Jean-Marc Fournier
Encyclopedia
Jean-Marc Fournier is a Quebec
politician
and a lawyer
. He currently serves as the Minister of Justice and the Reform of Democratic Institutions in the cabinet of Quebec Premier Jean Charest
.
He was member of the National Assembly of Quebec
for Châteauguay
from elected in 1994
to 2008. A member of the Quebec Liberal Party, he was prior to retirement the Minister
of Revenue and the Government House Leader
in the provincial Government of Jean Charest
and occupied the positions of Minister of Education and Municipal Affairs during the first Charest mandate.
Fournier studied at the Université de Montréal
and obtained a law
degree and later a master's degree
in public law
. He was admitted to the Barreau du Québec
in 1982. He was a lawyer for nearly ten years. He later worked at the offices of the Ministry of Governmental Affairs, Employment and Justice.
He was also a radio host at community radio station CHAI-FM
and was an organizer of the 1986 Quebec Winter Games. He was also the president of the Chateauguay Chamber of Commerce
and was named Outstanding Citizen in 1987 by the city.
Prior to his entry in provincial politics, Fournier was the defeated candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada
in Châteauguay
in 1988 and was also involved in the leadership campaign of Paul Martin
for Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
in which Jean Chrétien
eventually won.
Fournier won the 1994 elections and was subsequently re-elected in the 1998
, 2003
and 2007 elections
. Before the Quebec Liberal Party took power in the 2003 election, Fournier at various moments served as the chief whip
of the official opposition, critic for Canadian intergovernmental affairs, as well as critic for health.
After his 2003 re-election, he was named the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Sports and Recreation and from 2005 to 2007, he was the Minister of Education, Leisure and Sports for Quebec
, Canada
. Fournier replaced Pierre Reid
in the midst of the 2005 Quebec student strike
in which over 200 000 college and university students protested the Liberals cuts in bursary funds in the 2004 budget. Fournier and the students groups settled a deal in April 2005 which included involvement from the federal government and its bursary program.
On October 31, 2008, Fournier announced he would retire from politics. On November 17, 2009, it was announced Fournier would join the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff
, as principal secretary.
On August 9, 2010 it was announced that Fournier would run in a by-election in the district of Saint-Laurent
to replace Jacques Dupuis, who was retiring from provincial politics. Two days later, Fournier was appointed the Minister of Justice and the Reform of Democratic Institutions by Premier Jean Charest
as part of a wider cabinet shuffle, despite his not yet holding a seat in the National Assembly. He was reelected by a wide margin on September 13, 2010.
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....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He currently serves as the Minister of Justice and the Reform of Democratic Institutions in the cabinet of Quebec Premier 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....
.
He was 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...
for Châteauguay
Châteauguay (provincial electoral district)
Châteauguay is a provincial electoral district in the Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was originally created in 1853.- Geography :It consists of the municipalities of:* Châteauguay* Léry* Mercier...
from elected in 1994
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.....
to 2008. A member of the Quebec Liberal Party, he was prior to retirement the Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Revenue and the Government House Leader
House Leader
In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament and an expert in parliamentary procedure...
in the provincial Government of 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....
and occupied the positions of Minister of Education and Municipal Affairs during the first Charest mandate.
Fournier studied at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
and obtained a law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degree and later a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in public law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
. He was admitted to the Barreau du Québec
Barreau du Quebec
The Bar of Quebec is the provincial law society for lawyers in Quebec, Canada...
in 1982. He was a lawyer for nearly ten years. He later worked at the offices of the Ministry of Governmental Affairs, Employment and Justice.
He was also a radio host at community radio station CHAI-FM
CHAI-FM
CHAI-FM is a French-language Canadian radio station located in Châteauguay, Quebec, near Montreal.It broadcasts on 101.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100 watts using an omnidirectional antenna....
and was an organizer of the 1986 Quebec Winter Games. He was also the president of the Chateauguay Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
and was named Outstanding Citizen in 1987 by the city.
Prior to his entry in provincial politics, Fournier was the defeated candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in Châteauguay
Châteauguay (electoral district)
Châteauguay was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917 and from 1979 to 2004.-History:It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...
in 1988 and was also involved in the leadership campaign of Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
for Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in which Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
eventually won.
Fournier won the 1994 elections and was subsequently re-elected in the 1998
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...
, 2003
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:...
and 2007 elections
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...
. Before the Quebec Liberal Party took power in the 2003 election, Fournier at various moments served as the chief whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
of the official opposition, critic for Canadian intergovernmental affairs, as well as critic for health.
After his 2003 re-election, he was named the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Sports and Recreation and from 2005 to 2007, he was the Minister of Education, Leisure and Sports for 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....
, Canada
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...
. Fournier replaced Pierre Reid
Pierre Reid
Pierre Reid is a politician and educator in the Canadian province of Quebec. He has served in the National Assembly of Quebec since 2003, representing Orford as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party...
in the midst of the 2005 Quebec student strike
2005 Quebec student strike
The 2005 Quebec student strike occurred between February 24 and April 2005. Part of the opposition to the Charest government, it was led by students of CEGEPs and universities of Quebec, on strike to protest budget cuts of $103 million in the Grants and Loans program.- Background :During the 2003...
in which over 200 000 college and university students protested the Liberals cuts in bursary funds in the 2004 budget. Fournier and the students groups settled a deal in April 2005 which included involvement from the federal government and its bursary program.
On October 31, 2008, Fournier announced he would retire from politics. On November 17, 2009, it was announced Fournier would join the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, as principal secretary.
On August 9, 2010 it was announced that Fournier would run in a by-election in the district of Saint-Laurent
Saint-Laurent (provincial electoral district)
Saint-Laurent is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The district is located in Montreal...
to replace Jacques Dupuis, who was retiring from provincial politics. Two days later, Fournier was appointed the Minister of Justice and the Reform of Democratic Institutions by Premier 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....
as part of a wider cabinet shuffle, despite his not yet holding a seat in the National Assembly. He was reelected by a wide margin on September 13, 2010.