Suzanne Tremblay (French pronunciation: [syzan tʁɑ̃blɛ]; January 24, 1937 – September 26, 2020) was a Canadian politician from Quebec who served as a Bloc Québécois member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 2004.

Suzanne Tremblay
Opposition House Leader
In office
March 17, 1997 – April 25, 1997
LeaderGilles Duceppe
Preceded byGilles Duceppe
Succeeded byRandy White
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Rimouski-Neigette-et-La Mitis
(Rimouski—Mitis 1997-2000)
(Rimouski—Témiscouata 1993-1997)
In office
October 25, 1993 – June 28, 2004
Preceded byMonique Vézina
Succeeded byRiding dissolved
Personal details
Born(1937-01-24)January 24, 1937
Montreal, Quebec
DiedSeptember 26, 2020(2020-09-26) (aged 83)
Rimouski, Quebec
Political partyBloc Québécois
Residence(s)Le Bic, Quebec

Early life

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Born in Montreal, Tremblay received a Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship to attend Tufts University in the United States, where she earned a Master's degree in pre-school education. She then completed a certificate in educational studies at the Université de Lyon and a certificate in child care studies at the University of London.

Political career

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Tremblay was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1993 federal election for the riding of Rimouski—Témiscouata. She was re-elected in the 1997 election for the riding of Rimouski-Mitis and in the 2000 election for Rimouski-Neigette-et-La Mitis. She announced her intention not to run again in the 2004 federal election.

She was occasionally a controversial figure, once pointing out that Quebec Premier Jean Charest's first name was really "John" in an attempt to discredit him as a representative of the true Quebec;[1] the Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe distanced himself from this comment. Tremblay also made similar comments attacking Radio-Canada journalist Joyce Napier for not having a francophone name,[2] and pop singer Céline Dion for purportedly turning her back on her Québécoise identity in her pursuit of pop stardom.[3]

Following Tremblay's announcement of her retirement from the House of Commons, Louise Thibault, a municipal councillor in Le Bic, became the Bloc Québécois candidate in the new riding of Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, and won the 2004 election. Tremblay ran in the resulting by-election to fill Thibault's municipal council seat, running primarily on a campaign of opposing the then-proposed amalgamation of Le Bic with Rimouski.[4] She lost narrowly to Pierre Garon, a local farmer and trucker who had not previously been active in politics.[4]

Death

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Tremblay died on September 26, 2020, from cancer.[5][6]

Electoral record

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2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Bloc Québécois Suzanne Tremblay 19,759
Liberal Réal Marmen 9,795
Alliance Gerard Gosselin 1,280
Progressive Conservative Réal Blais 1,150
Natural Law Lyse Beauchemin 673
New Democratic René Lemieux 525


1997 Canadian federal election: Rimouski—Mitis
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Bloc Québécois Suzanne Tremblay 17,282 47.00 $53,089
Liberal Réal Marmen 11,112 30.22 $47,800
Progressive Conservative Jean Roy 7,901 21.49 $32,225
New Democratic Elizabeth Clark 479 1.30 $0
Total valid votes 36,774 100.00
Total rejected ballots 1,211
Turnout 37,985 68.24
Electors on the lists 55,665
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
1993 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Bloc Québécois Suzanne Tremblay 23,118
Liberal André Reid 9,454
Progressive Conservative Jean Morin 4,622
Independent François-Michel Denis 598
Natural Law Gilles Roussel 400
New Democratic Alex En Hwa Ng 335

References

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  1. ^ "Name-calling reaches a new low". Financial Post, May 28, 1997, pg. 14.
  2. ^ "Non-Quebecois accent sounds ignorant to MP". Vancouver Sun, October 18, 1995.
  3. ^ "Does Céline like poutine?" The Globe and Mail, April 13, 1999.
  4. ^ a b "Défaite surprise pour Suzanne Tremblay". Radio-Canada, October 24, 2004.
  5. ^ "Colleagues recall spirit of former Bloc Quebecois MP Suzanne Tremblay, dead at 83". 26 September 2020.
  6. ^ "L'Ancienne députée bloquiste Suzanne Tremblay s'éteint".
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