Thérèse Daviau, also known as Thérèse Daviau-Bergeron (1946–2002), was a Canadian politician, an attorney and a City Councillor in Montreal, Quebec.

Career

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Daviau was born in 1946 and received a law degree from Université de Montréal. In the early seventies she became a founding member of the progressive Montreal Citizens' Movement, also known as Rassemblement des citoyens et citoyennes de Montréal (RCM) in French.

City councillor

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Daviau was elected to Montreal's City Council in 1974 over opponents Civic Party incumbent Aime Sauve with 17 other MCM candidates, and represented the district of Saint-Michel, but was defeated in 1978 when Mayor Jean Drapeau's Civic Party of Montreal took nearly all the seats at City Hall.

Daviau ran again in 1986 in the district of Saint-Jean-Baptiste and won. She was re-elected in 1990 and in 1994, representing the district of Plateau-Mont-Royal.

Party leader

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In 1998 Daviau became the RCM nominee for the mayoral election and Leader of the Opposition.[1] Not long after though, she left the party and announced that she would support Jacques Duchesneau for mayor.[2] She sat as an Independent and did not run for re-election in 1998.

Retirement

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Daviau became the vice-president of a public relations firm and died on February 1, 2002.

Personal life

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Daviau is the mother of Geneviève Bergeron, one of the 14 victims of the École Polytechnique massacre of December 6, 1989.[3]

Honors

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Biennally, since 2004, the City of Montreal recognizes a person's remarkable commitment and outstanding contribution to the community by awarding the Thérèse-Daviau Award.[4]

The citizen of the year award recognizes an individual who has distinguished themselves through their work in social development, sports and leisure, or culture, creating a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of Montrealers, or to advancing municipal democracy. Daviau was noted for these qualities over more than a quarter century, by defending the interests of Montrealers in municipal politics.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Thérèse Daviau élue chef du RCM, Radio-Canada, March 29, 1998 Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Thérèse Daviau quitte le RCM, Radio-Canada, April 27, 1998 Archived October 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Pratte, André (8 December 1989). "Le maire Jean Doré est atterré par la mort de celle qui fut la gardienne de sa fille". La Presse. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  4. ^ Montréal, a city of solidarity, Info on the City of Montréal, 1998
  5. ^ "THÉRÈSE-DAVIAU PRIZE: LÉONIE COUTURE, FOUNDER AND GENERAL MANAGER OF LA RUE DES FEMMES, MONTREAL CITIZEN PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR". cdeacf.ca. Quebec. 2011-10-04. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by City Councillor, District of Saint-Jean-Baptiste
1986-1990
Succeeded by
The electoral district was abolished in 1990.
Preceded by City Councillor, District of Plateau-Mont-Royal
1990-1994
Succeeded by