Mario A. Beaulieu[3] MP (French pronunciation: [maʁjo boljø]; born February 1, 1959) is a Canadian politician. An advocate for nationalism in Quebec, he served as leader (2014–2015), interim leader (2018–2019) and president (2014–2018) of the Bloc Québécois (BQ); Beaulieu has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for La Pointe-de-l'Île since the 2015 election.
Mario Beaulieu | |
|---|---|
 Beaulieu in 2015 | |
| Leader of the Bloc Québécois | |
| In office June 13, 2018 – January 17, 2019 Interim | |
| President | Himself Yves Perron |
| Preceded by | Martine Ouellet |
| Succeeded by | Yves-François Blanchet |
| In office June 25, 2014 – June 10, 2015[1] | |
| President | Himself |
| Preceded by | Daniel Paillé |
| Succeeded by | Gilles Duceppe |
| In office June 25, 2014 – August 22, 2018 | |
| Leader | Himself Gilles Duceppe Rhéal Fortin (interim) Martine Ouellet Himself (interim) |
| Preceded by | Daniel Paillé |
| Succeeded by | Yves Perron |
| President of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal | |
| In office 2009–2014 | |
| Preceded by | Jean Dorion |
| Succeeded by | Maxime Laporte |
| Member of Parliament for La Pointe-de-l'Île | |
| Assumed office October 19, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Ève Péclet |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 1, 1959 Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada[2] |
| Political party | Bloc Québécois (federal) Parti Québécois (provincial) |
| Residence(s) | Pointe-aux-Trembles,[3] Montreal, Quebec |
| Occupation | Politician |
He was the 80th president of the sovereignist Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste of Montreal from 2009 to 2014 and has been a spokesman for the Mouvement Québec français, a coalition of organizations in favour of the preservation and defence of the French language in Quebec.[4]
Early life and career
editMario Beaulieu was born on February 1, 1959, in Sherbrooke; at age four, his family moved to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.
Bealieu was the president of the Parti Québécois's riding association in Montreal Centre from 1997 to 2002 and was an unsuccessful Bloc Québécois candidate in the 1997 federal election, losing to federal cabinet minister Pierre Pettigrew in Papineau—Saint-Denis. He has been a long-time advocate for strengthening measures requiring the predominance of the French language in Quebec, as well as for Quebec independence.
Bloc Québécois leader
editIn April 2014, he declared his candidacy for the leadership of the Bloc Québécois and received the endorsement of the executive of the Bloc's youth wing,[5][6] former Parti Québécois legislative members Bernard Landry and Pierre Curzi, and the former president of the Mouvement Desjardins, Claude Béland.[7] Beaulieu, viewed as a "hardline" sovereigntist, promised to prioritize achieving Quebec independence above everything else.[8] On June 14, 2014, he defeated BQ Member of Parliament André Bellavance for the Bloc leadership with 53.5% of the vote.[9] Beaulieu took office as Bloc leader at the party's convention on June 25, 2014.[citation needed]
Shortly after his election, Beaulieu attracted controversy from within the party due to statements in his acceptance speech associated with the Front de libération du Québec and separate statements seemingly critical about the past leaders of the party, which drew criticism from former Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe and resulted in two party members announcing their intentions to leave the party.[10] In the weeks following his election, a number of riding executive members quit the party to protest Beaulieu's leadership and a number of individuals who had been considering running for the party in the next election removed themselves from consideration.[11] On August 12, 2014, the party's parliamentary caucus was reduced to 3 MPs after House Leader Jean-François Fortin quit the party to sit as an Independent MP. Fortin accused Beaulieu of "pushing a unidimensional, intransigent agenda that lacks rigour has put an end to the credibility established by (former leaders) Gilles Duceppe and followed up by Daniel Paillé, two leaders who merit great respect."[11] On August 25, 2014, André Bellavance, who had lost to Beaulieu in the leadership vote also resigned, reducing the Bloc to two MPs.[12] Bellavance told a press conference, in regards to Beaulieu: "His vision and orientation for the Bloc are diametrically opposed to mine. Mr. Beaulieu says he can unite the party; for me it’s not the case."[13]
Return of Duceppe
editWith the party languishing as it was about to enter the 2015 federal election, Beaulieu entered into discussions with former party leader Gilles Duceppe in hopes of saving the Bloc from extinction. On June 10, 2015, Beaulieu and Duceppe jointly announced that Gilles Duceppe would be returning to lead the party into the election campaign while Beaulieu would relinquish the leadership but remain party president.[14] The party executive agreed on June 9, 2015, to split the positions of president and party leader in order to facilitate Duceppe's return. The changes were ratified by the party's general council on July 1.[15][16]
2015 election
editIn the 2015 election, Beaulieu was elected in the riding of La Pointe-de-l'Île, the only Bloc MP elected on the island of Montreal. The party returned 10 MPs, but fell short of official party status.[citation needed]
Return to Bloc Québécois leadership
editBeaulieu was one of three Bloc MPs who initially supported Martine Ouellet's leadership during a caucus revolt and remained with the Bloc caucus when seven MPs resigned on February 28, 2018, to sit as Independents.[17] He later became critical of her leadership and campaigned for her removal for an upcoming leadership review, whilst staying in caucus. Beaulieu was named interim leader after Ouellet resigned over losing a party referendum on her leadership.[citation needed]
On August 22, 2018, he ceded the party presidency to Yves Perron as part of an agreement to reunite the party following the conflict over Martine Oulette's leadership. Beaulieu is to continue as interim leader, however, until a leadership election is held in 2019.[18][19] On January 17, 2019, he was succeeded as party leader by Yves-François Blanchet.[20]
Since 2021 he has served as the critic of Official Languages in the Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet.[21]
Electoral record
edit| 2021 Canadian federal election: La Pointe-de-l'Île | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Bloc Québécois | Mario Beaulieu | 23,835 | 46.7 | -0.1 | $40,618.35 | |||
| Liberal | Jonas Fadeu | 16,508 | 32.3 | +1.9 | $37,367.99 | |||
| New Democratic | Alexandre Vallerand | 4,954 | 9.7 | -1.2 | $0.00 | |||
| Conservative | Massimo Anania | 3,427 | 6.7 | -0.5 | $2,567.20 | |||
| People's | Jonathan Desclin | 1,399 | 2.7 | +2.0 | $1,481.55 | |||
| Free | Agnès Falquet | 577 | 1.1 | N/A | $604.58 | |||
| Indépendance du Québec | Charles Phillippe Gervais | 221 | 0.4 | ±0.0 | $0.00 | |||
| Marxist–Leninist | Genevieve Royer | 159 | 0.3 | +0.1 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 51,080 | 97.6 | – | $113,429.83 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 1,239 | 2.4 | ||||||
| Turnout | 52,319 | 62.3 | ||||||
| Registered voters | 83,970 | |||||||
| Bloc Québécois hold | Swing | -1.0 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[22] | ||||||||
| 2019 Canadian federal election: La Pointe-de-l'Île | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Bloc Québécois | Mario Beaulieu | 26,010 | 46.84 | +13.26 | $38,017.09 | |||
| Liberal | Jonathan Plamondon | 16,898 | 30.43 | +1.86 | $50,221.87 | |||
| New Democratic | Ève Péclet | 6,057 | 10.91 | -15.85 | $6,545.53 | |||
| Conservative | Robert Coutu | 3,984 | 7.17 | -0.81 | $25,219.21 | |||
| Green | Franco Fiori | 1,910 | 3.44 | none listed | ||||
| People's | Randy Manseau | 388 | 0.70 | none listed | ||||
| Indépendence du Québec | Jacinthe Lafrenaye | 199 | 0.4 | $636.28 | ||||
| Marxist–Leninist | Geneviève Royer | 88 | 0.2 | $0.00 | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 55,534 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 1,141 | |||||||
| Turnout | 56,675 | 66.2 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 85,589 | |||||||
| Bloc Québécois hold | Swing | +5.70 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[23][24] | ||||||||
| 2015 Canadian federal election: La Pointe-de-l'Île | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Bloc Québécois | Mario Beaulieu | 18,545 | 33.58 | +1.21 | $48,190.59 | |||
| Liberal | Marie-Chantale Simard | 15,777 | 28.57 | +18.47 | $5,384.21 | |||
| New Democratic | Ève Péclet | 14,777 | 26.76 | -20.77 | $51,626.51 | |||
| Conservative | Guy Morissette | 4,408 | 7.98 | +0.33 | $4,736.10 | |||
| Green | David J. Cox | 1,130 | 2.05 | +0.16 | – | |||
| Rhinoceros | Ben 97 Benoit | 358 | 0.65 | – | $1,062.19 | |||
| Strength in Democracy | Jean-François Larose | 135 | 0.24 | – | – | |||
| Marxist–Leninist | Geneviève Royer | 96 | 0.17 | – | – | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 55,226 | 100.00 | $222,699.43 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 912 | 1.62 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 56,138 | 65.43[25] | – | |||||
| Eligible voters | 84,507 | |||||||
| Bloc Québécois gain from New Democratic | Swing | +10.99 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[26][27] | ||||||||
| 1997 Canadian federal election: Papineau—Saint-Denis | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Pierre Pettigrew | 26,260 | 53.90 | – | $53,271 | |||
| Bloc Québécois | Mario Beaulieu | 14,083 | 28.91 | $25,032 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Yannis Felemegos | 6,227 | 12.78 | $19,274 | ||||
| New Democratic | Gaby Kombé | 1,196 | 2.45 | $3,030 | ||||
| Marxist–Leninist | Peter Macrisopoulos | 481 | 0.99 | $0 | ||||
| Communist League | Michel Dugré | 471 | 0.97 | $270 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 48,718 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 1,676 | |||||||
| Turnout | 50,394 | 75.55 | ||||||
| Electors on the lists | 66,706 | |||||||
| Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and official contributions and expenses submitted by the candidates, provided by Elections Canada. | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "DUCEPPE, Gilles". House of Commons of Canada. Archived from the original on August 10, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ^ "Mario Beaulieu élu chef du Bloc québécois". La Presse. June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ "CJAD 800 | Montreal's #1 News Talk Radio station - iHeartRadio".
- ^ Pilon-Larose, Hugo (April 28, 2014). "Mario Beaulieu se présente à la direction du Bloc québécois". La Presse. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
- ^ "Plusieurs jeunes bloquistes signent une lettre d'appui à André Bellavance". La Nouvelle Union. May 1, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ "Chefferie du Bloc: Les candidats dévoilent leurs appuis". June 9, 2014.
- ^ "Mario Beaulieu named new Bloc Québécois leader". June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ "Bloc Quebecois chooses Mario Beaulieu as new leader as federal party rebuilds". Vancouver Sun. June 14, 2014. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ "Bloc Québécois members quit over new leader Mario Beaulieu". CBC News. June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ a b "Bloc Quebecois MP quits to sit as independent, says new leader is trying to radicalize the party". National Post. August 12, 2014.
- ^ "Another Bloc MP quits party, leaving only two in Parliament". Globe and Mail. August 25, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ "MP André Bellavance leaves Bloc Québécois Will spend the rest of his term as an independent". Montreal Gazette. August 25, 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ "illes Duceppe returns to lead Bloc Quebecois". CTV News. June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Gilles Duceppe announces return to Bloc Québécois leadership". CBC News. June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Gilles Duceppe officially named leader of Bloc Québécois | CBC News".
- ^ Allard, Clement (February 28, 2018). "Seven of 10 Bloc Quebecois MPs quit over Martine Ouellet's leadership". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Yves Perron à la présidence du Bloc Québécois". August 22, 2018.
- ^ "Yves Perron élu président du Bloc". Le Nouvelliste. August 23, 2018.
- ^ "Yves-François Blanchet becomes Bloc Québécois leader". CBC News. January 17, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ^ Lévesque, Catherine (October 5, 2021). "Bloc Québécois announces shadow cabinet". Montreal Gazette.
- ^ "Confirmed candidates — La Pointe-de-l'Île". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ http://enr.elections.ca/ElectoralDistricts.aspx?ed=2102
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for La Pointe-de-l'Île, 30 September 2015
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine