CPA activities: the Canadian scene.

New Speaker in Quebec

On Tuesday, March 12, 2002, the National Assembly elected a new Speaker, Louise Harel, by secret ballot.

Born in Sainte-Therese-de-Blainville on April 22, 1946, Louise Harel obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the Sainte-Therese Seminary in 1967 and then studied sociology at the University of Montreal, where she also received a degree in law in 1977. She was called to the Quebec Bar in 1979.

She was vice-president of the Quebec general students' union in 1968 and a staff member in the national secretariat of the Parti Quebecois from 1970 to 1971. From 1971 to 1974 she worked at the cooperatives service of the social development council of metropolitan Montreal, and from 1979 to 1981 she assumed responsibility for matters regarding the status of women at the Montreal social services centre.

Having been president of the Parti Quebecois riding association for Montreal Centre from 1974 to 1979, she served as national vice-president of the party from 1979 to 1981.

Elected as the Member for the riding of Maisonneuve in 1981, Mrs. Harel became chairman of the Committee on Labour and the Economy during the 1984 parliamentary reform. Later in 1984 she was appointed Minister of Cultural Communities and Immigration, and in 1985 she became the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Justice.

After her reelection as the Member for Maisonneuve on December 2, 1985, she was elected vice-chairman of the Committee on Culture.

Reelected for a third term of office in 1989 as the Member for the riding of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, she chaired the Committee on Education and acted as opposition critic for, in turn, manpower and income security, justice, and industry and trade. She was also designated as the Member responsible for the Montreal region within the Parti Quebecois caucus. During this same period she chaired the Parti Quebecois task force on Montreal and its region.

Reelected for a fourth time on September 12, 1994, Louise Harel became Minister of State for Concerted Action and Minister of Employment in the Parizeau government. In a Cabinet shuffle announced on November 3, 1995, she assumed in addition responsibility for the Ministry of Immigration and Cultural Communities.

On January 29, 1996, when Lucien Bouchard formed his new Cabinet, she became Minister of State for Employment and Solidarity, Minister of Income Security, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and Minister responsible for Independent Community Action.

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