Gilles Pouliot
{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Honourable
| honorific_suffix =
| name = Gilles Pouliot
| image =
| caption =
| office1 = Ontario MPP
| term_start1 = 1985
| term_end1 = 1999
| predecessor1 = Jack Stokes
| successor1 = Riding abolished
| constituency1 = Lake Nipigon
| office2 = More...
| party = New Democrat
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|05|25}}
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec
| residence = Manitouwadge
| occupation = Miner, tradesman
}}
Gilles Pouliot (born May 25, 1942) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1999, representing the Northern Ontario riding of Lake Nipigon for the New Democratic Party.
Background
Pouliot was born in Montreal, Quebec. He served as reeve for the Township of Manitouwadge for six years. He also worked as a flotation operator for Noranda Mines.{{cite news |title=Ontario's first NDP cabinet |publisher=Toronto Star |date=2 October 1990 |page=A17}} He lived in Manitouwadge during his time in office.
Politics
He was elected in the 1985 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Jim Files by over 1,200 votes. He was re-elected by greater margins in the provincial elections of 1987 and 1990.{{cite news |title=Results from individual ridings |newspaper=The Windsor Star |date=September 11, 1987 |page=F2}}{{cite news |title=Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A12}} He supported Dave Barrett for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party in 1989.{{cite news |title=Barrett savages Tory 'sell-out' |first=Tim |last=Harper |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=December 2, 1989 |page=A16}}
=Government=
The NDP won a majority government in the 1990 election, and Pouliot was named as Minister of Mines and Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs in Bob Rae's government on October 1, 1990. In early 1991, he introduced legislation forcing mining companies to renew their claims or risk losing them.{{cite news |title=Renew licence or lose mining claims, companies and prospectors warned |first=Oscar |last=Rojo |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=May 22, 1991 |page=F8}}
He retained responsibility for Francophone Affairs throughout the Rae government. On July 31, 1991, he was transferred from Mines to the Ministry of Transportation.{{cite news |title=Rae dumps 3 ministers, shuffles in 3 rookies |first1=Matt |last1=Maychak |first2=Paul |last2=Moloney |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=July 31, 1991 |page=A1}} On October 21, 1994, near the end of the Rae government's time in office, he was shifted back to Northern Development and Mines.{{cite news |title=Rae rejigs duties of 3 veterans |newspaper=The Spectator |location=Hamilton, Ont |date=October 22, 1994 |page=A16}}
=Cabinet positions=
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Bob_Rae}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post3preceded = Shelley Martel
| post3 = Minister of Northern Development and Mines
| post3years = 1994–1995
| post3note = Also Responsible for Francophone Affairs
| post3followed = Chris Hodgson
| post2preceded = Ed Philip
| post2 = Minister of Transportation
| post2years = 1991–1994
| post2note = Also Responsible for Francophone Affairs
| post2followed = Mike Farnan
| post1preceded = Hugh O'Neil
| post1 = Minister of Mines
| post1years = 1990–1991
| post1note = Also Responsible for Francophone Affairs
| post1followed = Shelley Martel
}}
{{s-end}}
=Opposition=
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 election, although Pouliot retained the Lake Nipigon riding without too much difficulty.{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=lake+nipigon&flag=E&layout=G |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413214541/https://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=lake+nipigon&flag=E&layout=G |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 8, 1995 |accessdate=2014-02-03 }} In 1996, he supported Howard Hampton's successful campaign to replace Rae as party leader.
Pouliot's riding was eliminated by redistribution in 1996. He rarely spoke in the legislature thereafter, and he chose not to run again in the 1999 election.{{cite news |title=Premier's options for a cabinet shuffle are limited |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=January 12, 1999 |page=1}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Ontario MPP biography|id=gilles-pouliot}}
{{Rae Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pouliot, Gilles}}
Category:Franco-Ontarian people
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario
Category:Ontario New Democratic Party MPPs
Category:People from Thunder Bay District
Category:Politicians from Montreal
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario