Denis Coderre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Denis Coderre, PC (born July 25, 1963) is a Canadian politician.
Born in Joliette, Quebec, Coderre ran unsuccessfully three times prior to being elected: first, in the 1988 elections in the riding of Joliette, losing to the Progressive Conservative Party candidate, Gaby Larrivée; second, in a 1990 by-election in the riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie, losing to Gilles Duceppe; and third, in the 1993 elections in the riding of Bourassa, defeated by the Bloc Québécois candidate, Osvaldo Nuñez.
He was finally elected as a Member of Parliament in 1997 representing the riding of Bourassa, located in Montreal. He entered cabinet in August 1999 when he was appointed Secretary of State for Amateur Sport. He was re-elected in the November 2000 election. In January 2002, was appointed Immigration minister.
On December 12, 2003, Prime Minister Paul Martin appointed Coderre to join his new cabinet as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada where he was responsible for a number of files, such as the creation of the new Public Service Human Resources Management Agency. He was also the Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians, the Minister responsible for La Francophonie and the Minister responsible for the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution. Coderre was not re-appointed to Cabinet following the 2004 general election, in which he was re-elected in his riding.
As Minister of Immigration, Coderre supervised the application of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which came into effect on June 28, 2002. As Secretary of State for Amateur Sport, Coderre successfully negotiated a number of national and international agreements and helped to establish the World Anti-Doping Agency in Montreal.
During the 2006 election, Coderre accused National Hockey League player Shane Doan of uttering ethnic slurs directed against French Canadians at a game in Montreal. Coderre wrote a letter to the Canadian Olympic Committee asking to keep Doan off its 2006 hockey team competing at the Olympics in Turin, Italy. No evidence has ever been presented of Doan making such statements. Doan has sued the former Minister for character defamation.
Coderre is a political science graduate from the Université de Montréal. His wife Chantal Renaud and he have two children, Geneviève and Alexandre.
In May 2006, Coderre announced he would not seek the leadership of the Liberal Party. He said the timing was off for a leadership bid because the next leader of the party would likely be from Ontario. He has since endorsed Michael Ignatieff for leader.
Coderre attracted controversy when he was named in the Gomery report into the sponsorship scandal, for enjoying extended stays at advertising executive Claude Boulay's summer residence. He also attracted contorversy when he attended a rally in Montreal during the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon. Separatist leaders Gilles Duceppe and Andre Boisclair were also in attendance at the rally, where many spectators waved pro-Hezbollah flags.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- How'd They Vote?: Denis Coderre's voting history and quotes
- Political Biography from the Library of Parliament
| 27th Ministry - Government of Paul Martin | ||
| Cabinet Post | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Stéphane Dion | President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada (2003–2004) |
Lucienne Robillard |
| Special Cabinet Responsibilities | ||
| Predecessor | Title | Successor |
| Denis Paradis | Minister responsible for La Francophonie (2003–2004) |
Jacques Saada |
| Ralph Goodale | Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians (2003–2004) |
Andy Scott |
| 26th Ministry - Government of Jean Chrétien | ||
| Cabinet Post | ||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Elinor Caplan | Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2002–2003) |
Judy Sgro |
| Sub-Cabinet Post | ||
| Predecessor | Title | Successor |
| Secretary of State (Amateur Sport) (1999–2002) |
||
| Preceded by: Osvaldo Nunez, Bloc Québécois |
Member of Parliament for Bourassa 1997– |
Succeeded by: incumbent |
