Christian Ouellet
{{Short description|Canadian politician (1934–2021)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Christian Ouellet
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| office = Member of the House of Commons of Canada for Brome—Missisquoi
| term_start = January 23, 2006
| term_end = May 2, 2011
| predecessor = Denis Paradis
| successor = Pierre Jacob
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|4|22}}
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|12|21|1934|4|22}}
| death_place =
| party = Bloc Québécois
| spouse = Estelle Côté
| residence = Magog, Quebec
| profession = architect/professor
| footnotes =
}}
Christian Ouellet (April 22, 1934 – December 21, 2021) was a Canadian politician from the province of Quebec. He represented Brome—Missisquoi in the House of Commons of Canada from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Bloc Québécois.
He is not to be confused with another Christian Ouellet, who has worked as an organizer and policy strategist for the Quebec Liberal Party.The other Christian Ouellet presented the Liberal Party's submission to the Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodation practices in Quebec. See Amy Luft, "Quebec Liberals chart middle course on reasonable accommodation," 'Montreal Gazette'', 10 December 2007, A11.
Early life and career
Ouellet was born in Montreal on April 22, 1934. An architect by profession, he joined the Ordre des architectes du Québec in 1969 and took a Master's Degree in building from the University of Manchester in England (1972–75).[http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 Christian Ouellet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103162946/http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 |date=2010-11-03 }}, Bloc Québécois, accessed 17 November 2010. He has promoted ecological housing since 1973 and was a finalist for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Healthy Housing Design Competition in 1991."FINALISTS SELECTED IN CMHC HEALTHY HOUSING DESIGN COMPETITION" [press release], 19 November 1991, 12:54.
Ouellet chaired the Solar Energy Society of Canada and the Parti Québécois's national committee on Environment and Sustainable Development."What's New," Canadian Architect, 1 March 2010. He taught architecture at the Université de Montréal and lectured at the Université du Québec à Montréal.Miro Cernetig, "Harper heads for the hills of Martin country in Quebec," Toronto Star, 18 June 2004, A07.
Political career
Ouellet was active with the Bloc Québécois and its provincial counterpart, the Parti Québécois, before running for office himself.[http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 Christian Ouellet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103162946/http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 |date=2010-11-03 }}, Bloc Québécois, accessed 17 November 2010. He first sought election to the House of Commons in the 2004 federal election and finished a close second against incumbent Liberal cabinet minister Denis Paradis in Brome—Missisquoi. He challenged Paradis again in the 2006 election and won by over five thousand votes.The seat was heavily targeted by the Bloc during the latter campaign. See Philip Authier, "Gnome from Brome fights on: Clouds tight race," Montreal Gazette, 9 January 2006, A11.
During the 2006 election, Ouellet said that he would downplay Quebec sovereigntism if elected and would instead focus on tackling economic issues and opposing corruption. Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe criticized this statement, saying that his party would promote sovereignty as well as defending Quebec's interests in other areas.Rhéal Séguin, "Duceppe chastises Bloc candidate," Globe and Mail, 8 December 2005, A11. After talking with Duceppe, Ouellet agreed to support the Bloc's full platform on sovereignty.
Ouellet was re-elected in the 2008 federal election, defeating Paradis by a reduced margin in a rematch from 2006.
In parliament, Ouellet served as the Bloc's critic for social housing and as an associate critic for natural resources and the environment.[http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 Christian Ouellet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103162946/http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 |date=2010-11-03 }}, Bloc Québécois, accessed 17 November 2010. He has also promoted increased Via Rail access from Montreal to Sherbrooke via Quebec's Estrie.Andy Riga, "Railways studying train to Sherbrooke," Montreal Gazette, 27 February 2008, A1; "'That's the beauty of being in power,'" Montreal Gazette, 7 October 2008, A12. In 2009, he introduced a Private Member's Bill to remove waiting times for Employment Insurance benefits."Rare speaker's vote gives EI bill second reading," Canadian Press, 29 April 2009, 16:06.
Ouellet was one of eight Canadian parliamentarians to meet with Chen Shui-bian, the president of Taiwan, in 2006."TAIWAN: PRESIDENT CHEN MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF CANADIAN PARLIAMENT," US Fed News, 30 August 2006.
On February 24, 2011, the Bloc announced that Ouellet would not be a candidate in the next federal election.[http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-canadienne/201102/24/01-4373584-le-bloc-annoncera-un-candidat-surprise-dans-brome-missisquoi.php Le Bloc québécois annoncera un candidat surprise dans Brome-Missisquoi], La Presse, February 24, 2011
Personal life and death
Ouellet died on December 21, 2021, at the age of 87.[https://www.lavoixdelest.ca/2021/12/21/lancien-depute-bloquiste-christian-ouellet-est-decede-04cd2b5f9ffa09ca7bdc19cf56da4c0d L'ancien député bloquiste Christian Ouellet est décédé] {{in lang|fr}}
Electoral record
{{2008 Canadian federal election/Brome—Missisquoi}}
{{2006 Canadian federal election/Brome—Missisquoi}}
{{2004 Canadian federal election/Brome—Missisquoi}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=7091}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20101103162946/http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/deputes/default.aspx?id=1c93f3a8-d878-4622-b7b9-654061981086 Bloc Québécois biography]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ouellet, Christian}}
Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec
Category:People from Magog, Quebec
Category:Politicians from Montreal
Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada