College
Vanier College
Vanier College is an English-language public college located in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1970 as the second English-language public college of Quebec's public college system...
.
Mulcair graduated from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1977 with degrees in common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
and civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
. During his penultimate year, he was elected president of the McGill Law Students Association, and sat on the council of the McGill Student Union. He has been married to Catherine Pinhas since 1976. She is a psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
with Turkish-Jewish heritage who was born in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the couple have two sons.
Early career
The couple moved to Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in 1978, and Mulcair was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1979. He worked in the Legislative Affairs branch in Quebec's Ministry of Justice and later in the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Superior Council of the French Language
Conseil supérieur de la langue française (Quebec)
The Conseil supérieur de la langue française is an advisory council in Quebec, Canada, whose mission is "to advise the minister responsible for the application of the Charter of the French language on any question relative to the French language in Quebec." It works in close collaboration with...
.
In 1983 Mulcair became Director of Legal Affairs at Alliance Quebec
Alliance Quebec
Alliance Quebec was a group formed in 1982 to lobby on behalf of English-speaking Quebecers in the province of Quebec, Canada. It began as an umbrella group of many English-speaking organizations and institutions in the province, with approximately 15,000 members. At its height in the mid-1980s,...
. In 1985 he began a private law practice, and was named the reviser of the statutes of Manitoba
Manitoba
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...
following the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
ruling in the Manitoba reference case. Mulcair also taught law courses to non-law students at Concordia University
Concordia University
Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
(1984), at the Saint Lawrence Campus of Champlain Regional College
Champlain Regional College
Champlain Regional College was founded in 1971 and named in honour of Samuel de Champlain, the first governor of New France. The College offers post-secondary pre-university , technical and training programs to communities in three distinct regions of Quebec.-History:The college was named after...
in Sainte-Foy, and at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , established in 1969 is a campus of the Université du Québec, located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The university has 12,500 students in 8 different campuses, including the main one in Trois-Rivières. About 1000 of them come from overseas, from 60...
. He served as Commissioner of the Appeals Committee on the Language of Instruction (1986).
Mulcair was President of the Office des professions du Québec (1987 to 1993), where he introduced reforms to make disciplinary hearings more transparent and successfully led a major effort to have cases of alleged sexual abuse of patients decisively dealt with. Mulcair was also a board member of the group Conseil de la langue française, and at the time of his appointment to the Office des Professions he had been serving as President of the English speaking Catholic Council.
Enters provincial politics
He first entered the National AssemblyNational 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 1994 election
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.....
, winning the riding of Chomedey
Chomedey (electoral district)
Chomedey is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, in the western part of Laval. It takes in part of the Chomedey neighbourhood. The current boundary is the Rivière des Prairies to the south, Autoroute 15 to the east, Autoroute 440 to the north and Autoroute 13 to the west.The district...
. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003. When the Quebec Liberal Party formed a provincial government in 2003, Premier of Quebec
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
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....
named Mulcair Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks. At the time of his appointment to Cabinet he had been serving on several volunteer boards including The Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, Operation Enfant Soleil and the Saint-Patrick's Society. During his tenure he was a supporter of the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
.
Advocate for improved environmental rights
On November 25, 2004, Mulcair launched Quebec's Sustainable Development Plan and tabled a draft bill on sustainable developmentSustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
. Also included was a proposed amendment to the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to create a new right, the right to live in a healthy environment that respects biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, in accordance with the guidelines and standards set out in the Act. Mulcair's Sustainable Development Plan was based on the successful Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an model and was described as one of the most avant-garde in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Mulcair followed the proposal by embarking on a 21-city public consultation tour, and the Act was unanimously adopted by 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...
in April 2006.
Accomplishments related to infrastructure included the completion of Autoroute 30
Quebec Autoroute 30
Autoroute 30 is a superhighway in Quebec, Canada.There are three segments currently open for travel:...
between Vaudreuil and Brossard
Brossard, Quebec
Brossard is a suburban area, located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the island and city of Montreal.Brossard is subdivided into many smaller sections. These sections are characterized by having street names that all begin with the same letter of the alphabet...
, Autoroute 50
Quebec Autoroute 50
Autoroute 50 is an Autoroute in western Quebec. Once completed, it will link the Outaouais region to the Greater Montreal area....
between Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
and Lachute
Lachute, Quebec
Lachute, is a town in southwest Quebec, 35 km northwest of Montreal, on the Rivière du Nord, a tributary of the Ottawa River, and west of Mirabel International Airport...
, the widening of Route 175
Quebec route 175
Route 175 is a major north/south highway on both sides of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. Its southern terminus is in Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon at the junction of Route 218 and its northern terminus is in Saguenay at the junction of Route 172, in the former city of Chicoutimi...
between Stoneham
Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, Quebec
Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury is a united township in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in the regional county municipality of La Jacques-Cartier north of Quebec City...
and Saguenay
Saguenay, Quebec
Saguenay is a city in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada, on the Saguenay River, about north of Quebec City....
, the widening of Route 185
Quebec route 185
Route 185 is part of the Trans-Canada Highway. It travels from Saint-Antonin, Quebec to Edmundston, New Brunswick, a distance of about . It connects Autoroute 85 and New Brunswick Route 2....
from Rivière-du-Loup
Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec
Rivière-du-Loup is a small city on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec. The city is the seat for the Rivière-du-Loup Regional County Municipality and the judicial district of Kamouraska.-History:...
to the New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
border and the introduction of a toll bridge
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
which would complete Autoroute 25
Quebec Autoroute 25
Autoroute 25 is an Autoroute in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. It is currently long....
between Montreal and Laval, despite some public opposition by environmental groups.
Departure from cabinet
During a CabinetCabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
shuffle, Charest offered Mulcair the position of Minister of Government Services (Quebec), and Mulcair chose to resign from cabinet rather than accept the apparent demotion
Demotion
A demotion is a reduction in an employee's rank or job title within the organizational hierarchy of a company, public service department, or other body. A demotion may also lead to the loss of other privileges associated with a more senior rank and/or a reduction in salary or benefits...
. There was speculation that his contrary opinion on a project that would have transferred lands in Mont Orford
Mont Orford
Mount Orford is a mountain, ski resort and provincial park in the Eastern Townships region of the Canadian province of Quebec, Canada. It is a few minutes away from the town of Magog and one hour from Montreal....
Provincial park to private condominium developers lead to his removal as Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.
On February 20, 2007, he announced that he would not be a Liberal candidate in the 2007 Quebec general 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...
.
Federal politics
On April 20, 2007, Mulcair confirmed that he would be running for the New Democratic PartyNew Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
(NDP) in the next federal election
40th Canadian federal election
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...
. His presence in the front row during a speech in Montreal by NDP Leader Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
in March 2007 had already led to speculations to that effect. He had previously given a speech at the Federal NDP Convention in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in September 2006. Mulcair admits that he also had considered offers from other federal parties. However, he claimed that he declined joining the Conservatives
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, because they have shown no interest in becoming more pro-active about the environment or respecting the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
. The Quebec Liberals were independent of any federal party, and there was no provincial NDP in Quebec.
Wins by-election
Mulcair also became Layton's Quebec lieutenantQuebec lieutenant
In Canadian politics, a Quebec lieutenant is a politician, from Quebec, usually a francophone and most often a Member of Parliament or at least a current or former candidate for Parliament, who is selected by a senior politician such as the Prime Minister or the leader of a national federal party,...
. On June 21, 2007, in an uncontested nomination, Mulcair became the NDP's candidate in the riding of Outremont for a by-election on September 17. Mulcair won the by-election, defeating Liberal candidate Jocelyn Coulon
Jocelyn Coulon
Jocelyn Coulon is a author, columnist, journalist, political analyst, and an international research expert in Quebec, Canada. He is well known as the author on various military and other international-related published works...
48% to 29%; the seat had been a Liberal stronghold since 1935 (except for the 1988 election). Jean Lapierre
Jean Lapierre
Jean-Charles Lapierre, PC is a Canadian television broadcaster and a former federal politician.He was Paul Martin's Quebec lieutenant during the period of the Martin government. He returned to the Canadian House of Commons after an eleven year absence when he won a seat in the 2004 federal...
suggested that Mulcair was likely aided by defecting Bloc Quebecois
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...
supporters (the Bloc candidate had finished second in the 2006 federal election). In addition, Coulon's writings had been condemned by B'nai Brith Canada
B'nai Brith Canada
B'nai Brith Canada is the Canadian section of B'nai Brith . It was founded in 1875 and is the country's oldest Jewish service organization.-Members:...
, and the local Jewish community in Outremont makes up 10% of the riding demographics. The Conservatives focused their attacks on the leadership skills of Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
, and there were allegations that Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
's supporters tried to sabotage the race for the Liberals to undermine Dion's leadership.
Mulcair was only the second NDP Member of Parliament ever elected from Quebec, following Phil Edmonston
Phil Edmonston
Louis-Phillip Edmonston is a Canadian consumer advocate, writer and former politician. He is one of the few politicians with dual American/Canadian citizenship to be elected to Canadian Parliament....
in 1990 (one previous MP, Robert Toupin
Robert Toupin
Robert Toupin, LL.B , LL.M is a former Canadian Member of Parliament.Toupin had been a worker for the Quebec Liberal Party when he joined the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada following Brian Mulroney's election as party leader...
of Terrebonne, had crossed the floor to the NDP in 1986). Mulcair is also only the second non-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...
ever to win Outremont, following Progressive Conservative Jean-Pierre Hogue
Jean-Pierre Hogue
Jean-Pierre Hogue was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1993. By career, he is a psychologist, professor and writer.-Political career:...
in 1988
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
.
Deputy leader
He and colleague Libby DaviesLibby Davies
Libby Davies is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party , representing the riding of Vancouver East in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, she was named Deputy Leader of the federal NDP, jointly with Thomas Mulcair.-Background:Davies was born in Aldershot, England and...
were jointly appointed deputy leaders of the party. Mulcair was sworn in on October 12, 2007.
On October 14, 2008, Mulcair was re-elected the Member of Parliament for Outremont, making him the first New Democrat to win a riding in Quebec during a federal general election. He defeated the federal Liberal candidate, Sébastien Dhavernas
Sébastien Dhavernas
Sébastien Dhavernas is a Canadian actor.Dhavernas was born in Quebec. He is the husband of actress Michèle Deslauriers and the father of actress Caroline Dhavernas and voice actress Gabrielle Dhavernas...
, by 14,348 votes to 12,005 (a margin of 6.4%).
In the 2011 federal election, despite facing a strong challenge from Liberal Martin Cauchon
Martin Cauchon
Martin Cauchon, PC is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He is a former Liberal Cabinet Minister.Cauchon was born in La Malbaie, Quebec and studied law at the University of Ottawa and the University of Exeter...
, a former federal justice minister, Mulcair was re-elected once more with 56.4% of the popular vote, 21,916 to 9,204.
Controversy over Osama bin Laden
In a May 2011 Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
television interview following Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
's capture and killing in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Mulcair was asked whether the U.S. should "release pictures of Osama bin Laden". Mulcair answered "I don't think from what I've heard that those pictures exist, and if they do I'll leave that up to the American military." Mulcair's answer was initially interpreted as casting doubt on the existence of photos of bin Laden's corpse. It received attention from American media outlets
Media of the United States
Media of the United States consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites. The U.S...
and was criticized by Canadian politicians
Politics of Canada
The politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
including Paul Dewar
Paul Dewar
Paul W. Dewar is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa Centre.Dewar is a member of the New Democratic Party and was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2006 federal election...
, Chris Alexander, and Marc Garneau
Marc Garneau
Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau, CC CD FCASI MP is a Canadian retired military officer, former astronaut, engineer and politician.Garneau was the first Canadian in space taking part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles...
. Mulcair later clarified that he had actually been referring to the question of whether any pictures exist showing bin Laden reaching for a gun before he was killed. He added that he never doubted American forces had killed bin Laden nor that the U.S. had photographs proving bin Laden was dead. Paul Wells
Paul Wells
Paul Wells is a Canadian journalist and pundit, currently working as a columnist for Maclean's. His column previously appeared in the back page slot famously occupied for many years by Allan Fotheringham, but is now kept at the front of the magazine with other columns.- Background :Wells was born...
of Maclean's
Maclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
, noted that the CBC interviewer, Evan Solomon
Evan Solomon
Evan Solomon is a Canadian writer, magazine publisher and television journalist, who currently hosts the nightly series Power & Politics on CBC News Network. Beginning in September 2011, he will also host CBC Radio One's weekly political affairs series The House.Solomon graduated from McGill...
failed to pose a clear question, thus leading to the miscommunication.
On May 26, 2011, Mulcair was named Opposition House Leader. He and Libby Davies
Libby Davies
Libby Davies is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party , representing the riding of Vancouver East in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, she was named Deputy Leader of the federal NDP, jointly with Thomas Mulcair.-Background:Davies was born in Aldershot, England and...
have been deputy leaders of the NDP since 2007.
Announces leadership bid
Federal NDP Leader Jack LaytonJack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
passed away on August 22, 2011, following a battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, and was honoured with a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
. Mulcair stated that Layton's death had hit him exceptionally hard, and that while he was considering a federal NDP leadership bid, he would need several weeks to make up his mind on that decision.
Mulcair declared his candidacy for the federal NDP leadership
New Democratic Party leadership election, 2012
An election for the leadership of the New Democratic Party , a social democratic party in Canada, will occur on March 24, 2012, as a result of the death of Jack Layton, the party's former leader. The party's executive and caucus set the rules for the campaign at a series of meetings in September 2011...
at a press conference in suburban Montreal on October 13, 2011. He has attracted the support of over 30 MPs.
Mulcair's maternal great-grandfather was former Quebec Premier Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier was a lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the ninth Premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887 to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Liberal Party ....
, to whom he referred when he announced his return to politics in 2007: "My great grandfather was Honoré Mercier, so what else could you expect from me." Mulcair identified former Quebec Liberal Party leader Claude Ryan
Claude Ryan
Claude Ryan, was a Canadian politician and leader of the Parti libéral du Québec from 1978 to 1982. He was also the National Assembly of Quebec member for Argenteuil from 1979 to 1994.-Early life and career:...
as his political mentor.
Leadership bid supporters
- MPs: Matthew KellwayMatthew KellwayMatthew Kellway is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for Beaches—East York in the 2011 Canadian federal election. He defeated 18-year incumbent Maria Minna by a margin of more than 5,000 votes.-Background:...
, Beaches—East York, Jamie Nicholls, Vaudreuil-Soulanges; Robert AubinRobert AubinRobert Aubin is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Trois-Rivières as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Trois-Rivières; Claude PatryClaude PatryClaude Patry is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the riding of Jonquière—Alma, first elected in the 2011 Canadian federal election. He is a member of the New Democratic Party...
, Jonquière-Alma; François LapointeFrançois Lapointe (politician)François Lapointe is a Canadian politician, currently MP for the electoral district of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup.On the night of the 2011 election, Lapointe was initially declared unsuccessful in his riding, losing narrowly to incumbent MP Bernard Généreux...
, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup; Pierre NantelPierre NantelPierre Nantel is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the riding of Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, first elected in the 2011 federal election. He is a member of the New Democratic Party. He succeeded Jean Dorion of the Bloc Québécois....
, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher; Marc-André MorinMarc-André MorinMarc-André Morin is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Laurentides—Labelle as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Laurentides—Labelle; Tarik BrahmiTarik BrahmiTarik Brahmi is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Jean, first elected in the 2011 federal election. He is a member of the New Democratic Party...
, Saint-Jean; Matthew Dubé, Chambly—Borduas; Alexandrine LatendresseAlexandrine LatendresseAlexandrine Latendresse is the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for Louis-Saint-Laurent, first elected in the 2011 Canadian federal election. She succeeded former Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Josée Verner of the Conservative Party...
, Louis-Saint-Laurent; Hélène LeBlancHélène LeBlancHélène LeBlanc is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election, defeating freshman incumbent Lise Zarac of the Liberal Party. She represents the electoral district of LaSalle—Émard as a member of the New Democratic Party. In the official opposition...
, LaSalle-Émard; Jean RousseauJean Rousseau (politician)Jean Rousseau is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Compton—Stanstead as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Compton—Stanstead; Mathieu Ravignat, Pontiac; Sadia GroguhéSadia GroguhéSadia Groguhé is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Saint-Lambert as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Saint-Lambert; Pierre Dionne LabellePierre Dionne LabellePierre Dionne Labelle is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Rivière-du-Nord as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Rivière-du-Nord; Pierre-Luc Dusseault, Sherbrooke; Djaouida SellahDjaouida SellahDjaouida Sellah, MD, is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert; Annick PapillonAnnick PapillonAnnick Papillon is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Québec as a member of the New Democratic Party.- Biography :...
, Québec; Anne-Marie DayAnne-Marie DayAnne-Marie Day is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Charlesbourg—Haut-Saint-Charles, Philip ToonePhilip ToonePhilip Toone is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election-Early life:Philip Toone was born in Ottawa in 1965, He currently resides in Maria, Quebec, with his partner of 13 years...
, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Jonathan TremblayJonathan TremblayJonathan Tremblay is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, Jonathan Genest-JourdainJonathan Genest-JourdainJonathan Genest-Jourdain is the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for Manicouagan, first elected in the 2011 Canadian federal election. He succeeded Gérard Asselin of the Bloc Québécois...
, Manicouagan, Sylvain ChicoineSylvain ChicoineSylvain Chicoine is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Châteauguay—Saint-Constant as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, Réjean GenestRéjean GenestRéjean Genest is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Shefford as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Shefford, Sana HassainiaSana HassainiaSana Hassainia is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Verchères—Les Patriotes as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Verchères—Les Patriotes, Pierre JacobPierre JacobPierre Jacob is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Brome—Missisquoi as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Brome—Missisquoi, Marie-Claude MorinMarie-Claude MorinMarie-Claude Morin is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, José Nunez-MeloJosé Nunez-MeloJosé Nunez-Melo is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Laval as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Laval, Manon PerreaultManon PerreaultManon Perreault is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Montcalm as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Montcalm, François PilonFrançois PilonFrançois Pilon is a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election as the member for Laval-Les Îles. Pilon is a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Laval—Les Îles, Lise St-DenisLise St-DenisLise St-Denis is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Saint-Maurice—Champlain as a member of the New Democratic Party....
, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, Dan HarrisDan Harris (politician)Dan Harris is a Canadian New Democratic Party politician, who represented the riding of Scarborough Southwest since the 2011 election and is the Opposition's Deputy Critic for Science and Technology.-Background:...
, Scarborough Southwest, Wayne MarstonWayne MarstonWayne L. Marston is a Canadian politician. Marston was the New Democratic Party candidate for the Hamilton, Ontario riding of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek in the 2006 federal election, defeating incumbent Tony Valeri by a 466 vote margin.Prior to his election to the Canadian House of Commons,...
, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, John Rafferty, Thunder Bay—Rainy River. - Current/former provincial NDP leaders: Dominic CardyDominic CardyDominic Cardy is a Canadian politician. He was selected as the leader of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party in the party's leadership election process on March 2, 2011. A resident of Fredericton, Cardy was the party's campaign director in the 2010 provincial election.Cardy was acclaimed party...
, leader of the New Brunswick NDPNew Brunswick New Democratic PartyThe New Brunswick New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial political party in New Brunswick, Canada linked with the federal New Democratic Party .-Origins and early history:... - Other: Lorne NystromLorne NystromLorne Edmund Nystrom, PC a Canadian politician, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1993 when he lost his reelection bid. He returned to parliament in 1997 and served until 2004...
, former Saskatchewan MP and 2003 leadership candidate; Julius GreyJulius GreyJulius H. Grey is a Canadian lawyer and university professor. He is particularly known for his ability to use the media.Born in Wrocław, Poland, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971, a Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 1971, and a Master of Arts degree in 1973 from McGill University. Grey...
, civil rights lawyer
Electoral record
|-|Liberal
|Thomas J. Mulcair
|align="right"|25,363
|align="right"|71.10
|align="right"|+1.23
|-
|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...
|Coline Chhay
|align="right"|6,568
|align="right"|18.41
|align="right"|-3.49
|-
|Action démocratique
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....
|Vicken Darakdjian
|align="right"|3,384
|align="right"|9.49
|align="right"|+2.65
|-
|Marxist-Leninist
|Polyvios Tsakanikas
|align="right"|210
|align="right"|0.59
|align="right"|-
|-
|Equality
Equality Party (Quebec)
The Equality Party was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that promoted the use of English in Quebec on an equal basis with French. Four Equality Party members were elected to Quebec's National Assembly in 1989, as part of an anglophone reaction to changes made by the governing Liberals to...
|Robert Tamilia
|align="right"|148
|align="right"|0.41
|align="right"|-0.50
|}
|-
|Liberal
|Thomas J. Mulcair
|align="right"|28,293
|align="right"|69.87
|align="right"|+2.17
|-
|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...
|Monia Prévost
|align="right"|8,869
|align="right"|21.90
|align="right"|-2.26
|-
|Action démocratique
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....
|Vicken Darakdjian
|align="right"|2,768
|align="right"|6.84
|align="right"|+1.62
|-
|Equality
Equality Party (Quebec)
The Equality Party was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that promoted the use of English in Quebec on an equal basis with French. Four Equality Party members were elected to Quebec's National Assembly in 1989, as part of an anglophone reaction to changes made by the governing Liberals to...
|Pierre Fortier
|align="right"|368
|align="right"|0.91
|align="right"|-0.01
|-
|Socialist Democracy
Parti de la démocratie socialiste
The Parti de la Democratie Socialiste was a political party in Quebec, Canada.The early origins of the PDS can be traced back to the Fédération du Commonwealth Coopératif , later renamed Parti social démocratique du Québec...
|Jean-Pierre Roy
|align="right"|195
|align="right"|0.48
|align="right"|-
|}
|-
|Liberal
|Thomas J. Mulcair
|align="right"|25,885
|align="right"|67.70
|align="right"|+14.31
|-
|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...
|Lidi Costache
|align="right"|9,239
|align="right"|24.16
|align="right"|-0.44
|-
|Action démocratique
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....
|Gaétane Piché
|align="right"|1,997
|align="right"|5.22
|align="right"|-
|-
|Equality
Equality Party (Quebec)
The Equality Party was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that promoted the use of English in Quebec on an equal basis with French. Four Equality Party members were elected to Quebec's National Assembly in 1989, as part of an anglophone reaction to changes made by the governing Liberals to...
|Gary Brown
|align="right"|353
|align="right"|0.92
|align="right"|-17.69
|-
|Economic
|Richard Gagné
|align="right"|243
|align="right"|0.64
|align="right"|-
|-
|CANADA!
CANADA!
The CANADA! Party was an official political party in the province of Quebec from 1994 to 1998. It was founded on Canada Day 1994 by federalist Tony Kondaks, former top-aide to Equality Party leader Robert Libman...
|Benjamin Simhon
|align="right"|212
|align="right"|0.55
|align="right"|-
|-
|Commonwealth
|John Ajemian
|align="right"|154
|align="right"|0.40
|align="right"|-
|-
|Natural law
|John Wolter
|align="right"|150
|align="right"|0.39
|align="right"|-
|}