Yvon Vallières
Encyclopedia
Yvon Vallières is a Quebec
politician
and teacher. He is the current Member of National Assembly of Quebec
for the riding of Richmond
in the Estrie
region. Formerly the Minister
of Agriculture
, Fisheries and Food
from 2003 to 2007, he is the current Chair of the Government Caucus
. He represents the Quebec Liberal Party from 1973 to 1976 and since 1981 and is one of the longest active serving MNAs.
and obtained a bachelor's degree
in pedagogy
and would teach at several schools from 1970 to 1972 and from 1976 to 1981 while being a councilor at the Commission Scolaire de Taillon in 1972. He also obtained a certificate in psychology human relations.
when Robert Bourassa
won a second majority term. Vaillieres was however defeated by the Parti Québécois
in 1976
when they gain power for the first time ever under the leadership of René Lévesque
. After returning to his teaching duties from 1976 to 1981, Vallières was a candidate again in Richmond for the 1981 elections
and was re-elected. He was then named the President
of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Parliamentary Commission. He was re-elected again in 1985
as the Liberals returned to power when Robert Bourassa
returned to politics and became once again the party leader. Vallières would be named the Chief Whip
of the government for the full mandate.
During his next mandate from 1989
to 1994, he was the Minister responsible or the delegate minister for several portfolios. He was named the Delegate Minister of Transport
in 1989 and Delegate Minister of Regional development
, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1990 to 1992. He was also the Minister responsible of Fisheries from 1990 to 1994. When Daniel Johnson, Jr. replaced Bourassa during the final months of the Liberal Mandate, Vallieres was named once again the chief Whip of the government.
While the Liberals lost power in 1994
, Vallières was re-elected for a fifth mandate and was named the opposition's critic in agriculture and regional development and was for the second time the President of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Parliamentary Commission
. In 1998
, he was re-elected for a sixth mandate and was again the opposition critic in agriculture until 2000. He was also the President of the Territorial Planning Parliamentary Commission.
When the Liberals regained power in 2003
, Vallières, who won a seventh mandate was named for the third time the Chief Government Whip. After a Cabinet shuffle
in 2005, he was named the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food until the 2007 elections
. However, during his mandate, health issues forced him to take some time off and Laurent Lessard
took over temporarily his duties. He was also briefly the Minister responsible of the Centre-du-Québec
region after a minor Cabinet shuffle in 2006. Vallières won an eighth mandate but was removed from the Cabinet
and named the Chair of the government Caucus.
On January 13, 2009 to april 2011, he was the President of the National Assembly 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....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and teacher. He is the current Member of 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...
for the riding of Richmond
Richmond (Quebec provincial electoral district)
Richmond is a provincial electoral riding in Quebec, Canada. Located in the Estrie region, the district was created in 1890. Between 1867 and 1890, it was part of the riding of Richmond et Wolfe...
in the Estrie
Estrie
The Estrie is an administrative region of Quebec that overlaps mostly the Eastern Townships. Estrie, a French neologism, was coined as a derivative of est, "east."...
region. Formerly the Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, Fisheries and Food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
from 2003 to 2007, he is the current Chair of the Government Caucus
Caucus chair
A caucus chair is a person who chairs the meetings of a caucus. Often, the caucus chair is assigned other duties as well.-Commonwealth Nations:...
. He represents the Quebec Liberal Party from 1973 to 1976 and since 1981 and is one of the longest active serving MNAs.
Education
Vallières went to the Université de SherbrookeUniversité de Sherbrooke
The Université de Sherbrooke is a large university with campuses located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada and Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal approximately west of Sherbrooke. It is one of two universities, and the only French language university, in the Estrie region of Quebec.In 2007, the...
and obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor'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 pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
and would teach at several schools from 1970 to 1972 and from 1976 to 1981 while being a councilor at the Commission Scolaire de Taillon in 1972. He also obtained a certificate in psychology human relations.
Professional and political career
Vallières would become the MNA for Richmond in 1973Quebec general election, 1973
The Quebec general election of 1973 was held on October 29, 1973 to elect members to National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Robert Bourassa, won re-election, defeating the Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, and the Union Nationale .The Liberals won a...
when 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...
won a second majority term. Vaillieres was however defeated by 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...
in 1976
Quebec general election, 1976
The Quebec general election of 1976 was held on November 15, 1976 to elect members to National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled only by the 1960 general election, and caused major repercussions in the rest of Canada...
when they gain power for the first time ever under the leadership of René Lévesque
René Lévesque
René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
. After returning to his teaching duties from 1976 to 1981, Vallières was a candidate again in Richmond for the 1981 elections
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
and was re-elected. He was then named the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Parliamentary Commission. He was re-elected again in 1985
Quebec general election, 1985
The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.This election...
as the Liberals returned to power when 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...
returned to politics and became once again the party leader. Vallières would be named the Chief Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
of the government for the full mandate.
During his next mandate from 1989
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...
to 1994, he was the Minister responsible or the delegate minister for several portfolios. He was named the Delegate Minister of Transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
in 1989 and Delegate Minister of Regional development
Regional development
Regional development is the provision of aid and other assistance to regions which are less economically developed. Regional development may be domestic or international in nature...
, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1990 to 1992. He was also the Minister responsible of Fisheries from 1990 to 1994. When Daniel Johnson, Jr. replaced Bourassa during the final months of the Liberal Mandate, Vallieres was named once again the chief Whip of the government.
While the Liberals lost power in 1994
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.....
, Vallières was re-elected for a fifth mandate and was named the opposition's critic in agriculture and regional development and was for the second time the President of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Parliamentary Commission
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
. In 1998
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...
, he was re-elected for a sixth mandate and was again the opposition critic in agriculture until 2000. He was also the President of the Territorial Planning Parliamentary Commission.
When the Liberals regained power in 2003
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:...
, Vallières, who won a seventh mandate was named for the third time the Chief Government Whip. After a Cabinet shuffle
Cabinet shuffle
In the parliamentary system a cabinet shuffle or reshuffle is an informal term for an event that occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet....
in 2005, he was named the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food until the 2007 elections
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...
. However, during his mandate, health issues forced him to take some time off and Laurent Lessard
Laurent Lessard
Laurent Lessard is a politician and notary in Quebec, Canada. He is the current Member of the National Assembly for the provincial riding of Frontenac in Central Quebec south of Quebec City. Member of the Quebec Liberal Party, he is the current Minister of Municipal Affairs and Regions and Land...
took over temporarily his duties. He was also briefly the Minister responsible of the Centre-du-Québec
Centre-du-Québec
Centre-du-Québec is a region of Quebec, Canada. The main centres are Drummondville, Victoriaville and Bécancour. It has a land area of 6,928.78 km² and a 2006 census population of 224,200 inhabitants.-Description:...
region after a minor Cabinet shuffle in 2006. Vallières won an eighth mandate but was removed from the Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
and named the Chair of the government Caucus.
On January 13, 2009 to april 2011, he was the President of the National Assembly of Quebec
President of the National Assembly of Quebec
The President of the National Assembly of Quebec is the presiding officer of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada, which is modeled after the Westminster parliamentary system...
.