Jean-François Fortin (politician)

Jean-François Fortin
Leader of Strength in Democracy
In office October 21, 2014 – January 3, 2016
Preceded by	position creation
Member of the Canadian Parliament
Member of Parliament for Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
In office May 30, 2011 – October 19, 2015
Preceded by	Jean-Yves Roy
Succeeded by	Rémi Massé for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
Leader of the Bloc Québécois in the House of Commons (Interim)
In office February 26, 2014 – August 12, 2014
Preceded by	André Bellavance
Succeeded by	Louis Plamondon
Personal details
Born	September 12, 1973
Political party	Strength in Democracy
Other political affiliations	Independent (2014) Bloc Québécois (2011-2014)
Profession	Professor

Jean-François Fortin (born September 12, 1973) is a Canadian politician. He was elected to represent the riding of Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia in the 2011 federal election as a member of the Bloc Québécois, and was chosen interim parliamentary leader of the Bloc on February 26, 2014.^[1]

On August 12, 2014, Fortin quit the party to sit as an independent, saying that the Bloc Québécois he had joined no longer exists and that new party leader Mario Beaulieu had destroyed its credibility.^[2]

On October 21, 2014, Fortin, along with Jean-François Larose, the NDP MP for Repentigny, announced that they were forming Strength in Democracy, a new Quebec-centred political party dedicated to representing the province's regions.^[3] In the 2015 federal election he ran for the new riding of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia and lost to Liberal Rémi Massé.

Early life

Prior to being elected to parliament, Fortin was a professor of political science at Cégep de Rimouski from 2001 until 2011. He was also elected as a city councillor in Sainte-Flavie in 2003 and served a term as mayor from 2006 until 2009.

Political career

Fortin was one of only four Bloc Québécois MPs elected in the 2011 federal election which saw the party's caucus reduced from 47 to 4 and was the only non-incumbent Bloc candidate to win election. He won the seat of Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, which had been vacated by fellow Bloc Québécois politician Jean-Yves Roy who resigned from Parliament in late 2010 because of ill health.

On September 17, 2011, Fortin declared his candidacy in the Bloc Québécois leadership election that was held to choose a successor to Gilles Duceppe.^[4] He was defeated on the first ballot on December 11, 2011.^[5]

Fortin considered running in the 2014 party leadership election but decided to back André Bellavance. On August 12, 2014, almost two months after Mario Beaulieu's upset victory, Fortin quit the Bloc Quebecois to sit as an Independent accusing Beaulieu of "pushing a unidimensional, intransigent agenda that lacks rigour has put an end to the credibility established by (former leaders) Gilles Duceppe and followed up by Daniel Paillé, two leaders who merit great respect." He continued, saying that "Beaulieu is dividing sovereignists instead of uniting them.”^[6] In October, Fortin and another MP announced the formation of the Strength in Democracy party, which sat in the Canadian legislature with Fortin as leader.

In the 2015 federal election Fortin ran for the redistributed riding of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia under the Strength In Democracy banner. He lost to Liberal Rémi Massé, coming in fourth.

Election results

Canadian federal election, 2015: Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Rémi Massé	14,378	39.55	+16.34	–
	Bloc Québécois	Kédina Fleury-Samson	7,641	21.02	-13.47	–
	New Democratic	Joël Charest	7,340	20.19	-6.44	–
	Strength in Democracy	Jean-François Fortin	4,229	11.63	–	–
	Conservative	André Savoie	2,228	6.13	-7.03	–
	Green	Sherri Springle	365	1.0	-1.51	–
	Rhinoceros	Éric Normand	175	0.48	–	–
Total valid votes/Expense limit			36,356	100.0		$209,302.73
Total rejected ballots			416	–	–
Turnout			36,772	–	–
Eligible voters			60,801
Source: Elections Canada[7][8]

Canadian federal election, 2011: Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Bloc Québécois	Jean-François Fortin	12,633	36.05	-1.48	$83,313.68
	Liberal	Nancy Charest	8,964	25.58	-10.02	$57,826.03
	New Democratic	Joanie Boulet	7,484	21.36	+16.67	$24.16
	Conservative	Allen Cormier	5,253	14.99	-3.08	$52,135.20
	Green	Louis Drainville	707	2.02	-1.55	$3,418.82
Total valid votes/Expense limit			35,041	100.0		$86,709.81
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			393	1.11	+0.07
Turnout			35,434	59.81	+5.43
Eligible voters			59,397
	Bloc Québécois hold		Swing		+4.27
Sources:[9][10]

References

1. http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Pages/PartyOfficersExecutives.aspx
2. "Jean-Francois Fortin quits Bloc, says party no longer exists under new leader". CBC News. August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
3. "Jean-François Fortin fonde un nouveau parti à Ottawa". Radio-Canada. October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
4. "Bloc Quebec leadership race kicks off". CTV News. September 17, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
5. "Daniel Paille new leader of Bloc Quebecois". CBC News, December 11, 2011.
6. "Bloc Québécois MP quits, cites issues with new party leader" (Montreal Gazette). August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
7. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, 30 September 2015
8. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
9. Elections Canada – Official voting results, Forty-first general election, 2011
10. Elections Canada – Candidate's electoral campaign return, 41st general election

External links

• Jean-François Fortin – Parliament of Canada biography