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Pierre Lemieux

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This article is about the Canadian politician. For the economist and writer, see Pierre Lemieux (economist).

Pierre Lemieux
Member of Parliament
for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell
In office
January 23, 2006 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byDon Boudria
Succeeded byFrancis Drouin
Personal details
Born (1963-04-09) April 9, 1963 (age 61)
Embrun, Ontario
Political partyConservative
SpouseAudrey Lemieux
ResidenceCasselman, Ontario
ProfessionConsultant, mechanical engineer
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/serviceCanadian Armed Forces
RankLieutenant-Colonel[1]

Pierre Lemieux (born April 9, 1963) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell from 2006 to 2015, first elected in Canada's 39th general election and defeated in the 42nd. He represented the Conservative Party of Canada. While in office he served as deputy government whip as well as parliamentary secretary to the Ministers of Official Languages, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs. He was a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada in 2017.

Background

Lemieux was born in Embrun, Ontario. He has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and a Master's of Science from the Royal Military College of Canada. He has been a Professional Engineer since 1994.

Lemieux served in the Canadian Forces for 20 years and retired at the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He then worked for a number of years in the Ottawa high tech sector, most notably for JDS Uniphase. He then started his own company, offering project management and consulting services to government departments and charitable organizations.

Politics

Party leadership bid

In August 2016, Lemieux declared his candidacy for the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.[2] Lemieux's campaign manager was Steve Outhouse, a former Parliament Hill staffer.[3]

His campaign generally focused on social conservative issues and increased personal liberties, including reducing the size and influence of government. This included a proposed review of firearms laws,[4] term limits and Parliamentary votes for Supreme Court judges,[5] and opposition to a carbon tax.[6] He also favours increased government powers for face-to-face immigration screening to combat "Radical Islamic Terrorism", though opposes a controversial "Canadian values" screening test proposed by another Conservative leadership candidate, Kellie Leitch, on the grounds that "terrorists won’t share their true values with [Canada's] immigration officials".[7]

In-line with many other Conservative Party leadership contenders, Lemieux has stated that he strongly supports Israel and its right to self-defence.[8][9]

Lemieux has been critical of other conservative politicians in Canada that he believes are helping make the country more liberal through their support of socially liberal legislative initiatives such as private member's Bill C-309, which seeks to establish a gender awareness week.[10] Lemieux has stated that he believes such moves make these politicians "liberal-light" rather than conservative and has called on social conservatives to "not be taken for granted" by more liberal elements of federal and provincial conservative parties.[11][12]

His policies have been supported by the anti-abortion advocacy group Campaign Life Coalition as well as University of Toronto Professor Jordan Peterson.[13][14]

Social views: abortion, marriage, conscience rights

Lemieux has stated that he personally believes in the "inherent dignity of human life from the moment of conception through to natural death...we need to discuss and debate life issues in an open and respectful way, both within society and within Parliament."[9] He has also stated that he personally believes in the traditional definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman.[2]

In his leadership campaign, Lemieux committed to end sex-selective abortion[15] and divert funds that support international abortion services to Canada's military with a mind to meeting Canada's NATO commitments on defence spending.[16] He has also been a proponent of protecting medical conscience rights particularly during considerations of physician assisted suicide.[17]

Campaign Life Coalition, a pro-life advocacy group, rated Lemieux as a "pro-life, pro-family" Member of Parliament.[18] During his time as a Member of Parliament he voted in favour of Stephen Woodworth's M‑312, which sought to create a Parliamentary Committee that would study whether a child in the womb is a human being. He also voted against Bill C-279 (known as the "Bathroom Bill"), which would have allowed transgender individuals to use washrooms based on their gender identity. He also spoke and voted in favour of Mark Warawa's M-408, which asked that Parliament ban sex-selective abortions.[19]

Free speech & expression

Lemieux has been a vocal critic of restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. He opposes federal legislation that proposes to add "gender expression" and "gender identify" as defining factors for discrimination in the Criminal Code and Canadian Human Rights Act on the grounds that it negatively impacts free speech. Such negative impacts were claimed as including the forced use of gender neutral pronouns when addressing members of the LGBT community, for which some in that community have noted their opposition to his campaign.[20] He has also proposed to empower Parliament to review all speech laws to ensure they properly balance freedom of speech and reasonable limits. These stances have gained the support of controversial University of Toronto Professor Jordan Peterson, whom he has met on a number of occasions.[14]

He has also voiced strong opposition to M-103, a Parliamentary Motion of Liberal Member of Parliament Iqra Khalid, which condemns religious discrimination and makes particular note of Islamophobia in its preposition.[21][22]

Electoral history

Lemieux was first elected in the 2006 Canadian federal election that brought Stephen Harper's Conservatives into Government. Lemieux narrowly defeated Liberal René Berthiaume, becoming the Conservative MP for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell. It had been one of the longest held Liberal ridings in Eastern Ontario. Lemieux improved his election results with larger margins of victory in 2008 and 2011. In 2015, Lemieux was defeated by Liberal Francis Drouin by over 10,000 votes, in an election that replaced Stephen Harper's Conservative government with Justin Trudeau's Liberals.

Lemieux ran again in the 2019 Canadian federal election[23] but was defeated, again by Francis Drouin, though by a smaller vote margin than in 2015.

Lemieux attempted to run again in the 2021 Canadian Federal Election. However, citing policy that a candidate who loses twice is ineligible to run again, Lemieux was blocked candidacy was blocked by the Conservative party.[24]

Electoral record

2019 Canadian federal election: Glengarry—Prescott—Russell
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Francis Drouin 31,293 47.56 -5.71 $82,180.98
Conservative Pierre Lemieux 23,660 35.96 -0.45 $112,830.16
New Democratic Konstantine Malakos 6,851 10.41 +2.49 $3,975.49
Green Marthe Lépine † 2,113 3.21 +1.41 none listed
People's Jean-Jacques Desgranges 1,174 1.78 none listed
Libertarian Darcy Neal Donnelly 262 0.40 -0.19 none listed
Independent Daniel John Fey 239 0.36 $4,778.11
Rhinoceros Marc-Antoine Gagnier 199 0.30 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 65,791 99.03
Total rejected ballots 645 0.97 +0.35
Turnout 66,436 71.78 -3.29
Eligible voters 92,555
Liberal hold Swing -2.63
Source: Elections Canada[25][26]
† The Green Party of Canada dropped Marthe Lépine for her anti-abortion views; she ran as an independent instead.[27]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Francis Drouin 34,189 53.28 +22.68 $114,201.86
Conservative Pierre Lemieux 23,367 36.41 -12.40 $131,909.88
New Democratic Normand Laurin 5,087 7.93 -8.74 $4,769.31
Green Genevieve Malouin-Diraddo 1,153 1.80 -1.78 $156.86
Libertarian Jean-Serge Brisson 377 0.59 +0.25 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 64,173 100.00   $223,399.99
Total rejected ballots 399 0.62 –
Turnout 64,572 75.62 –
Eligible voters 85,388
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +17.54
Source: Elections Canada[28][29]
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Pierre Lemieux 28,174 48.80 +1.50 –
Liberal Julie Bourgeois 17,705 30.67 -6.19 –
New Democratic Denis Séguin 9,608 16.64 +6.18 –
Green Sylvie Lemieux 2,049 3.55 -1.81 –
Libertarian Jean-Serge Brisson 194 0.34 – –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 57,730 100.00   –
Total rejected ballots 304 0.52 –
Turnout 58,034 68.80 –
Eligible voters 84,347 – –
2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Pierre Lemieux 25,659 47.30 +5.75 $80,105
Liberal Dan Boudria 19,997 36.86 -4.33 $71,845
New Democratic Jean-Sébastien Caron 5,674 10.46 -2.28 $2,043
Green Sylvie Lemieux 2,908 5.36 +0.86 $5,306
Total valid votes/Expense limit 54,238 100.00   $85,679
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pierre Lemieux 22,990 41.55 +4.1
Liberal René Berthiaume 22,787 41.19 -6.7
New Democratic Jo-Ann Fennessey 7,049 12.74 +4.3
Green Bonnie Jean-Louis 2,494 4.50 -0.8
Total valid votes 55,320 100.0

References

  1. ^ Lemieux, Pierre. "Pierre Lemieux". Parlinfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b Fekete, Jason (22 August 2016). "Defeated MP Pierre Lemieux to join Conservative leadership race, trumpeting social conservative views". National Post. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Ex-Hill staffers running Lemieux's leadership campaign - The Hill Times". The Hill Times. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  4. ^ Summers, CJ (19 December 2016). "Meeting the Leadership Candidates: Guns and Politics - Pierre Lemieux". Calibre Magazine. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  5. ^ "The Supreme Court Must Change". Campaign Email to Supporters. 5 January 2017.
  6. ^ "No Carbon Tax". Campaign Email to Supporters. 12 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Radical Islamic Terrorism". Campaign Email to Supporters. 20 January 2017.
  8. ^ Csillag, Ron (20 January 2017). "'NO LIGHT BETWEEN HARPER'S COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL AND [MINE]': KELLIE LEITCH". Cjnews. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Policy - Pierre Lemieux". Pierre Lemieux Campaign Website. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  10. ^ "C-309 An Act to establish Gender Equality Week". Parliament of Canada. 20 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Conservative or "Liberal-Light"?". Campaign Email to Supporters. 6 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Don't Be Taken For Granted". Campaign Email to Supporters. 16 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Anti-abortion group endorses 'pro-life' Conservative leadership candidates Brad Trost and Pierre Lemieux". National Post. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Free Our Speech". Campaign Email to Supporters. 23 January 2017.
  15. ^ "Pierre Lemieux Vows Action Against Sex-Selective Abortion". Huffington Post. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Canada's One Percent". Campaign Email to Supporters. 4 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Devastating Statistics". Campaign Email to Supporters. 15 January 2017.
  18. ^ "Voting Records - MP Pierre Lemieux". Campaign Life Coalition. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  19. ^ I Support M-408, Pierre Lemieux on YouTube
  20. ^ McSheffrey, Elizabeth (25 January 2017). "Tory outed as "transphobic" for platform "run on hate"". National Observer. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Weekend Roundup – M-103". Campaign Email to Supporters. 11 February 2017.
  22. ^ "Iqra Khalid - Private Members' Motions - Current Session". Parliament of Canada.
  23. ^ Morgan, James (8 October 2018). "Pierre Lemieux aims for return to Parliament, criticizes Liberals on trade and taxes". The Review Newspaper. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  24. ^ "Conservatives bar former MP and leadership candidate Pierre Lemieux from running". 12 August 2021.
  25. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  26. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  27. ^ Tunney, Catharine (7 October 2019). "Green Party drops anti-abortion candidate in Ontario riding". CBC News. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  28. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, 30 September 2015
  29. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
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