Gérard Deltell MP (born August 8, 1964) is a Canadian politician who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Louis-Saint-Laurent since 2015. A member of the Conservative Party, Deltell was Opposition House Leader from 2020 to 2022 under Erin O'Toole and held a number of opposition critic positions. Prior to entering federal politics, he represented Chauveau in the National Assembly of Quebec from 2008 to 2015 and was the leader of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) from 2009 until it merged with the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in 2012. He served as the CAQ's house leader until 2014.

Gérard Deltell
Deltell in 2018
Opposition House Leader
In office
September 2, 2020 – February 4, 2022
LeaderErin O'Toole
Preceded byCandice Bergen
Succeeded byJohn Brassard
Leader of the Action démocratique du Québec
In office
November 19, 2009 – January 22, 2012
Preceded byGilles Taillon
Succeeded byParty dissolved
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Louis-Saint-Laurent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byAlexandrine Latendresse
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Chauveau
In office
December 8, 2008 – April 7, 2015
Preceded byGilles Taillon
Succeeded byVéronyque Tremblay
Personal details
Born (1964-08-08) August 8, 1964 (age 59)
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Nationality
  • Canada
  • France
Political partyConservative
Other political
affiliations
Coalition Avenir Québec
Action démocratique du Québec (2008–2012)
Progressive Conservative (1980s)
ChildrenJean-Philippe, Béatrice[1]
ResidenceLoretteville
Alma materUniversité Laval[1]
Occupation
  • Politician
  • journalist
ProfessionJournalist[1]

Early life, education and career edit

Deltell was born and raised in Quebec City. He held party membership in the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the 1980s.[2]

Deltell's parents are both Pied-Noirs born in Algeria at a time when this country was part of France. As his parents are French citizens Deltell also holds French citizenship by virtue of his birth (jus sanguinis).[3] Deltell is a Spanish name, his father's family was settled in Algeria by 1840 and his maternal family's roots are French and Italian.[4] His parents immigrated to Canada and settled in Montreal in 1958,[5] but relocated later in the year to Loretteville, near Quebec City. His father, Guy, served in a Moroccan regiment[5] of the French Army of the Second World War[6] and was awarded the French Legion of Honour on October 26, 2011.[3]

Deltell studied social science at Cégep de Sainte-Foy, graduating in 1984.[1] He majored in history at Université Laval and graduated in 1989.[1] He also received training as an announcer at the Collège des annonceurs radio télévision in 1982 and at École de radio et de télévision Promédia in 1993.[1] He received a pilot's license for ultralight aircraft in 2005.[1]

Journalism career edit

Before he entered politics, Deltell worked as a TV correspondent with TQS. He also worked for the TVA and Radio-Canada stations in Quebec City, as well as the CIRO-FM radio station as a radio show host. Overall, he worked as a journalist for a total of over 20 years.

Political career edit

Provincial politics edit

Deltell ran as the Action démocratique du Québec candidate in the district of Chauveau in the 2008 provincial election.[7] He won the seat with 44% of the vote and succeeded Gilles Taillon, who ran and lost in Chapleau.

On November 19, 2009, Deltell replaced Taillon as leader of the ADQ.[2]

During his tenure as ADQ leader, Deltell was noted as a stabilizing factor inside the party after the 2009 leadership race caused a power vacuum in the party. He improved the fortunes of the ADQ in the polls, bringing them back to 20% in the polls. The ADQ were also polling well in the Quebec City region and other noted Conservative areas.[citation needed]

He ceased being leader of the ADQ upon the dissolution of the party into the new movement established by François Legault, the Coalition Avenir Québec. Deltell served as parliamentary leader of the CAQ caucus until the 2012 Quebec general election. From 2012 to 2014 he served as house leader for the CAQ.

Federal politics edit

Following much speculation, Deltell announced on April 7, 2015, that he would be running for the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the upcoming federal election. His resignation as MNA for Chauveau took effect the same day.[8] Deltell was elected MP on October 19, 2015.[9] The Conservative Party saw a resurgence in support in the Quebec City region, with Deltell receiving credit for the party's increased support.[10]

Since going to Ottawa, Deltell has been considered a rising star within the Conservative caucus. Opposition leader Rona Ambrose named Deltell the party's Quebec lieutenant and critic for Employment, Workforce and Labour,[11] and he has been noted for his strong performances during Question Period.[10] Despite being a newcomer to federal politics, Deltell was mentioned as a possible leadership candidate to replace former leader Stephen Harper. While he brushed aside the idea, Deltell received support from within the Conservative caucus to run, but he announced his support for Erin O'Toole. Globe and Mail columnist Jefferey Simpson wrote that "he ticks off a number of Conservative/conservative boxes."[12] Deltell was a critic of the legalization of marijuana and vowed to prevent the legalization from happening.[13] Cannabis was legalized in 2018.

Deltell was one of three Conservatives named to the membership of the Special Committee on Electoral Reform.

On October 16, 2016, Deltell was appointed Official Opposition Finance Critic by Rona Ambrose, interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.[14] Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer announced his shadow cabinet on August 30, 2017, and named Deltell as critic for the Treasury Board.[15] On September 2, 2020, Conservative leader Erin O'Toole announced that Deltell would serve as Opposition House Leader, succeeding Candice Bergen.[16]

Electoral record edit

Federal edit

2021 Canadian federal election: Louis-Saint-Laurent
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Gérard Deltell 33,098 51.64 +6.98 $58,431.61
Bloc Québécois Thierry Bilodeau 13,609 20.39 -1.99 $5,282.09
Liberal Nathanielle Morin 11,228 17.52 -3.18 $13,078.75
New Democratic Yu-Ti Eva Huang 3,370 5.26 -1.36 $305.95
People's Guillaume Côté 1,337 2.09 -0.27 $100.00
Free Mélanie Fortin 1,089 1.70 $416.51
Green Daniel Chicoine 907 1.42 -1.87 $661.11
Total valid votes/expense limit 64,098 $123,881.08
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 66.52 -4.06
Registered voters 96,352
Conservative hold Swing +4.49
Source: Elections Canada[17]
2019 Canadian federal election: Louis-Saint-Laurent
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Gérard Deltell 29,279 44.66 -5.80 $47,164.29
Bloc Québécois Jeanne-Paule Desgagnés 14,674 22.38 +12.04 $1,905.18
Liberal Jean-Christophe Cusson 13,571 20.70 -0.72 none listed
New Democratic Colette Amram Ducharme 4,339 6.62 -9.30 $1,469.48
Green Sandra Mara Riedo 2,155 3.29 +1.42 $2,280.42
People's Guillaume Côté 1,543 2.35 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 65,561 97.93
Total rejected ballots 1,389 2.07
Turnout 66,950 70.58
Eligible voters 94,851
Conservative hold Swing -17.82
Source: Elections Canada[18][19]
2015 Canadian federal election: Louis-Saint-Laurent
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Gérard Deltell 32,637 50.46 +12.58 $74,381.15
Liberal Youri Rousseau 13,852 21.42 +15.05 $26,310.43
New Democratic G. Daniel Caron 10,296 15.92 -23.96 $48,765.46
Bloc Québécois Ronald Sirard 6,688 10.34 -4.02 $12,115.99
Green Michel Savard 1,210 1.87 +0.37
Total valid votes/Expense limit 64,683 100.0   $234,522.60
Total rejected ballots 852
Turnout 65,535
Eligible voters 91,332
Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +18.27
Source: Elections Canada[20][21]

Provincial edit

2014 Quebec general election: Chauveau
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Avenir Québec Gérard Deltell 22,679 52.31 -0.88
Liberal Bernard Chartier 12,940 29.84 +5.10
Parti Québécois Christian Robitaille 5,279 12.18 -4.26
Québec solidaire Jean-Claude Bernheim 1,717 3.96 +0.93
Conservative Julie Plamondon 455 1.05 +0.51
Option nationale Sophie Leblanc 289 0.67 -0.87
Total valid votes 43,269 98.72
Total rejected ballots 560 1.28
Turnout 43,829 76.02
Electors on the lists 57,651
Coalition Avenir Québec hold Swing -2.99
2012 Quebec general election: Chauveau
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Avenir Québec Gérard Deltell 23,449 52.99 +10.47
Liberal Marie-Ève Bédard 10,907 24.65 -9.47
Parti Québécois Marie-Eve D'Ascola 7,247 16.38 -4.42
Québec solidaire Sébastien Bouchard 1,337 3.02 +0.46
Option nationale Ariane Grondin 677 1.53
Conservative Gaétan Roy 238 0.54
Middle Class Sylvain Rancourt 232 0.52
Équipe Autonomiste Normand Michaud 85 0.19
Quebec Citizens' Union Noémie Rocque 78 0.18
Total valid votes 44,250 98.77
Total rejected ballots 550 1.23
Turnout 44,800 78.93
Electors on the lists 56,759
Coalition Avenir Québec notional hold Swing +9.97
Change is from redistributed results. CAQ change is from ADQ.
2008 Quebec general election: Chauveau
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Action démocratique Gérard Deltell 14,029 42.75 -12.84
Liberal Sarah Perreault 11,424 34.82 +12.47
Parti Québécois François Aumond 6,559 19.99 +2.32
Québec solidaire Catherine Flynn 801 2.44 +0.42
Total valid votes 32,813 100.0
Action démocratique hold Swing +12.66

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Deltell, Gérard (2011). "Biographie". GerardDeltell.qc.ca (in French). Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Gerard Deltell named new leader of the ADQ". The Canadian Press. November 19, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Remise de la Légion d'honneur à Guy Deltell" (in French). Quebec, QC, Canada: Consulat général de France à Québec. October 31, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  4. ^ "Quebec's Rising Star MP Looms Large over Tory Leadership Race". January 13, 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Portrait d'un combattant: Guy Deltell" (in French). Association des Anciens Combattants et Soldats Français de Québec. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  6. ^ Mercier, Noémi (February 9, 2011). "36 heures dans la vie de Gérard Deltell". L'actualité. p. 3. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  7. ^ Gérard Deltell à l'ADQ, Denis Lessard, La Presse, November 2, 2008
  8. ^ "Gérard Deltell jumps into federal politics with Conservatives". CBC News. April 7, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  9. ^ "Conservatives more than double seat count in Quebec". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  10. ^ a b LeBlanc, Daniel (March 7, 2016). "Rookie MP Gérard Deltell a rising Conservative star". Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  11. ^ "Conservatives Announce Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet and Critics | Conservative Party of Canada - Canada's Official Opposition". Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  12. ^ Simpson, Jeffrey (March 26, 2016). "A Quebec newcomer could tick the Tory leadership boxes". Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  13. ^ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Politique -. "Légalisation du cannabis : les conservateurs de Québec promettent de se battre". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  14. ^ "Conservative Party announces new shadow cabinet". October 16, 2016.
  15. ^ Stone, Laura (August 30, 2017). "Scheer shakes up Conservative team, promotes some rivals but not Leitch, Trost". Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  16. ^ "Conservative Party: Richard Martel becomes Quebec lieutenant, Gérard Deltell becomes parliamentary leader". HuffPost (in French). September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  17. ^ "September 20, 2021 General Election Election Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  18. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  19. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  20. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Louis-Saint-Laurent, 30 September 2015
  21. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine

External links edit