Gilles Bernier (Quebec politician)

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Gilles Bernier
Member of Parliament for Beauce
In office
November 5, 1984 – June 2, 1997
Preceded by Normand Lapointe
Succeeded by Claude Drouin
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Haiti
In office
1997–2001
Preceded by J. Christopher Poole
Succeeded by Kenneth Murray Cook
Personal details
Born (1934-07-15) July 15, 1934 (age 89)
Montreal, Quebec
Political party Progressive Conservative → Independent
Residence Saint-Georges, Quebec
Occupation broadcaster
Religion Roman Catholic

'Gilles Bernier (born July 15, 1934) is a former Canadian politician and diplomat. He was the Member of Parliament representing the riding of Beauce from 1984 to 1997, initially as a Progressive Conservative and later as an Independent. He later served as Canada's ambassador to Haiti from 1997 to 2001.

Life and career

Bernier was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Annette (Letourneau) and Amedee Bernier.[1] Bernier moved to the Beauce in 1953[2] to pursue a radio career at CKRB in Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, and quickly became a local celebrity. Capitalizing on his popularity, he decided to go into politics in the 1984 election. He served two terms as a Tory but was forced to run as an independent in the 1993 election after Kim Campbell barred him from running under the PC banner due to fraud charges, from which he was later acquitted.

In 1997 Jean Chrétien named him ambassador to Haiti,[3] and Liberal candidate Claude Drouin succeeded him in the 1997 election.

Bernier's son, Maxime Bernier, won the riding in turn from Drouin in the 2006 federal election, as a candidate of the merged Conservative Party of Canada. Maxime Bernier would serve as Minister of Industry and Minister of Foreign Affairs before resigning from the cabinet in 2008.

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 1993
Party Candidate Votes
Independent Gilles Bernier 20,238
Bloc Québécois Jean-Guy Breton 18,271
Liberal Pierre Gravel 7,336
Progressive Conservative Jeannine Bourque 4,098
New Democratic Tom Vouloumanos 364
Canadian federal election, 1988
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Gilles Bernier 36,212
Liberal Pierre-Maurice Vachon 13,641
New Democratic Danielle Wolfe 2,856
Canadian federal election, 1984
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Gilles Bernier 25,028
Liberal Normand Lapointe 20,323
New Democratic Serge L'Italien 1,217
Parti nationaliste Paul-Emile Grondin 569

References

External links


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