Jean Garon
Encyclopedia
Jean Garon is a politician
, academic and economist
in Quebec
, Canada
.
He was born in Saint-Michel, Quebec
, and graduated from Université Laval
with a bachelor's degree in 1960 and a master's in economics two years later. He participated in campus politics and served as prime minister of the Université Laval's model parliament
. As an early supporter of the Quebec independence movement he became the vice-president of the pro-sovereignty group Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
in the Quebec City
area in 1962.
in 1968. He ran for the National Assembly of Quebec
in 1973
in the constituency of Charlevoix
, but lost. He was elected in the constituency of Lévis
in 1976
and was re-elected in 1981
, 1985
, 1989
et 1994
.
Under René Lévesque
, he was Agriculture Minister. His most notable accomplishment as Cabinet Member is the passage of a law on agricultural zoning
in 1978.
After Lévesque resigned as party leader in 1985, Garon ran for the Parti Québécois leadership
in 1985 but finished third with 16% of the vote, defeated by Pierre-Marc Johnson
(59%).
As a Member of the Official Opposition, Garon vice-chaired, then chaired a number of parliamentary committees, including the one on Economy and Labor.
The Parti Québécois won the 1994 election and Premier
Jacques Parizeau
appointed Garon as Education Minister.
The resignation of Parizeau as Premier corresponds to a decline of Garon's influence in provincial politics. Garon, who belonged to the more radical wing
of the PQ, was considered a close ally of Parizeau.
Premier Lucien Bouchard
, who succeeded Parizeau and is widely viewed as a moderate concerning constitutional issues, did not appoint Garon to his Cabinet.
Nonetheless, Garon chaired the Parliamentary Committee on Culture.
. Instead, he became leader of the municipal political party Équipe Jean Garon/Parti des citoyennes et des citoyens and was elected mayor
of Lévis
, Quebec. He was re-elected with a majority at the City Council in 2001 (defeating Christian Jobin
), in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger
imposed by the Parti Québécois government.
In 2004, four City Councillors (Danielle Roy-Marinelli, Guy Dumoulin, Philippe Laberge, Anne Ladouceur) resigned from Garon's party and founded Lévis Force 10, Équipe Roy-Marinelli.
While running for re-election in 2005, Garon declared that opposition in city politics is a nuisance. The controversial remark undermined his campaign. He lost the election, finishing second (with 28% of the vote) behind Lévis Force 10 candidate Danielle Roy-Marinelli (42%). His party won four seats out of fifteen on the City Council, becoming the Official Opposition. City Councillor Isabelle Demers succeeded Garon as party leader.
since 1998. He feels that the PQ is disconnected from the concerns of those among the province's residents who live outside of Montreal
's city limits. He considered running for the Action démocratique du Québec
in the Montérégie
area in 2007
, and attended its subsequent general assembly.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, academic and economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
in 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...
.
He was born in Saint-Michel, Quebec
Saint-Michel, Quebec
Saint-Michel is a municipality in the Jardins de Napierville Regional County Municipality in Quebec, Canada, situated in the Montérégie administrative region. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,637...
, and graduated from Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
with a bachelor's degree in 1960 and a master's in economics two years later. He participated in campus politics and served as prime minister of the Université Laval's model parliament
Political Activism
He taught at Université Laval and Cégep LimoilouCégep Limoilou
Cégep Limoilou is a French-language CEGEP in the province of Quebec, situated in Limoilou, a borough of Quebec City.Cégep Limoilou offers pre-university and technical programs, continuing education and corporate services...
. As an early supporter of the Quebec independence movement he became the vice-president of the pro-sovereignty group Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
The Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale was a political organization dedicated to the promotion of Quebec national independence from Canada.-History:...
in the Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
area in 1962.
Provincial Politics
He was one of the founding members of the Parti QuébécoisParti 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...
in 1968. He ran for 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...
in 1973
Quebec general election, 1973
The Quebec general election of 1973 was held on October 29, 1973 to elect members to National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Robert Bourassa, won re-election, defeating the Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, and the Union Nationale .The Liberals won a...
in the constituency of Charlevoix
Charlevoix (provincial electoral district)
Charlevoix is a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located in the Capitale-Nationale region and includes the municipalities of La Malbaie, Saint-Siméon, Baie-Saint-Paul and Baie-Sainte-Catherine. The riding existed from 1867 to 1907 before being re-created in 1948...
, but lost. He was elected in the constituency of Lévis
Lévis (provincial electoral district)
Lévis is a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Situated in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the riding, which includes most of the city of Lévis was created in 1853.-Members of Legislative Assembly:...
in 1976
Quebec general election, 1976
The Quebec general election of 1976 was held on November 15, 1976 to elect members to National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled only by the 1960 general election, and caused major repercussions in the rest of Canada...
and was re-elected in 1981
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
, 1985
Quebec general election, 1985
The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.This election...
, 1989
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...
et 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.....
.
Under René Lévesque
René Lévesque
René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
, he was Agriculture Minister. His most notable accomplishment as Cabinet Member is the passage of a law on agricultural zoning
Agricultural zoning
Agricultural zoning refers to designations made by local jurisdictions that are intended to protectfarmland and farming activities from incompatible nonfarm uses. Agricultural zoning can...
in 1978.
After Lévesque resigned as party leader in 1985, Garon ran for the Parti Québécois leadership
Parti Québécois leadership election, 1985
The Parti Québécois leadership election of 1985 was held to elect a new leader of the Parti Québécois, the main sovereigntist and social democratic political party in Quebec, Canada. It elected Pierre-Marc Johnson at the helm of the party...
in 1985 but finished third with 16% of the vote, defeated by Pierre-Marc Johnson
Pierre-Marc Johnson
Pierre-Marc Johnson, , is a Quebec lawyer, physician and politician. He was the 24th Premier of Quebec from October 3 to December 12, 1985.- Early background :...
(59%).
As a Member of the Official Opposition, Garon vice-chaired, then chaired a number of parliamentary committees, including the one on Economy and Labor.
The Parti Québécois won the 1994 election and Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
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:...
appointed Garon as Education Minister.
The resignation of Parizeau as Premier corresponds to a decline of Garon's influence in provincial politics. Garon, who belonged to the more radical wing
Pur et dur
Pur et dur is a term used in Quebec politics to refer to hardliners of the Parti Québécois and the Quebec independence movement. It is most commonly used in the media, where it was popularized. It is also used to criticize some members of the Parti Québécois...
of the PQ, was considered a close ally of Parizeau.
Premier 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...
, who succeeded Parizeau and is widely viewed as a moderate concerning constitutional issues, did not appoint Garon to his Cabinet.
Nonetheless, Garon chaired the Parliamentary Committee on Culture.
City Politics
Garon did not run for re-election to the National Assembly in 1998Quebec 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...
. Instead, he became leader of the municipal political party Équipe Jean Garon/Parti des citoyennes et des citoyens and was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Lévis
Lévis, Quebec
Lévis is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City. The Société de transport de...
, Quebec. He was re-elected with a majority at the City Council in 2001 (defeating Christian Jobin
Christian Jobin
Christian Jobin is a Canadian politician and was the Member of Parliament for the district of Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière from 2003 to 2004. He has been a Liberal....
), in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger
Municipal reorganization in Quebec
The most recent episode of municipal reorganization in Quebec, Canada, was undertaken in 2002 by the Parti Québécois Government of Quebec, headed by Premier Lucien Bouchard and his successor Bernard Landry....
imposed by the Parti Québécois government.
In 2004, four City Councillors (Danielle Roy-Marinelli, Guy Dumoulin, Philippe Laberge, Anne Ladouceur) resigned from Garon's party and founded Lévis Force 10, Équipe Roy-Marinelli.
While running for re-election in 2005, Garon declared that opposition in city politics is a nuisance. The controversial remark undermined his campaign. He lost the election, finishing second (with 28% of the vote) behind Lévis Force 10 candidate Danielle Roy-Marinelli (42%). His party won four seats out of fifteen on the City Council, becoming the Official Opposition. City Councillor Isabelle Demers succeeded Garon as party leader.
Possible Comeback in Provincial Politics
Garon still favors the independence of Quebec, but has not been a card-carrying supporter of the Parti QuébécoisParti 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...
since 1998. He feels that the PQ is disconnected from the concerns of those among the province's residents who live outside of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's city limits. He considered running for the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
in the Montérégie
Montérégie
Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion....
area 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...
, and attended its subsequent general assembly.