Suzanne Blais-Grenier
Encyclopedia
Suzanne Blais-Grenier, PC
is a former Canadian
politician.
Blais-Grenier was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1984 federal election
that brought Brian Mulroney
to power. She represented the riding of Rosemont, Quebec
. She was appointed to the Cabinet as Prime Minister
Mulroney's first Minister of the Environment
.
She faced mounting criticism from environmentalists
following cuts to various programs, her lackluster performance over several months when being targeted by the Opposition in the House of Commons during question period
and her spending on foreign travel. Blais-Grenier was demoted in 1985 to the position of Minister of State
for Transport.
Following the demotion, Blais-Grenier became increasingly critical of the Mulroney government. At the end of 1985, she resigned from Cabinet to protest the government's refusal to prevent the closure of an oil refinery in Montreal
.
On September 20, 1988, she was expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus
for refusing to withdraw allegations of kickback
s involving the Quebec
wing of the party. She ran as an independent candidate in the November 1988 general election
, but was defeated by Progressive Conservative Benoît Tremblay
, and came in fourth place with 2,060 votes.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
is a former 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.
Blais-Grenier was elected to 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...
in the 1984 federal 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...
that brought Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
to power. She represented the riding of Rosemont, 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....
. She was appointed to the Cabinet as 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...
Mulroney's first Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Canada)
The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada...
.
She faced mounting criticism from environmentalists
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
following cuts to various programs, her lackluster performance over several months when being targeted by the Opposition in the House of Commons during question period
Question Period
Question Period, known officially as Oral Questions occurs each sitting day in the Canadian House of Commons. According to the House of Commons Compendium, “The primary purpose of Question Period is to seek information from the Government and to call it to account for its actions.”-History:The...
and her spending on foreign travel. Blais-Grenier was demoted in 1985 to the position of Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Transport.
Following the demotion, Blais-Grenier became increasingly critical of the Mulroney government. At the end of 1985, she resigned from Cabinet to protest the government's refusal to prevent the closure of an oil refinery 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...
.
On September 20, 1988, she was expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
for refusing to withdraw allegations of kickback
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
s involving the 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....
wing of the party. She ran as an independent candidate in the November 1988 general 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 ....
, but was defeated by Progressive Conservative Benoît Tremblay
Benoît Tremblay
Benoît Tremblay was a Canadian politician and a member of the House of Commons from 1988 to 1997.-Background:Tremblay was born on 16 March 1948 in Val-Brillant, Quebec...
, and came in fourth place with 2,060 votes.