François Bonnardel MNA (born November 8, 1967) is a Canadian politician. He is a member of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada, for the riding of Granby.[1] He previously represented the now-defunct Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) party, but now represents the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), following the merger of the ADQ with the CAQ. On October 18, 2018, he was appointed as Minister of Transport in Quebec Premier Francois Legault's cabinet.[2] Following the CAQ re-election in 2022 election, he was appointed as Minister of Public Security.

François Bonnardel
Bonnardel in 2015
Quebec Minister of Public Security
Assumed office
October 20, 2022
Preceded byGeneviève Guilbault
Quebec Minister of Transport
In office
October 18, 2018 – October 20, 2022
PremierFrancois Legault
Preceded byAndré Fortin
Succeeded byGeneviève Guilbault
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Granby
Assumed office
September 4, 2012
Preceded byRiding established
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Shefford
In office
March 26, 2007 – September 3, 2012
Preceded byBernard Brodeur
Succeeded byRiding dissolved
Personal details
Born (1967-11-08) November 8, 1967 (age 57)
Verdun, Quebec, Canada
Political partyCoalition Avenir Québec (since 2012)
Other political
affiliations
ADQ (2007-2012)

Political career

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Bonnardel was first elected in the riding of Shefford in the 2007 election with 42% of the vote after a late surge vaulted the ADQ to Official Opposition status. Liberal incumbent Bernard Brodeur finished second with 28% of the vote.

On March 29, 2007, Bonnardel was appointed Opposition House Whip.[3][4]

Bonnardel was considered a potential candidate in the 2009 ADQ leadership race, but ultimately endorsed, and became a campaign chair for, Gilles Taillon.[5] Taillon won the leadership, but as he was not a sitting MNA, Bonnardel served as the party's leader in the National Assembly.

On January 23, 2012, he was named a member of the Coalition Avenir Québec party executive.[6]

Due to riding redistribution, the riding of Shefford was split, and Bonnardel was elected in the new riding of Granby in the 2012 election. In the 2014 election, Bonnardel won his riding with a larger majority than any other CAQ candidate (10,881 votes over the second-place candidate, Joanne Lalumière of the Parti québécois). In April 2014, he was appointed CAQ House Leader.[7][8]

Personal life

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Bonnardel was born in Verdun, Quebec. Bonnardel's father was born in Marseille, France. His mother is from Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec.[9]

After studies at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean and the Cégep du Vieux Montréal in sciences, Bonnardel was a clerk for personal and business finances and was also a manager and owner of local auto part companies in Granby.[1] He was also a member of the Brome-Missisquoi and Haute-Yamaska Chamber of Commerces in the Eastern Townships region and an organization committee member for the Canadian Red Cross (Quebec Division).[1]

On April 23, 2009, Bonnardel and Nathalie Normandeau, the Deputy Premier of Quebec and a member of the Liberal government, announced that they were dating.[10] The unusual relationship, between a government minister and one of the government's opposition critics, ended in 2010.[11]

Electoral record

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2022 Quebec general election: Granby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Avenir Québec François Bonnardel 21,515 58.19 -4.19
Québec solidaire Anne-Sophie Legault 5,282 14.29 +0.26
Parti Québécois Guy Bouthillier 4,378 11.84 +2.19
Conservative Stéphane Bernier 3,737 10.11 +9.12
Liberal Penny Lamarre 1,758 4.76 -9.27
Green Andrzej Wisniowski 263 0.71 -0.76
Équipe Autonomiste Jimmy Paquin 38 0.10
Total valid votes 36,971 98.78
Total rejected ballots 458 1.22
Turnout 37,429 68.14
Electors on the lists 54,933
2018 Quebec general election: Granby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Avenir Québec François Bonnardel 22,570 62.38 +9.34
Québec solidaire Anne-Sophie Legault 5,075 14.03 +9.53
Liberal Lyne Laverdure 3,881 10.73 -8.45
Parti Québécois Chantal Beauchemin 3,491 9.65 -12.3
Green Daphné Poulin 531 1.47
Conservative Pierre Bélanger 358 0.99
Parti nul Stéphane Deschamps 158 0.44 -0.37
Bloc Pot Kevin Robidas 119 0.33
Total valid votes 36,183 98.78
Total rejected ballots 448 1.22
Turnout 36,631 69.82 +0.31
Eligible voters 52,468
Coalition Avenir Québec hold Swing -0.095
Source(s)
"Rapport des résultats officiels du scrutin". Élections Québec.
2014 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Coalition Avenir Québec François Bonnardel 18,441 53.04
Parti Québécois Joanne Lalumière 7,630 21.95
Liberal Pascal Proulx 6,669 19.18
Québec solidaire André Beauregard 1,565 4.50
Parti nul Stéphane Deschamps 281 0.81
Option nationale Jocelyn Beaudoin 179 0.51
Total valid votes 34,765 98.75
Total rejected ballots 440 1.25
Turnout 35,205 69.51
Electors on the lists 50,650
2012 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Coalition Avenir Québec François Bonnardel 19,517 52.14
Parti Québécois Luc Perron 8,502 22.71
Liberal Guy Gaudord 6,051 16.17
Québec solidaire Éric Bédard 2,121 5.67
Option nationale Jocelyn Beaudoin 477 1.27
Conservative Stéphane Gagné 368 0.98
Parti nul Stéphane Deschamps 261 0.70
Coalition pour la constituante Francine St-Onge 135 0.36
Total valid votes 37,432 98.76
Total rejected ballots 471 1.24
Turnout 37,903 76.13
Electors on the lists 49,786
2008 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Action démocratique François Bonnardel 11,271 34.63
  Liberal Jean-Claude Tremblay 11,201 34.42
Parti Québécois Jean-François Arseneault 8,019 24.64
Québec solidaire Ginette Moreau 1,085 3.33
Green Martin Giard 789 2.42
  Independent Lucie Piédalue 181 0.56

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c "François Bonnardel - National Assembly of Québec". www.assnat.qc.ca. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  2. ^ Inside the CAQ cabinet: François Legault names 13 women, 13 men. Montreal Gazette, October 18, 2018.
  3. ^ Dumont désigne ses lieutenants. Radio-Canada, March 29, 2007.
  4. ^ Dumont présente les membres de son équipe. Cyberpresse, March 29, 2007.
  5. ^ Dougherty, Kevin (April 21, 2009). "Support builds for ADQ's Taillon". The Gazette. Montreal, Quebec. p. A8. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Kevin Dougherty (January 23, 2012). "CAQ leader François Legault shows off party executive, 'ideal candidate'". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  7. ^ Lessard, Denis (April 18, 2014). "Les "officiers" de l'opposition: entre continuité et changement". La Presse. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  8. ^ "Granby". Directeur général des élections du Québec. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  9. ^ Ouvert le Samedi. Radio-Canada, March 31, 2007.
  10. ^ "Quebec deputy premier admits relationship with opposition member". cbc.ca, April 23, 2009.
  11. ^ Doucet, Dany (August 1, 2010). "Fin d'un amour périlleux". Le Journal de Montréal. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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Quebec provincial government of François Legault
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
André Fortin Minister of Transport
October 18, 2018–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Official Opposition House Whip
2007–2008
Succeeded by
Preceded by Coalition Avenir Québec House Leader
2014–present
Succeeded by