Nicole Léger

Nicole Léger
Nicole Léger (right) with then-Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair
MNA for Pointe-aux-Trembles
Incumbent
Assumed office May 12, 2008
Preceded by	André Boisclair
In office 1996–2006
Preceded by	Michel Bourdon
Succeeded by	André Boisclair
Incumbent
Assumed office May 12, 2008
Preceded by	André Boisclair
Personal details
Born	March 12, 1955 Montreal, Quebec
Political party	Parti Québécois
Cabinet	Chief Whip of the Official Opposition

Nicole Léger (born March 12, 1955 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian politician and the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec (MNA) for the riding of Pointe-aux-Trembles from 1996 to 2006 and recently elected back as member of the Parti Québécois in a by-election on May 12, 2008.

Background

She was born on March 12, 1955 in Montreal, Quebec and is the daughter of former Parti Québécois MNA Marcel Léger and the sister of Jean-Marc Léger, president of Léger Marketing. She made career in education and served in various executive positions in the Parti Québécois (PQ) from 1970 to 1996.

Member of the National Assembly

Following the death of MNA Michel Bourdon, Léger ran as a PQ candidate to fill his seat of Pointe-aux-Trembles. She easily won the by-election with 47% of the vote and was re-elected in the 1998 election.

Cabinet Member

Léger was appointed to the Cabinet in 1998 and served as Minister responsible for Family Services until 2001 and as Minister responsible for the War against Poverty from 2001 to 2003.

Retirement from politics

She won re-election in the 2003 election, but her party was defeated by Jean Charest's Liberals.

In the Parti Québécois leadership election of 2005 she was a staunch supporter of Pauline Marois over André Boisclair.

In the aftermath of Boisclair's victory as leader, both Marois and Léger vacated their seats and left politics. André Boisclair won a by-election and succeeded Nicole Léger as the MNA for Pointe-aux-Trembles.

Political comeback

Even though Boisclair won re-election to the legislature in the 2007 election, the PQ had one of the worst showings in history. Boisclair resigned as party leader and relinquished his seat.

Léger won the seat back on May 12, 2008: she received 55% of the vote in a by-election and finished ahead of candidates Mélissa Dumais of the Liberal Party and Diane Bellemare of the ADQ.^[1][2]

Electoral record (partial)

Quebec general election, 2003: Pointe-aux-Trembles
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Parti Québécois	Nicole Léger	14,261	50.19
	Liberal	Daniel Fournier	9,427	33.18
	Action démocratique	André Cordeau	4,050	14.25
	Green	Xavier Daxhelet	457	1.61
	Christian Democracy	Julien Ferron	137	0.48
	Marxist–Leninist	Geneviève Royer	80	0.28
Total valid votes			28,412	100.00
Rejected and declined votes			487
Turnout			28,899	72.30
Electors on the lists			39,971
Source: Official Results, Le Directeur général des élections du Québec.

Quebec provincial by-election, May 12, 2008: Pointe-aux-Trembles
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Parti Québécois	Nicole Léger	7,657	55.99	+8.69
	Liberal	Mélissa Dumais	2,987	21.84	+3.60
	Action démocratique	Diane Bellemare	1,882	13.76	−12.69
	Green	Xavier Daxhelet	661	4.83	+0.52
	Québec solidaire	Marie Josèphe Pigeon	226	1.65	−0.97
	Parti indépendantiste	Colette Provost	153	1.12	–
	Independent	Gérald Briand	78	0.57
	Independent	Régent Millette	31	0.23
Total valid votes			13,675	100.00
Rejected and declined votes			146
Turnout			13,821	34.13	−38.79
Electors on the lists			40,496

Footnotes

1. Les favoris élus, Radio-Canada, May 12, 2008
2. L'ADQ s'effondre trois fois, Tommy Chouinard, La Presse, May 12, 2008

References

• "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.