François Bonnardel Explained

François Bonnardel
Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Birth Date:8 November 1967
Birth Place:Verdun, Quebec, Canada
Party:ADQ 2007-2012
CAQ 2012-
Office2:Quebec Minister of Transport
Premier2:Francois Legault
Term Start2:October 18, 2018
Term End2:October 20, 2022
Predecessor2:André Fortin
Successor2:Geneviève Guilbault
Office:Quebec Minister of Public Security
Term Start:October 20 2022
Predecessor:Geneviève Guilbault
Office3:Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Granby
Term Start3:September 4, 2012
Predecessor3:riding created
Office4:Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Shefford
Term Start4:March 26, 2007
Term End4:September 3, 2012
Successor4:riding dissolved

François Bonnardel (born November 8, 1967) is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada, for the riding of Granby.[1] He previously represented the now-defunct Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) party, but now represents the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), following the merger of the ADQ with the CAQ. On October 18, 2018, he was appointed as Minister of Transport in Quebec Premier Francois Legault's cabinet.[2] Following the CAQ re-election in 2022 election, he was appointed as Minister of Public Security.

Political career

Bonnardel was first elected in the riding of Shefford in the 2007 election with 42% of the vote after a late surge vaulted the ADQ to Official Opposition status. Liberal incumbent Bernard Brodeur finished second with 28% of the vote.

On March 29, 2007, Bonnardel was appointed Opposition House Whip.[3] [4]

Bonnardel was considered a potential candidate in the 2009 ADQ leadership race, but ultimately endorsed, and became a campaign chair for, Gilles Taillon.[5] Taillon won the leadership, but as he was not a sitting MNA, Bonnardel served as the party's leader in the National Assembly.

On January 23, 2012, he was named a member of the Coalition Avenir Québec party executive.[6]

Due to riding redistribution, the riding of Shefford was split, and Bonnardel was elected in the new riding of Granby in the 2012 election. In the 2014 election, Bonnardel won his riding with a larger majority than any other CAQ candidate (10,881 votes over the second-place candidate, Joanne Lalumière of the Parti québécois). In April 2014, he was appointed CAQ House Leader.[7] [8]

Personal life

Bonnardel was born in Verdun, Quebec. Bonnardel's father was born in Marseille, France. His mother is from Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec.[9]

After studies at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean and the Cégep du Vieux Montréal in sciences, Bonnardel was a clerk for personal and business finances and was also a manager and owner of local auto part companies in Granby. He was also a member of the Brome-Missisquoi and Haute-Yamaska Chamber of Commerces in the Eastern Townships region and an organization committee member for the Canadian Red Cross (Quebec Division).

On April 23, 2009, Bonnardel and Nathalie Normandeau, the Deputy Premier of Quebec and a member of the Liberal government, announced that they were dating.[10] The unusual relationship, between a government minister and one of the government's opposition critics, ended in 2010.[11]

Electoral record

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|- |Liberal|Jean-Claude Tremblay|align="right"|11,201|align="right"|34.42|align="right"||-

|-|Independent|Lucie Piédalue|align="right"|181|align="right"|0.56|align="right"||}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: François Bonnardel - National Assembly of Québec. 2022-01-26. www.assnat.qc.ca. en.
  2. https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/inside-the-caq-cabinet-francois-legault-names-13-women-13-men Inside the CAQ cabinet: François Legault names 13 women, 13 men
  3. http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Politique/2007/03/29/004-adq-responsables-assemblee.shtml Dumont désigne ses lieutenants
  4. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070329/CPACTUALITES02/70329186/6461/CPACTUALITES02 Dumont présente les membres de son équipe
  5. News: Dougherty . Kevin . April 21, 2009 . Support builds for ADQ's Taillon . . Montreal, Quebec . A8 . January 26, 2024 . newspapers.com.
  6. News: CAQ leader François Legault shows off party executive, 'ideal candidate' . Montreal Gazette . Kevin Dougherty . January 23, 2012 . January 23, 2012 . January 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120128045833/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/leader+shows+ideal+candidate+party+executive/6038346/story.html . dead .
  7. News: Lessard. Denis. Les "officiers" de l'opposition: entre continuité et changement. 21 April 2014. La Presse. 18 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140419044151/http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-quebecoise/201404/18/01-4758927-les-officiers-de-lopposition-entre-continuite-et-changement.php. 19 April 2014. dead.
  8. Web site: Granby. Directeur général des élections du Québec. 21 April 2014.
  9. http://www.radio-canada.ca/radio/emissions/listechronique.asp?numerochro=9&numero=81 Ouvert le Samedi
  10. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-deputy-premier-admits-relationship-with-opposition-member-1.855956 "Quebec deputy premier admits relationship with opposition member"
  11. News: Doucet . Dany . Fin d'un amour périlleux . https://archive.today/20140422150653/http://fr.canoe.ca/infos/quebeccanada/archives/2010/08/20100801-072224.html . usurped . April 22, 2014 . 22 April 2014 . . 1 August 2010 .