René Joseph Napoléon Brunelle (January 22, 1920 – April 14, 2010) was 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, who represented Cochrane North in 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 1958 to 1981 as a 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...

 member.

He was born in Penetanguishene, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 and educated in Timmins

Timmins

Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...

, Ottawa

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

, at Khaki University

Khaki University

Khaki University was a Canadian educational institution set up and managed by the general staff of the Canadian Army in Britain 1917-19 during the First World War and again 1945-46 in the Second.-History:-Founders:...

 and the University of Toronto

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...

. Brunelle was a director for the Northern Telephone Company and Spruce Falls Pulp and Paper Company (Kimberly Clark). He served overseas with the Canadian Army during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, serving under "Les Fusilliers de Sherbrooke". Brunelle was a tourism operator at Remi Lake, near Moonbeam

Moonbeam, Ontario

Moonbeam is a township in Ontario, Canada, located in Cochrane District. It had a population of 1201 in the 2001 census, a decline of 9% from 1996. It was named after Moonbeam Creek....

.

He served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Lands and Forests from 1966 to 1972, as Minister of Social and Family Services in 1972, Minister of Community and Social Services from 1972 to 1975, Minister Without Portfolio from 1975 to 1977 and Provincial Secretary for Resources Development

Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario

The Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario was a senior position in the provincial cabinet of Ontario from before Canadian Confederation until the 1960s....

 from 1977 to 1981.

René Brunelle Provincial Park was named in his honour.

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