Lucie Pépin
Encyclopedia
Lucie Pépin is a former Canadian
politician, who served in both the House of Commons
and Senate
.
by profession, in the 1960s, Pépin served as head nurse in the gynecology department and then at the family planning
clinic of Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal
, and was cross-appointed to the Université de Montréal
's faculty of medicine. In the 1970s, she was an administrator at the Canadian Committee for Fertility Research in Montreal, and a lecturer at the Université de Montréal. From 1979 until 1984, Pépin was vice-president and then president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
in the 1984 election
when she became the Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Outremont
, Quebec
succeeding Marc Lalonde
. She was defeated in the 1988 election
, during which abortion was a key issue. Some have suggested that she lost the ultra-conservative Hasidic vote, and thus the seat, because of her pro choice stance.
From 1993 to 1997, she was a commissioner on the national parole
board. In 1997, she was appointed to the Canadian Senate
on the recommendation of Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
, and served as Speaker pro tempore
of the Upper House
from 2002 to 2004. She currently sits on the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
On September 7, 2011, Pépin retired from the Senate
upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.
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, who served in both the 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...
and Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
.
Career
A Registered NurseRegistered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
by profession, in the 1960s, Pépin served as head nurse in the gynecology department and then at the family planning
Family planning
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and...
clinic of Notre-Dame Hospital in 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...
, and was cross-appointed to 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...
's faculty of medicine. In the 1970s, she was an administrator at the Canadian Committee for Fertility Research in Montreal, and a lecturer at the Université de Montréal. From 1979 until 1984, Pépin was vice-president and then president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
Politics
Pépin entered the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian 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...
in the 1984 election
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...
when she became the Liberal
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...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Outremont
Outremont (electoral district)
Outremont is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1949, and since 1968...
, 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....
succeeding Marc Lalonde
Marc Lalonde
Marc Lalonde, PC, OC, QC is a retired Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.Lalonde was born in Île Perrot, Quebec and obtained a Master of Laws degree from the Université de Montréal, a Master's degree from Oxford University, and a Diplôme d'études supérieures en droit from the University of...
. She was defeated in the 1988 election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
, during which abortion was a key issue. Some have suggested that she lost the ultra-conservative Hasidic vote, and thus the seat, because of her pro choice stance.
From 1993 to 1997, she was a commissioner on the national parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
board. In 1997, she was appointed to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
on the recommendation of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
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....
, and served as Speaker pro tempore
Speaker pro tempore of the Canadian Senate
The Speaker pro tempore is an officer of the Canadian Senate who nominated by a selection committee to assume the role of Speaker pro tempore, or acting Speaker. The nomination is then confirmed through a vote in the Senate...
of the Upper House
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
from 2002 to 2004. She currently sits on the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
On September 7, 2011, Pépin retired from the Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.