Françoise Boivin

Infobox CanadianMP
honorific-prefix =
name = Françoise Boivin
honorific-suffix =
LL.B.,MP


riding = Gatineau
parliament = Canadian
term_start = June 28, 2004
term_end = January 23, 2006
predecessor = Mark Assad
predecessor = Richard Nadeau
birth_date = birth date and age|1960|06|11
birth_place = Hull, Québec
death_date =
death_place =
party = New Democrat, formerly Liberal
spouse =
profession = Lawyer
residence = Gatineau
religion =
footnotes =

Françoise Boivin (born June 11, 1960 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian politician. A former Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament, she will be running for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the next federal election in the riding of Gatineau. [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080225.wboivin0225/BNStory/National/home Former Liberal to run for NDP in Gatineau] , "Globe and Mail", February 25, 2008]

Studies, early career and involvement

Françoise Boivin has degrees in social sciences and civil law from the University of Ottawa.

Ms. Boivin has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1984. She began her legal career with Beaudry, Bertrand and subsequently co-founded the law firm Letellier & Associés. During this time, she also taught, and was in charge of the negotiation sector, at the Quebec Bar training school.

In September 1998, Ms. Boivin hosted a public affairs program on CJRC-1150. She was subsequently asked to host a number of other programs for CJRC-1150 and for Canal Vox. During the times of increasing price of gas, she made a daring move by asking her radio auditory to boycott Petro-Canada to push the country's national fuel company to decrease its prices.

In 2000, she set up her own firm where she works mainly in the area of labour law.

Very involved in her community, Ms. Boivin has participated in many fundraising activities to help agencies such as the Canadian Cancer Society, the Outaouais Alzheimer’s Society, and the Foundation for Heart Disease (Outaouais). She has also worked closely with various support and network agencies helping women and seniors.

Liberal politician

From 2004 to 2006, Boivin was a member of the Canadian House of Commons and leader of the Liberal Party Women's Caucus. She represented the district of Gatineau. She made a breakthrough in politics as newly-elected Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) by being one of the first to openly oppose the US missile defence system, a point of view that ultimately became the official position of Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Françoise Boivin was also chosen to be the official seconder to the 2004 Speech from the Throne in October of that year. She was a member of the Committee on Bill C-38 to provide legal recognition of same-sex marriage, which she supported. In Parliament, she was a member of the Subcommittee on Parliamentary Privilege and the Liberal Committee on Cities and Communities. She was also part of the Standing Committee on Official Languages and the Standing Committee on Finance.

She was named "Rookie of the Year" by Susan Delacourt of the "Toronto Star", and was one of the rare MPs to have never missed a vote in the House of Commons. As a member of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs which studied the topic of Electoral Reform, on May 17, 2005, when Ed Broadbent proposed a detailed resolution that the government launch a process of electoral reform, she immediately stated that she fully concurred with his resolution, which formed the basis for the Committee's Report the next month.

Boivin was defeated by Bloc candidate Richard Nadeau during the January 23, 2006 federal election. She remained active within the Liberal Party, backing Michael Ignatieff during the 2006 Liberal Party leadership campaign and as media specialist for the Liberal Women's Commission (Quebec).

Jump to the NDP

On February 25, 2008, Boivin announced that she would seek the nomination to represent the NDP in Gatineau, citing the refusal of the Liberal Party of Canada to bring down the Harper government as one of her main motivations for switching parties. She was subsequently named official candidate on June 18, 2008.

Currently

Françoise Boivin is currently practising labour law at her own law firm and remains strongly involved in Outaouais community activities and associations. She was an advisory member of the committee for the President of the Women's Business Network (RÉFAP) and is a guest speaker to the Public Service Commission Management School. She appears weekly on the public scene as host of 'La Vérité Choc' with Professor Roger Blanchette on Canal Vox and in addition, frequently as a news commentator on the 'Denis Lévesque' broadcast on LCN and TVA.

Quotes about missile defence

"What I am saying is that nobody can tell you in a very direct fashion what it stands for, what it is going to cost, how useful it's going to be," the outspoken labour lawyer said in an interview.

"So who in their right mind would go and vote for such a thing? It makes no sense."-"Toronto Star", August 23, 2004

References

External links

* [http://www.francoiseboivin.com Boivin's website]