Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Encyclopedia
Jean-Pierre Blackburn, PC
, MP
(born July 6, 1948 in Jonquière, Quebec
) is a Canadian
politician. He was the Conservative
member of the Canadian House of Commons
from the riding of Jonquière—Alma
from 2006
to 2011; earlier, he was the Progressive Conservative
MP from Jonquière
from 1984
to 1993
.
In 1993, Blackburn was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
. On February 6, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Labour and Housing
in Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
's Cabinet
. He was shuffled to the National Revenue
portfolio on October 30, 2008, and became Veterans Affairs Minister
in 2010.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081030.wcabinetquebec1031/BNStory/Front
A businessman, Blackburn holds a bachelor's degree in administration and a master's in regional studies and intervention from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
. He has also been a manager, administrator and a professor. More recently, he has been the president of Blackburn Communications Inc.
It is rumoured that the Prime Minister will name him Canada's permanent delegate to UNESCO.
alcohol behind. He was upset that they wouldn't destroy it in front of
him," the official said, on condition of anonymity. "He was verbally abusive." The tequila incident was compared to another event at Charlottetown Airport 4 days earlier involving Conservative Minister Helena Guergis
who verbally abused airport staff. Twenty six days later Blackburn issued a statement apologizing for the incident.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, MP
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
(born July 6, 1948 in Jonquière, 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....
) is a Canadian
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...
politician. He was the Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
from the riding of Jonquière—Alma
Jonquière—Alma
Jonquière—Alma is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.It was created in 2003 from parts of Jonquière and Lac-Saint-Jean—Saguenay ridings.It consists of:...
from 2006
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
to 2011; earlier, he was the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
MP from Jonquière
Jonquière (electoral district)
Jonquière was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004.This riding was created in 1976 from parts of Lapointe and Montmorency ridings...
from 1984
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
to 1993
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
.
In 1993, Blackburn was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Minister of National Defence (Canada)
The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces....
. On February 6, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Labour and Housing
Minister of Labour (Canada)
The Minister of Labour is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for setting national labour standards and federal labour dispute mechanisms...
in Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
's Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
. He was shuffled to the National Revenue
Minister of National Revenue (Canada)
The Minister of National Revenue is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency and the administration of taxation law and collection....
portfolio on October 30, 2008, and became Veterans Affairs Minister
Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Veterans Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions...
in 2010.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081030.wcabinetquebec1031/BNStory/Front
A businessman, Blackburn holds a bachelor's degree in administration and a master's in regional studies and intervention from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
The Université du Québec à Chicoutimi is a branch of the Université du Québec founded in 1969 and based in the Chicoutimi borough of Saguenay, Quebec. UQAC has secondary study centers in La Malbaie, Saint-Félicien, Alma and Sept-Îles...
. He has also been a manager, administrator and a professor. More recently, he has been the president of Blackburn Communications Inc.
It is rumoured that the Prime Minister will name him Canada's permanent delegate to UNESCO.
Ottawa Airport tequila incident
On February 23, 2010, Blackburn provoked an argument with airport security officials when a bottle of Tequila in his possession was confiscated prior to boarding an aircraft at Ottawa Airport, in accordance with Transport Canada security regulations. Blackburn wanted to keep the bottle in his possession in the cabin. When security officials refused, Blackburn presumed that the staff would simply drink his tequila and thereby demanded the tequila be emptied in his presence. The argument became heated and security officials called Ottawa Police to deal with Blackburn. According to a senior government official "The minister wasn't pleased by the fact he had to leave the bottle ofalcohol behind. He was upset that they wouldn't destroy it in front of
him," the official said, on condition of anonymity. "He was verbally abusive." The tequila incident was compared to another event at Charlottetown Airport 4 days earlier involving Conservative Minister Helena Guergis
Helena Guergis
Helena C. Guergis, PC, is a Canadian politician. She has represented Simcoe—Grey in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004, and was appointed Minister of State on October 30, 2008, following the October 14, 2008 Canadian federal election...
who verbally abused airport staff. Twenty six days later Blackburn issued a statement apologizing for the incident.