Jean Poirier
Encyclopedia
Jean Poirier is a Canadian
politician. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1984 to 1995.
, receiving a B.E.S. degree in 1972. He served as a project coordinator for Environment Canada
from 1972 to 1977, and was a professional community development officer from 1979 to 1984.
held in December 1984, defeating Progressive Conservative
candidate Gaston Patenaude by fewer than 2,000 votes in Prescott and Russell
, the easternmost riding in Ontario. The by-election was called after the previous Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), Don Boudria
, left provincial politics to run for the Canadian House of Commons
.
Poirier was re-elected with a significantly increased majority in the 1985 provincial election
. The Liberals formed a minority government
after this election, and Poirier served as a parliamentary assistant from 1985 to 1987. He was re-elected by a landslide in the 1987 provincial election
, and served as Deputy Speaker
of the assembly from 1987 to 1990.
The Liberals were upset by the New Democratic Party
in the 1990 provincial election
, although Poirier was re-elected by a significant margin. He served as his party's critic for Correctional Services and Intergovernmental Affairs while in opposition.
In 1994, Poirier was one of only three Liberal MPPs, along with Tim Murphy and Dianne Poole
, to vote in favour of Bill 167, a government bill which would have extended spousal benefits to same-sex couples. He did not run for re-election in the 1995 provincial election
.
Poirier was a member of the Chargé de mission pour la région Amérique committee from 1989 to 1995, was the Ontario president of l'Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de langue française (AIPLF) from 1986 to 1995, and was a member of l'Association parlementaire Ontario-Québec from 1990 to 1995.
. He resigned in early 2004 to join the organization as its president. During his term, he was mostly known for his refusal to accept funding from Canadian Heritage as a protest from insufficient funding. He resigned in November 2005 to found l'Assemblée de la Francophonie en Ontario.
He now appears as a panelist on the CPAC television program Revue Politique. He is a leading proponent of official bilingualism in Eastern Ontario
municipalities.
He was made an Officer of the National Order of Merit by the French Government in May 2002.
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 a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1984 to 1995.
Background
Poirier was educated at the University of WaterlooUniversity of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
, receiving a B.E.S. degree in 1972. He served as a project coordinator for Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
from 1972 to 1977, and was a professional community development officer from 1979 to 1984.
Politics
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held in December 1984, defeating Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
candidate Gaston Patenaude by fewer than 2,000 votes in Prescott and Russell
Prescott and Russell (electoral district)
Prescott and Russell was a provincial electoral district that elected one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It existed from 1967 to 1999, when it was abolished into Glengarry—Prescott—Russell and Ottawa—Orléans when ridings were redistributed to match their federal counterparts...
, the easternmost riding in Ontario. The by-election was called after the previous Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), Don Boudria
Don Boudria
Donald "Don" Boudria, PC is a former Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 2005 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien....
, left provincial politics to run for 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...
.
Poirier was re-elected with a significantly increased majority in the 1985 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
. The Liberals formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
after this election, and Poirier served as a parliamentary assistant from 1985 to 1987. He was re-elected by a landslide in the 1987 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, and served as Deputy Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the assembly from 1987 to 1990.
The Liberals were upset by the New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
in the 1990 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, although Poirier was re-elected by a significant margin. He served as his party's critic for Correctional Services and Intergovernmental Affairs while in opposition.
In 1994, Poirier was one of only three Liberal MPPs, along with Tim Murphy and Dianne Poole
Dianne Poole
Dianne Poole is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1995....
, to vote in favour of Bill 167, a government bill which would have extended spousal benefits to same-sex couples. He did not run for re-election in the 1995 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
Poirier was a member of the Chargé de mission pour la région Amérique committee from 1989 to 1995, was the Ontario president of l'Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de langue française (AIPLF) from 1986 to 1995, and was a member of l'Association parlementaire Ontario-Québec from 1990 to 1995.
Later life
After leaving provincial politics, he worked for l'Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie. He formerly served as regional president of the Association des communautés franco-ontariennes in Eastern OntarioEastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
. He resigned in early 2004 to join the organization as its president. During his term, he was mostly known for his refusal to accept funding from Canadian Heritage as a protest from insufficient funding. He resigned in November 2005 to found l'Assemblée de la Francophonie en Ontario.
He now appears as a panelist on the CPAC television program Revue Politique. He is a leading proponent of official bilingualism in Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
municipalities.
He was made an Officer of the National Order of Merit by the French Government in May 2002.