Ridings
052 Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
2006 Candidates:
RIDING PROFILE
This eastern Quebec riding is located on the eastern coast of the Gaspé Peninsula. The northern boundary is the St. Lawrence River; the southern boundary is the Baie des Chaleurs and the province of New Brunswick. The riding contains the regional county municipalities of Bonaventure, La Côte-de-Gaspé, Le Rocher-Percé and Avignon, including the Gesgapegiag and Listuguj Indian reserves and Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Manufacturing, fishing, and pulp and paper are among the industries in the riding.
According to the 2001 census, approximately 20 per cent of the population
have less than a Grade 9 education, the third highest in Canada.
The average family income is $46,676 and unemployment is a high
21.8 per cent. The total immigrant population is only 0.52 per
cent. Almost 11 per cent of the population cited English as their mother
tongue and 86 per cent were francophone.
In 2004, the riding was renamed Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine and
added 22 per cent of Matapédia-Matane in the north. It was established
in the 1996 redistribution as Gaspé–Bonaventure–Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
In 1996, 75 per cent of Gaspé and 69 per cent of Bonaventure–Îles-de-la-Madeleine,
both ridings that had existed since 1867, were combined. The riding
name was changed by a private member's bill passed in 1996 to Bonaventure–Gaspé–Îles-de-la-Madeleine–Pabok.
Population: 84,202
Political History
Bloc Québécois candidate Raymond Blais defeated his Liberal rival
Georges Farrah in 2004 with 55 per cent of the vote. In
2000, Farrah defeated Blais to win a
first term. In 1997, the first election after the ridings of Gaspé and
Bonaventure merged, the BQ's Yvan Bernier, who formerly ran in Gaspé,
defeated Liberal Patrick Gagnon, formerly MP in Bonaventure–Gaspé–Îles-de-la-Madeleine,
by 179 votes.
In Gaspé riding, Liberal Alexandre Cyr won in 1963, was defeated in 1965, then went to win another five terms. In 1984, he was defeated by Progressive Conservative Charles-Eugene Marin, who also won in 1988. In 1993, the Bernier was elected.
In Bonaventure and Bonaventure–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Liberal Albert Bechard held the seat from 1962 until 1979. Liberal Remi Bujold won in 1979 and 1980, but was defeated in 1984 by PC Darryl Gray who served two terms. In 1993, Gagnon defeated BQ Michel St-Pierre.
Gaspé:
1867-91 inclusive - CONS
1896-1908 inclusive - LIB
1911 - CONS
1917-1935 inclusive - LIB
1940 - IND CONS
1945-53 inclusive - LIB
1957, 1958, 1962 - PC
1963 - LIB
1965 - PC
1968-80 inclusive - LIB
1984, 1988 - PC
1993 - BQ
Bonaventure:
1867-1887 inclusive - CONS
1891-1940 inclusive - LIB
1945 - IND
1949, 1953 - LIB
1957, 1958 - PC
1962-1980 inclusive - LIB
1984, 1988 - PC
1993 - LIB
Bonaventure–Gaspé–Îles-de-la-Madeleine–Pabok:
1997 - BQ
2000 - LIB
Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
2004 - BQ
CANDIDATE PROFILES
Raynald Blais
Party: Bloc Québécois
Birth date: May 1, 1954
Age: 51
Birthplace: Port Daniel, Que.
Education: College Diploma in Humanities at Gaspé Cégep, 1972-1974
Profession: Journalist
Career background: He was a parliamentary assistant to BQ MP for Matapédia-Matane between 2000 and 2004. He previously worked as a radio journalist on CHNC in Gaspésie from 1977 to 2000.
He was also president of the Conseil central CSN Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine in the 1990s.
Community activities: He was a spokesperson for the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Unemployment
Commission, a member of co-ordinating Committee, Ralliement gaspésien et madelinot, a member of the board of directors, Conseil régional de concertation
et de développement de Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Electoral History
Party: Founding member, table régionale des partenaires pour la Souveraineté
Federal: Defeated in Bonaventure-Gaspé-Iles-de-la-Madeleine-Pabok in 2000, elected in Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine in 2004
Political History
Committee: Fisheries and Oceans
Caucus: Deputy Fisheries and Oceans critic
Riding Address: 10-155 rue de la Reine, Gaspé, Qu´ebec
Gaston Langlais
Party: Conservative Party of Canada
Education:
Profession: Pilot
Career background: A professional pilot, he is also a fisheries expert (fishing techniques and products processing)
and has experience with business administration.
He has been director of Sogeco, manager of several businesses, a college instructor and member of professional associations. He also worked abroad for international organizations such as
the World Bank and CIDA, and for the private sector. He is a founding member of the Action des patriotes gaspésiens.
Mario Levésque
Party: Liberal Party of Canada
Birthplace: Carleton, Que.
Education: Degree in administration from Rimouski College
Profession: Businessman
Career background: He founded Enviro-Fax, a vacuum
cleaner distribution company early in his career.
He created Ortho ML, a company that distributes
orthopedic and other medical equipment. In March 2003,
he was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Chamber of Commerce.
He is a member of the Maria Chamber of Commerce, and involved in
the administrative committees for l'Opti-Rodéo western de Maria
and the Entrepreneurial Club of la Baie-des-Chaleurs.
Riding Address:
Ottawa Address:
Sophie Dauphinais
Party: New Democratic Party
Age: 48
Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree in communications, specializing in journalism, from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
Children: Two
Career Background: Teaches French as a second language in Ottawa. Was a freelance radio journalist for Radio-Canada and the CBC in Charlottetown from 1991 to 2001.
Community Activities: Was President of the Prince Edward Island Jazz Society.
Robert Eichenberger
Party: Green Party of Canada
Education: Diploma in agriculture, in applied ecology, international ecotourism and others
Career background: Worked in several provinces and countries
Electoral History
Federal: Defeated in Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine in 2004
Riding Address: (418) 759-5673
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