Robert LeSage
Encyclopedia
Robert LeSage is a retired politician in the Canadian
province of Quebec
. He served in the National Assembly of Quebec
from 1989 to 1998 as a member of the Liberal Party.
, Quebec, and studied legislation and administration at the École des hautes études commerciales at Carleton University
in Ottawa. He became a civil servant in Hull in 1961 and served for nineteen years as the city's clerk. He was president of the Liberal Party association in Hull from 1979 to 1981.
. While seeking the nomination, he championed a four-lane highway extension from Hull to Aylmer
through the southern end of Gatineau Park
and dismissed concerns from environmentalists that it would jeopardize the area's wildlife. He was elected without difficulty in the by-election and was returned again in the 1989 general election
a few months later. The Liberal Party had a majority government
in this period, and LeSage served as a backbench supporter of Robert Bourassa
's administration. He supported Bourassa's compromise language legislation, which required that outdoor commercial signs be in the French language
while indoor signs were allowed to be bilingual. He was also a supporter of the Meech Lake Accord
, which was designed to recognize Quebec as a "distinct society
" within the Canadian constitution.
The Meech Lake Accord was rejected in June 1990. LeSage was critical of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Hull shortly thereafter, saying "Perhaps the queen wants to celebrate the grand Canadian unity, but it doesn't exist."
A Canadian federalist, LeSage was appointed to a legislative committee to study the costs of Quebec sovereigntism in 1991. In 1993, he suggested that the Outaouais region would separate from Quebec (and remain a part of Canada) if Quebec ever chose to separate from Canada. He was quoted as saying, "it's almost criminal to promote Quebec sovereignty in the Outaouais because the federal government
is so important to the area's survival.
As a backbencher, LeSage was a vocal proponent of building the Casino du Hull
. The casino was eventually constructed in 1996, two years after its approval by the Liberal government.
LeSage was re-elected in the 1994 provincial election
, defeating former mayor
Michel Légère. The Liberals lost power to the Parti Québécois
, and LeSage served as his party's critic for Revenue in the official opposition. He campaigned for the "Non" side in the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty.
LeSage offered to resign his seat in 1998 to allow Jean Charest
to enter the National Assembly (he made this offer when Charest was being encouraged to seek the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party, but before he had decided to leave federal politics). Charest ultimately did not take up LeSage's offer and instead ran in Sherbrooke in the 1998 provincial election
. LeSage did not seek re-election in this campaign.
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 1989 to 1998 as a member of the Liberal Party.
Early life and career
LeSage was born in HullHull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
, Quebec, and studied legislation and administration at the École des hautes études commerciales at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in Ottawa. He became a civil servant in Hull in 1961 and served for nineteen years as the city's clerk. He was president of the Liberal Party association in Hull from 1979 to 1981.
Legislator
LeSage entered political life in 1989, winning the Liberal nomination for a provincial by-election in HullHull (provincial electoral district)
Hull is provincial electoral riding located in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Outaouais region, the district includes the entire Hull sector of the city of Gatineau. It was created in 1919 and was previously part of the riding of Ottawa from 1887 to 1919 and Ottawa from 1867 to 1887...
. While seeking the nomination, he championed a four-lane highway extension from Hull to Aylmer
Aylmer, Quebec
Aylmer is a former city in Quebec, Canada. It became a sector of the City of Gatineau on January 1, 2002. Located on the Ottawa River and Route 148 it is a part of the National Capital Region. The population in 2006 was 41 882 — approx. 16% of Gatineau...
through the southern end of Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park is a park located in the National Capital Region, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Administered by the National Capital Commission, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River...
and dismissed concerns from environmentalists that it would jeopardize the area's wildlife. He was elected without difficulty in the by-election and was returned again in the 1989 general election
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...
a few months later. The Liberal Party had a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
in this period, and LeSage served as a backbench supporter of Robert Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
's administration. He supported Bourassa's compromise language legislation, which required that outdoor commercial signs be in the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
while indoor signs were allowed to be bilingual. He was also a supporter of the Meech Lake Accord
Meech Lake Accord
The Meech Lake Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and ten provincial premiers. It was intended to persuade the government of the Province of Quebec to endorse the 1982 Canadian Constitution and increase...
, which was designed to recognize Quebec as a "distinct society
Distinct society
Distinct society is a political term especially used during constitutional debate in Canada, in the second half of the 1980s and in the early 1990s, and present in the two failed constitutional amendments, the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord...
" within the Canadian constitution.
The Meech Lake Accord was rejected in June 1990. LeSage was critical of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Hull shortly thereafter, saying "Perhaps the queen wants to celebrate the grand Canadian unity, but it doesn't exist."
A Canadian federalist, LeSage was appointed to a legislative committee to study the costs of Quebec sovereigntism in 1991. In 1993, he suggested that the Outaouais region would separate from Quebec (and remain a part of Canada) if Quebec ever chose to separate from Canada. He was quoted as saying, "it's almost criminal to promote Quebec sovereignty in the Outaouais because the federal government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
is so important to the area's survival.
As a backbencher, LeSage was a vocal proponent of building the Casino du Hull
Casino du Lac Leamy
The Casino du Lac-Leamy is a government run casino in Gatineau, Quebec.The casino was opened in 1996, the third of a group of casinos built by the provincial government to raise funds. Ottawa, the larger city across the river, was also planning to build a casino in the early 1990s, but these plans...
. The casino was eventually constructed in 1996, two years after its approval by the Liberal government.
LeSage was re-elected 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.....
, defeating former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Michel Légère. The Liberals lost power to 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...
, and LeSage served as his party's critic for Revenue in the official opposition. He campaigned for the "Non" side in the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty.
LeSage offered to resign his seat in 1998 to allow Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
to enter the National Assembly (he made this offer when Charest was being encouraged to seek the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party, but before he had decided to leave federal politics). Charest ultimately did not take up LeSage's offer and instead ran in Sherbrooke in the 1998 provincial election
Quebec 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...
. LeSage did not seek re-election in this campaign.