| The HonourableBenoît BouchardPC CM | |
|---|---|
| Canadian commissioner at the International Joint Commission | |
| In office 2013–2017 | |
| Chair of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada | |
| In office 1996–2001 | |
| Member of Parliament for Roberval | |
| In office September 4, 1984 – June 17, 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Suzanne Beauchamp-Niquet |
| Succeeded by | Michel Gauthier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1940-04-16) April 16, 1940 (age 84) Roberval, Quebec, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Occupation | teacher, public official, politician |
Benoît Bouchard PC CM (French pronunciation: [bənwa buʃaʁ]; born April 16, 1940) is a Canadian public official and former politician.
Biography
After a career as a professor and teacher, Bouchard was elected to the House of Commons of Canada as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Roberval in the 1984 election. He was immediately elevated to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's Cabinet as Minister of State for Transport.
In 1985, he was promoted to Secretary of State for Canada. He subsequently served as Minister of Employment and Immigration (June 30, 1986 – March 30, 1988), Minister of Transport (March 31, 1988 – February 22, 1990), Minister of Industry, Science and Technology (February 23, 1990 – April 20, 1991), and Minister of National Health and Welfare (April 21, 1991 – June 1993).
In 1989, the federal budget mandated fiscal cuts to a broad range of departments and agencies, one of which was Bouchard's ministry at Transport Canada. As part of his department's efforts to cut its budget, Bouchard authorized Transport Canada to slash the subsidy to the national intercity passenger railway, Via Rail by 55%. Responding to the cuts, Bouchard said in a television interview several weeks later: "Ten years from now, no one will remember Benoît Bouchard cut Via Rail".
He retired from politics in June 1993 to accept an appointment as Canada's Ambassador to France.
In 1996, Bouchard returned to Canada and was appointed Chair of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada by Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He oversaw the Canadian portion of the investigation of the Swissair Flight 111 air crash. He retired from the board in 2001.
In 2012, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. Between 2013 and 2017, Benoît Bouchard was a Canadian commissioner at the International Joint Commission.
References
- Bouchard, Benoît; Pamela Wallin (February 1990). "Interview by Pamela Wallin with Minister of Transport Benoit Bouchard". Question Period. CTV News.
- "Appointments to the Order of Canada". Governor General of Canada. 20 September 2017.
- "Commissioners of the International Joint Commission". International Joint Commission. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- Benoît Bouchard – Parliament of Canada biography
- Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Complete List of Posts Archived 5 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byClaude Talbot Charland | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France 1993–1996 |
Succeeded byJacques Silva Roy |
| Ministers of transport | |
|---|---|
| Ministers of Railways and Canals (1879–1936) | |
| Ministers of Marine (1930–36) | |
| Ministers of Transport (1936–2006) | |
| Ministers of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (2006–15) | |
| Ministers of Transport (2015–present) | |
| The offices of Minister of Marine and Minister of Railways and Canals were abolished and the office of Minister of Transport was created in 1936 | |
| Secretaries of state for Canada | |
|---|---|
| |
| The department was eliminated in 1993 when the government was reorganized. The position of Secretary of State for Canada was not legally eliminated until 1996 when its remaining responsibilities were assigned to other cabinet positions and departments, particularly the newly created position of Minister of Canadian Heritage. |
| Ministers of employment and immigration | |
|---|---|
| The office of Minister of Employment and Immigration, and Minister of Labour were abolished and the office of Minister of Human Resources Development came in force July 12, 1996. |
| Ministers of communications | |
|---|---|
| The offices of Minister of Communications, and Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship were abolished and the office of Minister of Canadian Heritage came in force July 12, 1996. |
| Ministers of health | |
|---|---|
| Ministers of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment (1918–28) | |
| Ministers of Pensions and National Health (1928–44) | |
| Ministers of Health and Welfare Canada (1944–96) | |
| Ministers of Health (1996–) | |
| The portfolio was divided to create the posts of Minister of National Health and Welfare and Minister of Veterans Affairs. | |
- 1940 births
- Ambassadors of Canada to France
- Ministers of transport of Canada
- Living people
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec
- Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
- People from Roberval, Quebec
- Progressive Conservative Party of Canada MPs
- Ministers of health and welfare of Canada
- Members of the Order of Canada
- Members of the 24th Canadian Ministry
- 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada