Michel Létourneau
Encyclopedia
Michel Létourneau is a politician in the Canadian
province of Quebec
. He served in the National Assembly of Quebec
from 1994 to 2007 as a member of the Parti Québécois
(PQ) and was a cabinet minister in the government of Bernard Landry
.
in recreology from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
(1982) and a Master's degree
in public administration from the École nationale d'administration publique à Montréal (1990). He was service director for recreation, culture, and tourism in the municipality of Baie-James
from 1979 to 1985; director general of the Lanaudière
regional recreation council from 1985 to 1990; and director for the development society of Baie-James from 1990 to 1994. He also served as a municipal councillor in Matagami
from 1981 to 1985.
in the 1994 provincial election
, winning as a Parti Québécois candidate in the vast northern riding of Ungava. The PQ won a majority government in this campaign, and Létourneau entered the legislature as a backbench supporter of Jacques Parizeau
's administration. He served as parliamentary assistant to the premier
from September 27, 1995, until Parizeau's resignation on January 29, 1996.
He held other parliamentary assistantships over the next three years before again serving as parliamentary assistant to the premier from January 28, 1999 to January 30, 2002. He was also regional secretary for the Nord-du-Québec
region from 1996 to 1998. During this period, he worked to improve the often fractious relations between the Quebec government and Cree
communities in northern Quebec. He also took part in a government delegation to Slovenia
in 1998, to study political and economic developments in that country.
Létourneau was appointed to Bernard Landry's cabinet on January 30, 2002, as the junior minister responsible for the development of Northern Quebec, with responsibility for Côte-Nord
. He received additional responsibility as the junior minister of Aboriginal Affairs on February 13 of the same year. He took part in a major deal between the Quebec government and the province's Inuit
community in April 2002. In the same year, he successfully lobbied to have an inukshuk
constructed on the grounds of the National Assembly.
Létourneau was re-elected in the 2003 general election
as the PQ lost power to the Liberals. He served as an opposition member for the next four years and was his party's critic for natural resources. He did not seek re-election in the 2007 election
.
in 2007, to pursue a doctorate at the Sorbonne
in the geopolitics of northern development.
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...
province of 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....
. He served in 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...
from 1994 to 2007 as a member of the Parti Québécois
Parti 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...
(PQ) and was a cabinet minister in the government of Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry, is a Quebec lawyer, teacher, politician, who served as the 28th Premier of Quebec , leader of the Opposition and leader of the Parti Québécois .-Personal:...
.
Early life and career
Létourneau has a Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in recreology from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , established in 1969 is a campus of the Université du Québec, located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The university has 12,500 students in 8 different campuses, including the main one in Trois-Rivières. About 1000 of them come from overseas, from 60...
(1982) and 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 administration from the École nationale d'administration publique à Montréal (1990). He was service director for recreation, culture, and tourism in the municipality of Baie-James
Baie-James, Quebec
The Municipality of Baie-James is in northern Quebec, Canada, to the east of James Bay. It covers 297,329.66 square kilometers of land, making it the largest incorporated municipality in Canada — only eight unorganized territories are larger...
from 1979 to 1985; director general of the Lanaudière
Lanaudière
Lanaudière is one of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada, situated immediately to the northeast of Montreal. It has a total population of 429,053 inhabitants.-Geography:...
regional recreation council from 1985 to 1990; and director for the development society of Baie-James from 1990 to 1994. He also served as a municipal councillor in Matagami
Matagami, Quebec
Matagami is a small town in Quebec, Canada. It is located north of Amos, on Matagami Lake, at the northern terminus of Route 109 and the start of the James Bay Road . The town had a population of 1,555 in the Canada 2006 Census.-History:Matagami was founded in 1963 with the development of mining...
from 1981 to 1985.
Legislator
Létourneau was elected to the National Assembly of QuebecNational 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 the 1994 provincial election
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.....
, winning as a Parti Québécois candidate in the vast northern riding of Ungava. The PQ won a majority government in this campaign, and Létourneau entered the legislature as a backbench supporter of 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:...
's administration. He served as parliamentary assistant to the premier
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
from September 27, 1995, until Parizeau's resignation on January 29, 1996.
He held other parliamentary assistantships over the next three years before again serving as parliamentary assistant to the premier from January 28, 1999 to January 30, 2002. He was also regional secretary for the Nord-du-Québec
Nord-du-Québec
Nord-du-Québec is the largest of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. With , of which are lakes and rivers, it covers much of the Labrador Peninsula and about 55% of the total land surface area of Quebec....
region from 1996 to 1998. During this period, he worked to improve the often fractious relations between the Quebec government and Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
communities in northern Quebec. He also took part in a government delegation to Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in 1998, to study political and economic developments in that country.
Létourneau was appointed to Bernard Landry's cabinet on January 30, 2002, as the junior minister responsible for the development of Northern Quebec, with responsibility for Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
. He received additional responsibility as the junior minister of Aboriginal Affairs on February 13 of the same year. He took part in a major deal between the Quebec government and the province's Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
community in April 2002. In the same year, he successfully lobbied to have an inukshuk
Inukshuk
An inuksuk is a stone landmark or cairn built by humans, used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America. These structures are found from Alaska to Greenland...
constructed on the grounds of the National Assembly.
Létourneau was re-elected in the 2003 general election
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:...
as the PQ lost power to the Liberals. He served as an opposition member for the next four years and was his party's critic for natural resources. He did not seek re-election in the 2007 election
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...
.
After politics
Létourneau moved to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 2007, to pursue a doctorate at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in the geopolitics of northern development.