Raymond Bachand OC (born 22 October 1947, in Montreal, Quebec) is a former politician, a businessman and a lawyer in Quebec, Canada. He was the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec (MNA) for the riding of Outremont, and a member of the Quebec Liberal Party caucus. He is the former Minister of Finance and Revenue in the majority government of Premier of Quebec Jean Charest, and was previously Minister for Tourism during the minority government mandate from April 2007 to October 2008, and Minister of economic development of innovation and export trade from his election until June 2009. Bachand is a former trade unionist. On 26 August 2013, Bachand resigned his seat.[1]

Raymond Bachand
Raymond Bachand announcing his candidacy for Quebec Liberal Party leadership
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Outremont
In office
12 December 2005 – 26 August 2013
Preceded byYves Séguin
Succeeded byPhilippe Couillard
Personal details
Born (1947-10-22) 22 October 1947 (age 76)
Montreal, Quebec
Political partyLiberal Party of Québec
ResidenceMontreal
ProfessionAttorney, professor
CabinetMinister of Finances and Revenue

Early life and education edit

Bachand was educated at the Collège Stanislas, a private school. He obtained a law degree from the Université de Montréal in 1969 and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1970. Bachand also completed a master's degree and a doctorate at Harvard Business School.

Before entering politics, he worked in several key positions including in the Quebec's public sector where he worked in the Ministry of Labour as well as in the premier's office. Bachand was a Quebec sovereignist during the 1980 referendum, and an organizer for the 'Yes' campaign. He changed his mind, and is now a Canadian federalist.[2]

He also taught at the École des hautes études commerciales de Montréal in the early 1970s.

He was once the vice-president of Culinar and Métro-Richelieu and was also president of Groupe Secor during the 1980s and 1990s. He was president-director general of the Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec (FTQ), a major union fund, between 1997 and 2001. He was also part of the administration of Montreal newspaper Le Devoir and member of Montreal's Chamber of Commerce.

Politics edit

Bachand was elected on 12 December 2005, in Outremont in a by-election after the retirement of former Finance Minister Yves Séguin. There was speculation that Bachand would also occupy that post, but he was awarded the portfolio of Economic Development.[citation needed]

Bachand was easily re-elected in the 2007 elections defeating Parti Québécois's Salim Laaroussi by nearly 6,000 votes. He was re-appointed as the minister of economic development, innovation and international trade and was also given the portfolios of tourism and the region of Montreal. Following the 2008 election, Bachand gave up the tourism portfolio to Laporte MNA Nicole Ménard. On 8 April 2009, following the retirement of Monique Jérôme-Forget, Bachand was named the new Finance Minister.[3]

With the defeat of the Liberal government of Jean Charest, Bachand was replaced by Nicolas Marceau of the Parti Québécois as Minister of Finance. He was a candidate to succeed Jean Charest as Liberal Party leader but lost to Philippe Couillard on 17 March 2013.[4]

On 26 August 2013, Bachand resigned his seat as MNA for Outremont.

Electoral record edit

2012 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Raymond Bachand 10,949 41.52 -12.69
Parti Québécois Roxanne Gendron 6,119 23.20 -2.03
Québec solidaire Édith Laperle 4,751 18.02 +6.59
Coalition Avenir Québec Claude Michaud 3,691 14.00 +11.04
Option nationale Luc Séguin 451 1.71
Parti Nul Mathieu Marcil 243 0.92
Quebec Citizens' Union Jonathan Moffatt 120 0.46
Coalition pour la Constituante Olga Sharonova 47 0.18
Total valid votes 26,371 99.08
Total rejected ballots 245 0.92
Turnout 26,616 68.21
Electors on the lists 39,022
2008 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Raymond Bachand 10,569 54.21 +7.18
Parti Québécois Sophie Fréchette 6,119 25.23 +1.73
Québec solidaire May Chiu 4,751 11.43 +2.30
Green Maxime Simard 3,691 6.17 -4.63
Action démocratique Christian Collard 451 2.96 -5.91
Total valid votes 19,498 98.96
Total rejected ballots 204 1.04
Turnout 19,702 48.49
Electors on the lists 40,627
2007 Quebec general election: Outremont
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Raymond Bachand 11,861 47.03
Parti Québécois Salim Laaroussi 5,928 23.50
Green Luc Côté 2,725 10.80
Québec solidaire Sujata Dey 2,303 9.13
Action démocratique Pierre Harvey 2,236 8.87
Independent Romain Angeles 101 0.40
Marxist–Leninist Yvon Breton 68 0.27
Total valid votes 25,222 99.35
Total rejected ballots 166 0.65
Turnout 25,388 62.69
Electors on the lists 40,498
Source: Official Results, Le Directeur général des élections du Québec.
Quebec provincial by-election, December 12, 2005: Outremont
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Raymond Bachand 8,172 48.79
Parti Québécois Farouk Karim 6,242 37.27
UFP Omar Aktouf 1,212 7.24
Green Christopher Coggan 750 4.48
Action démocratique Raya Mileva 338 2.02
Independent Régent Millette 35 0.21
Total valid votes 16,749 100.00
Rejected and declined votes 89
Turnout 16,838 40.28
Electors on the lists 41,799

References edit

  1. ^ "Quebec's former finance minister Raymond Bachand leaves politics". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  2. ^ "Quebec remembers 1st referendum – Montreal – CBC News". Archived from the original on 23 May 2010.
  3. ^ Bachand succède à Jérôme-Forget | Politique | Radio-Canada.ca
  4. ^ "Philippe Couillard wins Quebec Liberal leadership". The Canadian Press. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Finance
2009–2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Revenue
2010–2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Exports
2006–2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Francoise Gauthier
Minister of Tourism
2007–2008
Succeeded by