Réal Charest is a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He served on the Montreal city council from 1986 to 1994 as a member of the Montreal Citizens' Movement (MCM).
Early life and career
editCharest is a life insurance underwriter in private life. He has also served as a caisse populaire administrator, the vice-president of a mental-illness research foundation, and an administrator of a seniors' residence.[1]
He was initially a prominent supporter of Jean Drapeau's Civic Party of Montreal, serving as chief organizer for its candidate in the Marie-Victorin ward for two elections during Drapeau's tenure as mayor. His decision to leave the Civic Party in 1986 and join the MCM came as a surprise to many. Charest has said that Drapeau "didn't say a word for eight to 10 seconds on the phone when I told him," adding, "and that's something, coming from the mayor."[2]
City councillor
editCharest was elected for the Marie-Victorin ward in the 1986 municipal election, in which the MCM won a landslide victory.[3] He was re-elected to a second term in the 1990 municipal election, which the MCM also won. During his time on council, he served as a backbench supporter of Jean Doré's administration. He did not seek re-election in 1994.
In 1991, Charest was one of twelve MCM councillors to align with the group Mouvement Québec, which called for a referendum on Quebec sovereignty.[4]
Charest sought to return to council in a 2006 by-election in Marie-Victorin, running as a Vision Montreal candidate. He finished third against Carle Bernier-Genest of the Montreal Island Citizens Union (MICU).[5]
Electoral record
edit| Montreal municipal by-election, 24 September 2006: Councillor, Marie-Victorin | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| Montreal Island Citizens Union | Carle Bernier-Genest | 2,035 | 38.58 | |||||
| Projet Montréal | Kettly Beauregard | 1,704 | 32.30 | |||||
| Vision Montreal | Réal Charest | 1,220 | 23.13 | |||||
| Independent | Nicole Thibault | 316 | 5.99 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 5,275 | 100 | ||||||
| Source: Official Results (in French), City of Montreal. | ||||||||
| 1990 Montreal municipal election: Councillor, Marie-Victorin | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| Montreal Citizens' Movement | Réal Charest (incumbent) | 2,877 | 50.08 | |||||
| Civic Party of Montreal | Paul L'Abbee | 1,820 | 31.68 | |||||
| Municipal Party | Diane Phaneuf | 762 | 13.26 | |||||
| Ecology Montreal | Anna Daugulis | 286 | 4.98 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 5,745 | 100 | ||||||
| Source: Election results, 1833-2005 (in French), City of Montreal. | ||||||||
| 1986 Montreal municipal election: Councillor, Marie-Victorin | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| Montreal Citizens' Movement | Réal Charest | 4,524 | 61.10 | |||||
| Civic Party of Montreal | François Delorme | 2,880 | 38.90 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 7,404 | 100 | ||||||
| Source: Election results, 1833-2005 (in French), City of Montreal. | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ Robert Winters, "Who is who in the new MCM administration; MCM backbenchers will demand more say in decision-making than Drapeau-era councillors," Montreal Gazette, 15 November 1986, A4.
- ^ Ingrid Peritz, "City pays for Civic Party boost," Montreal Gazette, 11 October 1986, A3.
- ^ Robert Winters, "Who is who in the new MCM administration; MCM backbenchers will demand more say in decision-making than Drapeau-era councillors," Montreal Gazette, 15 November 1986, A4.
- ^ "12 MCM councillors back sovereignty group," Montreal Gazette, 20 June 1991, A3.
- ^ Max Harrold, "East-end voters switch allegiance: Mayor's party candidate wins district," Montreal Gazette, 25 September 2006, A6.