Hélène Robert
Encyclopedia
Hélène Robert is a politician in the Canadian
province of Quebec
. She was a Parti Québécois
member of the National Assembly of Quebec
from 1994 to 2007.
. She received a teaching degree from the Collège Ignace-Bourget in 1965 and taught at the École secondaire Georges-Vanier
and other Quebec schools for most of the period between 1965 and 1994. She also owned an apple
farm from 1977 to 1988 and was active with local agricultural organizations. From 1990 to 1992, she chaired the administrative council of the École secondaire Georges-Vanier.
in the 1989 provincial election
. She centered her local campaign around environmental issues
while also highlighting her support for Quebec nationalism
. Near the end of the election, she said, "My grandmother was a Canadian, my mother was a French-Canadian and I'm a Quebecoise. I want to make sure that my daughter, too, is a Quebecoise." On election day, she was narrowly defeated by Liberal candidate Jean-Guy Bergeron. Robert later served as president of the Parti Québécois's association in Deux-Montagnes; she offered support to party leader Jacques Parizeau
in 1992 when his leadership was questioned by some in the party.
She was elected to the Quebec legislature in the 1994 provincial election
as the Parti Québécois won a majority government
under Parizeau's leadership. On September 26, 1994, she was appointed as the government's regional delegate for the Laurentides
. This was not a ministerial position, although she had some oversight powers on regional development projects.
Lucien Bouchard
succeeded Parizeau as premier on January 29, 1996, and eliminated the government's regional delegate positions. Robert was re-assigned as regional secretary for the Laurentides and parliamentary assistant to the minister responsible for the Laurentides
, positions that she held until October 28, 1998. She was re-elected without difficulty in the 1998 provincial election
and afterwards served as a government backbencher.
Robert was narrowly re-elected to a third term in the 2003 provincial election
as the Parti Québécois was defeated by the Liberal Party under Jean Charest
. She served as an opposition member for the next four years and did not seek re-election in 2007
.
in 2010 in a mission sponsored by UPA Développement International to support two farmers organizations in the country.
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...
province of 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....
. She was a 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...
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...
from 1994 to 2007.
Early life and career
Robert was born in Sainte-Scholastique, QuebecSainte-Scholastique, Quebec
The village of Sainte-Scholastique, Quebec was the historic seat of Deux Montagnes County from 1834 until its amalgamation with neighboring towns in 1971. Two years later it was renamed as Mirabel, Quebec...
. She received a teaching degree from the Collège Ignace-Bourget in 1965 and taught at the École secondaire Georges-Vanier
École secondaire Georges-Vanier
École Secondaire Georges-Vanier is a public high school located in Laval, Quebec. It is named for Governor General of Canada Georges Vanier.-Special programs:...
and other Quebec schools for most of the period between 1965 and 1994. She also owned an apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
farm from 1977 to 1988 and was active with local agricultural organizations. From 1990 to 1992, she chaired the administrative council of the École secondaire Georges-Vanier.
Political career
Robert ran as a Parti Québécois candidate in Deux-MontagnesDeux-Montagnes (provincial electoral district)
Deux-Montagnes is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was created in 1853...
in the 1989 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1989
The Quebec general election of 1989 was held on September 25, 1989, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
. She centered her local campaign around environmental issues
Environmental movement
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
while also highlighting her support for Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism is a nationalist movement in the Canadian province of Quebec .-1534–1774:Canada was first a french colony. Jacques Cartier claimed it for France in 1534, and permanent French settlement began in 1608. It was part of New France, which constituted all French colonies in North America...
. Near the end of the election, she said, "My grandmother was a Canadian, my mother was a French-Canadian and I'm a Quebecoise. I want to make sure that my daughter, too, is a Quebecoise." On election day, she was narrowly defeated by Liberal candidate Jean-Guy Bergeron. Robert later served as president of the Parti Québécois's association in Deux-Montagnes; she offered support to party leader Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau, is an economist and noted Quebec sovereignist who was the 26th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996.-Early life and career:...
in 1992 when his leadership was questioned by some in the party.
She was elected to the Quebec legislature in the 1994 provincial 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.....
as the Parti Québécois won a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
under Parizeau's leadership. On September 26, 1994, she was appointed as the government's regional delegate for the Laurentides
Minister responsible for the Laurentides
The Minister responsible for the Laurentides is a ministerial designation in the government of Quebec. The minister who holds this position is responsible for overseeing government matters in the Laurentides region, to the northwest of Montreal...
. This was not a ministerial position, although she had some oversight powers on regional development projects.
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
succeeded Parizeau as premier on January 29, 1996, and eliminated the government's regional delegate positions. Robert was re-assigned as regional secretary for the Laurentides and parliamentary assistant to the minister responsible for the Laurentides
Minister responsible for the Laurentides
The Minister responsible for the Laurentides is a ministerial designation in the government of Quebec. The minister who holds this position is responsible for overseeing government matters in the Laurentides region, to the northwest of Montreal...
, positions that she held until October 28, 1998. She was re-elected without difficulty in the 1998 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1998
The Quebec general election of 1998 was held on November 30, 1998, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Lucien Bouchard, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Charest.After the narrow defeat of...
and afterwards served as a government backbencher.
Robert was narrowly re-elected to a third term in the 2003 provincial election
Quebec general election, 2003
The Quebec general election of 2003 was held on April 14, 2003, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec . The Parti libéral du Québec , led by Jean Charest, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Bernard Landry.-Unfolding:...
as the Parti Québécois was defeated by the Liberal Party under 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....
. She served as an opposition member for the next four years and did not seek re-election in 2007
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...
.
After politics
Robert visited BeninBenin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
in 2010 in a mission sponsored by UPA Développement International to support two farmers organizations in the country.