Wikipedia

Pierre Bourque (journalist)

André Pierre Bourque Jr.[2][3] (October 7, 1958 – August 28, 2021[4]) was a race car driver, developer, journalist, broadcaster and former politician in Ottawa, Ontario,[5] and operated the online news aggregator site Bourque Newswatch (Newswatch).

Pierre Bourque
Bourque's 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series car
Ottawa City Councillor for By-Rideau Ward
In office
March 4, 1991[1] – December 1, 1991
Preceded byMarc Laviolette
Succeeded byRichard Cannings
Personal details
Born(1958-10-07)October 7, 1958
Ottawa
DiedAugust 28, 2021(2021-08-28) (aged 62)
Residence(s)Ottawa, Ontario
ProfessionJournalist, race car driver
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
2 races run over 2 years
Best finish101st (2009)
First race2009 Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP)
Last race2009 Lucas Oil 200 (Iowa)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Canada Series career
33 races run over 6 years
2011 position28th
Best finish15th (2010)
First race2006 Griddly Headz 100 (Edmonton)
Last race2011 Wild Wing 300 (Barrie)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 4 0
Statistics current as of June 17, 2012.

Bourque was born at the Ottawa General Hospital in 1958, the son of Pierre Bourque (Sr.) and Barbara McNeil.[6] He was the grandson of E. A. Bourque, Ottawa's first francophone mayor.[7]

Politics edit

Following a ten-year career as a race car driver, and a brief apprenticeship with his father's land development business,[3] Bourque was appointed to Ottawa City Council and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton in March 1991 to fill a vacancy after Marc Laviolette became mayor. Bourque was appointed following a council vote, defeating 17 other candidates, including community activists Maurice Pagé and Richard Cannings. Bourque was supported by the "pro-developer" bloc on council, and was opposed by the council's left wing, who coalesced behind Pagé.[1] Bourque's stay on council was short lived, however, and he was defeated by Cannings in the municipal election that November.[8] While on council, he opposed "all big projects", including bringing in a Triple-A baseball team and improving Lansdowne Park. He also opposed all tax increases, and called for the demolition of some heritage buildings in his ward such as the Daly Building. He had near-perfect attendance in both committee and council meetings.[3]

Two years later, he ran for Parliament in the 1993 Canadian election as a Liberal candidate in the Montreal riding of Rosemont, and lost to Bloc Québécois candidate Benoît Tremblay.[8]

Bourque ran for Ottawa city council again in 1994, in the new Bruyère-Strathcona Ward but was defeated[8] by Stéphane Émard-Chabot. At this point in his career, he was vice president of his father's company, Bourque, Pierre & Fils. He ran on a platform of safety, improving street lighting and basic services, and called for the removal of traffic barriers in the Byward Market. He also wanted to "control taxes by cutting frivolous expenditures".[9] Despite his campaign of fiscal restraint, Bourque was embroiled in a scandal during the campaign as he owed $1.1 million to creditors, after his father promised to repay some of his debts, but went to other debts instead.[10]

Journalism edit

In 2001, the Ryerson Review of Journalism (RRJ) criticized Bourque and Newswatch. RRJ said Bourque had not written some of his books but only acted as a researcher. In addition, many of Newswatch's breaking stories had often been inaccurate. RRJ also reported that, despite Bourque's web traffic claims, a random sample indicated that Canadian Internet users had not visited the Newswatch site and that no major Canadian journalist used Newswatch as a source.[8]

Newswatch has also been criticized for allowing advertisers to purchase headlines and to "torque" them to highlight a positive news story about itself or a negative story about an opponent.[5]

Bourque was a fill-in host and contributor to radio talk shows on 580 CFRA.[4]

Racing driver edit

Bourque was race car driver in the NASCAR Busch East Series and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series,[11] competing from 2007 to 2011.[4]

Motorsports career results edit

NASCAR edit

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series edit

NASCAR Nationwide Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NNSC Pts Ref
2010 Specialty Racing 61 Ford DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV
DNQ 		ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 153th - [12]

Camping World Truck Series edit

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NCWTC Pts Ref
2007 Fast Track Racing 71 Chevy DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT MFD DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP
36 		NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 115th 55 [13]
2009 Fast Track Racing 48 Chevy DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI CHI IOW
29 		GTW NHA LVS MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM 101st 76 [14]

Rolex Sports Car Series edit

Grand Touring edit

(key) Bold – Pole Position. (Overall Finish/Class Finish).

Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT results
Year Team No. Engine Chassis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts Ref
2007 The Racer's Group 67 Pontiac 5.0L V8 Porsche GT3 Cup DAY
(28/12) 		MEX HOM VIR LGA WGL MDO DAY IOW BAR MON WGL INF MIL 119th 19 [15]

Personal life edit

Bourque was married to Kristine Haselsteiner and had two children.[2]

Death edit

Bourque died of a heart attack in 2021.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Developer appointed alderman". Ottawa Citizen. March 5, 1991. p. 23. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "André Pierre BOURQUE". Ottawa Citizen Obituaries. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  3. ^ a b c "Old foes spark hot contest in Lowertown". Ottawa Citizen. November 6, 1991. p. 68. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Condolences pour in for former Ottawa broadcaster and city councillor Pierre Bourque". CTV. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Cheadle, Bruce (January 15, 2007). "How much for a friendly headline?". Globe and Mail. p. A7. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  6. ^ "Bourque". Ottawa Citizen. March 8, 1958. p. 24. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  7. ^ "Council seat attracts lengthy list of candidates". Ottawa Citizen. February 24, 1991. p. 7. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Heller, Joshua (Summer 2001). "The Wrong Man". Ryerson Review of Journalism. School of Journalism, Ryerson University. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
  9. ^ "Ward OT5". Ottawa Citizen. November 8, 1994. p. 26. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  10. ^ "Candidate of 'fiscal responsibility' owes creditors $1.1M". Ottawa Citizen. November 12, 1994. p. 21. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  11. ^ "Pierre Bourque". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
  12. ^ "Pierre Bourque – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  13. ^ "Pierre Bourque – 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  14. ^ "Pierre Bourque – 2009 Crafting World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "Pierre Bourque – 2007 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

External links edit

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