Réal Charest

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

Charest 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

Charest 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

Montreal municipal by-election results, 24 September 2006: Councillor, Marie-Victorin Party Candidate Total votes % of total 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 results: Councillor, Marie-Victorin Party Candidate Total votes % of total 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 results: Councillor, Marie-Victorin Party Candidate Total votes % of total 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

1. 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.
2. Ingrid Peritz, "City pays for Civic Party boost," Montreal Gazette, 11 October 1986, A3.
3. 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.
4. "12 MCM councillors back sovereignty group," Montreal Gazette, 20 June 1991, A3.
5. Max Harrold, "East-end voters switch allegiance: Mayor's party candidate wins district," Montreal Gazette, 25 September 2006, A6.