Réginald Bélair Explained

Réginald Bélair
Birth Date:April 6, 1949
Birth Place:Hearst, Ontario, Canada
Death Place:Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Riding1:Timmins-James Bay
Parliament1:Canadian
Term Start1:June 2, 1997
Term End1:June 28, 2004
Predecessor1:None (riding created)
Successor1:Charlie Angus
Riding2:Cochrane—Superior
Parliament2:Canadian
Term Start2:November 21, 1988
Term End2:June 2, 1997
Predecessor2:Keith Penner
Successor2:None (riding dissolved)

Réginald Bélair (April 6, 1949 – March 3, 2020) was a Canadian politician.

Bélair was a Liberal member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 2004, representing the riding of Cochrane—Superior[1] until 1997 and subsequently Timmins-James Bay. Bélair also worked as an administrator, a manager, and a political assistant. In the House of Commons, Bélair was a Deputy Chairman of Committees of the Whole, and was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works (Public Works and Government Services) and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Supply and Services (Public Works and Government Services).

Bélair was born in Hearst, Ontario. He served as a municipal councillor in Kapuskasing for three years.

Retirement

In the 2004 federal election, electoral redistribution put Bélair's home area of Kapuskasing outside of Timmins—James Bay and into the newly named riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, an extension of the Algoma—Manitoulin riding held by Liberal colleague Brent St. Denis. Bélair at first announced that he might seek the Liberal nomination in Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, then announced his retirement instead.

He died from cancer at a hospital in Kapuskasing on March 3, 2020, at the age of seventy.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: Ontario Town May Get Mill. 9 July 1991. The New York Times. 4 March 2011.
  2. Web site: Former Timmins MP Rég Bélair dies. Grech. Ron. March 4, 2020. The Timmins Daily Press. March 6, 2020.