Robert Thibault

Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox CanadianMP Robert G. Thibault, Template:Post-nominals (born September 29, 1959) is a Canadian politician.

Early life

Thibault was born in Digby, Nova Scotia in 1959. He is the grandson of former provincial politician, Joseph William Comeau.<ref>COMEAU, The Hon. Joseph Willie Parliament of Canada</ref>

Political career

Thibault served as a municipal councillor in Clare, Nova Scotia from 1988 to 2001 and was reelected in 2012.<ref>Clare municipal election results Template:Webarchive, 2012.</ref> He is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and a former member in the House of Commons of Canada, serving three terms as the representative of West Nova from 2000 to 2008. He won his first federal election in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was named Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was Minister of Fisheries and Oceans from 2002 to 2003. He won re-election in 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thibault was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health from 2004 to 2006 under Paul Martin. In the 2006 election, he defeated Conservative opponent and former Nova Scotia cabinet minister Greg Kerr by 511 votes. On April 27, 2007, Thibault was named Liberal Critic for Competitiveness and the New Economy by Liberal leader Stéphane Dion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was subsequently appointed Liberal critic for Health. Thibault was defeated in Canada's 40th general election on October 14, 2008, by Conservative opponent Greg Kerr.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On October 3, 2009, Thibault was once again nominated to contest the West Nova seat for the Liberals in the 2011 federal election.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On May 2, 2011, Thibault was defeated in his comeback attempt, losing to Kerr by more than 4,000 votes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Controversy

In August 2008, Thibault caused controversy with some accusing him of ageism when he suggested that his Conservative opponent Greg Kerr was too old for the job.<ref>Nova Scotia MP charged with 'ageism' Template:Webarchive Canada.com</ref> Only five days later, Thibault was accused of sexism when he called Marjory LeBreton, then government leader in the Senate, an "idiot" and suggested she should "go back to making tea" for former prime minister Brian Mulroney.<ref>Liberal MP apologizes for another taunt The Globe and Mail</ref> Three months later, Thibault lost his seat in the 2008 election.

External links

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