Bernard Valcourt

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Bernard Valcourt Template:Post-nominals (born February 18, 1952) is a Canadian politician and lawyer, who served as Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Madawaska—Restigouche, New Brunswick until he was defeated in the 2015 federal election.

Early federal political career and Mulroney cabinet

Valcourt was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1984 election that brought Brian Mulroney to power. He was appointed to the Cabinet of Canada in 1986 as a Minister of State. In January 1989, he was promoted to Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs,<ref name="PCO">Template:Cite web</ref> but was forced to resign from Cabinet in August when he was involved in a drunk driving motorcycle accident that cost him an eye.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He returned to Cabinet seven months later as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.<ref name="PCO"/> In 1991, he was promoted to Minister of Employment and Immigration,<ref name="PCO"/> and held the position until the government of Mulroney's successor as Progressive Conservative Party leader and prime minister, Kim Campbell, was defeated in the 1993 election. Valcourt was defeated in that election, along with every Tory MP in Atlantic Canada except Elsie Wayne.

Provincial leader

In May 1995, Valcourt was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Dead link Template:Cbignore Template:Subscription required</ref> While he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 1995 provincial election, his party only won six seats against 48 for Frank McKenna's Liberals. Valcourt resigned as leader in 1997 following a lukewarm endorsement of his leadership at a party convention, and was succeeded by Bernard Lord.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Subscription required</ref>

Return to federal politics

On March 28, 2011, Valcourt declared his candidacy in the 2011 federal election, running in the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, which covers the bulk of the territory he'd represented two decades earlier.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was elected on May 2, 2011, defeating Liberal incumbent Jean-Claude D'Amours. He was subsequently appointed to cabinet as Minister of State for both the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and La Francophonie. His sister Martine Coulombe was elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 2010 provincial election.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 4, 2012, he was given the additional portfolio of Associate Minister of Defence.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Valcourt was part of the AEG initiative, saying co-operation between both the federal and provincial governments, as well as utilities, is key. "The Atlantic Energy Gateway initiative has brought the critical players in the region's energy sector together to not only work toward an affordable, secure, clean energy future, but to also maximize the business and job growth potential of further developing our region's clean and renewable energy industries," said Valcourt in a release.<ref name="CBC news">Template:Cite web</ref>

On February 22, 2013, Valcourt became Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in a cabinet shuffle.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Valcourt stirred controversy when he claimed that the high rates of suicide among aboriginal youths were "the responsibility of their parents".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 2015 federal election, Valcourt was defeated by Liberal René Arseneault, finishing third with just over 16% of the vote.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Electoral record

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References

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External links

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Bernard Valcourt

Contents

Early federal political career and Mulroney cabinet

Provincial leader

Return to federal politics

Electoral record

References

External links

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Bernard Valcourt

Early federal political career and Mulroney cabinet

Provincial leader

Return to federal politics

Electoral record

References

External links

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