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In a May 2011 television interview (see [http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/05/mulcair-transcript.html transcript]), Mulcair was asked by [[Evan Solomon]] of the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]], "Should the U.S. release pictures of Osama bin Laden as many are demanding? What would you say?"
In a May 2011 television interview (see [http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/05/mulcair-transcript.html transcript]), Mulcair was asked by [[Evan Solomon]] of the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]], "Should the U.S. release pictures of Osama bin Laden as many are demanding? What would you say?"
Mulcair answered “I don’t think from what I’ve heard that those pictures exist, and if they do I’ll leave that up to the American military.”<ref>Transcript: [http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/05/mulcair-transcript.html Mulcair on Osama bin Laden], CBC</ref> Mulcair's answer was widely interpreted as intended to cast doubt on the existence of photos of bin Laden's corpse.<ref name="CBC">{{cite news|last=Payton|first=Laura|title=NDP deputy leader doubts bin Laden photos exist|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/05/04/pol-mulcair-osama.html|newspaper=CBC|date=04-05-11}}</ref><ref name="GM">{{cite news|last=Ibbitson|first=John|title=NDP’s deputy leader doubts existence of bin Laden photos|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndps-deputy-leader-doubts-existence-of-bin-laden-photos/article2010535/|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=04-05-11}}</ref> The remarks were picked up by [[Media of the United States|American media outlets]]<ref name="NP">{{cite news|last=Kaszor|first=Daniel|title=NDP MP Thomas Mulcair questions bin Laden pictures|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/04/ndp-mp-thomas-mulcair-questions-bin-laden-kill/|newspaper=National Post|date=04-05-11}}</ref> and criticized by [[Politics of Canada|Canadian politicians]].<ref name="TOStar">{{cite news|last=Press|first=The Canadian|title=Conspiracy theory: NDP deputy leader Mulcair doubts U.S. has bin Laden photos|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/985972--conspiracy-theory-ndp-deputy-leader-mulcair-doubts-u-s-has-bin-laden-photos|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=04-05-11}}</ref> <ref name="CBC"/><ref name="GM"/><ref name="NP"/> Mulcair later clarified that he had actually been referring to the question of whether any pictures exist showing bin Laden reaching for a gun before he was killed.<ref name="TSTAREXPLAIN"/> He added that he never doubted American forces had killed bin Laden nor that the U.S. had photographs proving bin Laden was dead.<ref> Transcript: [http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/05/mulcair-explains.html Mulcair explains], CBC</ref><ref name="TSTAREXPLAIN">[http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/986478--mp-mulcair-explains-skepticism-over-bin-laden-photos?bn=1 MP Mulcair explains skepticism over bin Laden photos]</ref>
Mulcair answered “I don’t think from what I’ve heard that those pictures exist, and if they do I’ll leave that up to the American military.”<ref>Transcript: [http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/05/mulcair-transcript.html Mulcair on Osama bin Laden], CBC</ref> Mulcair's answer was widely interpreted as intended to cast doubt on the existence of photos of bin Laden's corpse.<ref name="CBC">{{cite news|last=Payton|first=Laura|title=NDP deputy leader doubts bin Laden photos exist|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/05/04/pol-mulcair-osama.html|newspaper=CBC|date=04-05-11}}</ref><ref name="GM">{{cite news|last=Ibbitson|first=John|title=NDP’s deputy leader doubts existence of bin Laden photos|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndps-deputy-leader-doubts-existence-of-bin-laden-photos/article2010535/|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=04-05-11}}</ref> The remarks were picked up by [[Media of the United States|American media outlets]]<ref name="NP">{{cite news|last=Kaszor|first=Daniel|title=NDP MP Thomas Mulcair questions bin Laden pictures|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/04/ndp-mp-thomas-mulcair-questions-bin-laden-kill/|newspaper=National Post|date=04-05-11}}</ref> and criticized by [[Politics of Canada|Canadian politicians]].<ref name="TOStar">{{cite news|last=Press|first=The Canadian|title=Conspiracy theory: NDP deputy leader Mulcair doubts U.S. has bin Laden photos|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/985972--conspiracy-theory-ndp-deputy-leader-mulcair-doubts-u-s-has-bin-laden-photos|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=04-05-11}}</ref>{{fv}} <ref name="CBC"/>{{fv}}<ref name="GM"/>{{fv}}<ref name="NP"/>{{fv}} Mulcair later clarified that he had actually been referring to the question of whether any pictures exist showing bin Laden reaching for a gun before he was killed.<ref name="TSTAREXPLAIN"/> He added that he never doubted American forces had killed bin Laden nor that the U.S. had photographs proving bin Laden was dead.<ref> Transcript: [http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/05/mulcair-explains.html Mulcair explains], CBC</ref><ref name="TSTAREXPLAIN">[http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/986478--mp-mulcair-explains-skepticism-over-bin-laden-photos?bn=1 MP Mulcair explains skepticism over bin Laden photos]</ref>


==Personal==
==Personal==

Revision as of 00:07, 11 May 2011

Thomas J. Mulcair

MP
Member of Parliament
for Outremont
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 17, 2007
Preceded byJean Lapierre
MNA for Chomedey
In office
1994–2007
Preceded byLise Bacon
Succeeded byGuy Ouellette
Quebec Minister of the Environment
In office
2003–2006
Preceded byAndré Boisclair
Succeeded byClaude Béchard
Personal details
Born (1954-10-24) October 24, 1954 (age 70)
Ottawa, Ontario
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseCatherine Pinhas
Residence(s)Montreal, Quebec
ProfessionAttorney

Thomas J. Mulcair (born October 24, 1954, Ottawa, Ontario) is the Member of Parliament for Outremont, Quebec, Canada. He was the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Chomedey in Laval from 1994 to 2007. He served as the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks from 2003 until 2006. Elected MP for Outremont in a by-election in 2007, he was named Deputy Leader of the New Democratic Party, jointly with Libby Davies.

Early career

Mulcair was born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital to an Irish Canadian father and a Francophone mother. He grew up in Wrightville district in (Hull, now Gatineau). He decided to move to Montreal. Mulcair graduated from McGill University in 1977 with degrees in common law and civil law. He was named to the Bar of Quebec in 1979, and has taught law courses to non-law students at Concordia University (1984), at the Saint Lawrence Campus of Champlain Regional College in Sainte-Foy, and at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

Before becoming a politician, Mulcair acted as a lawyer in Quebec's Ministry of Justice; Commissioner of the Appeals Committee on the Language of Instruction (1986); worked for Alliance Quebec during its moderate phase in the early 1980s; was President of l'Office des professions du Québec (1987 to 1993) and as a board member of the Conseil de la langue française.

Politics

Provincial politics

He first entered the National Assembly in the 1994 election, winning the riding of Chomedey. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003. When the Quebec Liberal Party formed a provincial government in 2003, Premier of Quebec Jean Charest named Mulcair Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks. During his tenure he was a supporter of the Kyoto Protocol.

On November 25, 2004, Mulcair launched Quebec's Sustainable Development Plan and tabled a draft bill on sustainable development. Also included was a proposed amendment to the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to create a new right, the right to live in a healthy environment that respects biodiversity, in accordance with the guidelines and standards set out in the Act.[2] Mulcair's Sustainable Development Plan was based on the successful European model and was described as one of the most avant-garde in North America.[3] Mulcair followed the proposal by embarking on a 21-city public consultation tour and the Act was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly in April 2006.

Accomplishments related to infrastructure included the completion of Autoroute 30 between Vaudreuil and Brossard, Autoroute 50 between Gatineau and Lachute, the widening of Route 175 between Stoneham and Saguenay, the widening of Route 185 from Rivière-du-Loup and New Brunswick and the introduction of a toll bridge which would complete Autoroute 25 between Montreal and Laval [4] despite some public opposition by environmental groups.


During a Cabinet shuffle, Charest offered Mulcair the position of Minister of Government Services and Mulcair chose to resign from cabinet rather than accept the demotion.[5] There was speculation that his contrary opinion on the Mont Orford project lead to his removal as Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.[6]


On February 20, 2007, he announced that he would not be a Liberal candidate in the 2007 Quebec general election.[7]

Federal politics

On Friday April 20, 2007, Mulcair confirmed that he would be running for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the next federal election.[8][9] His presence in the front row during a speech in Montreal by NDP Leader Jack Layton in March 2007, had already led to speculations to that effect. [10] He had previously given a speech at the Federal NDP Convention in Quebec City in September 2006. Mulcair admits that he also had considered offers from other federal parties.

However, he claims that he declined joining the Conservatives, because they have shown no interest in becoming more pro-active about the environment or respecting the Kyoto Protocol. [11] Mulcair also became Layton's Quebec lieutenant.

On June 21, 2007, in an uncontested nomination, Mulcair became the NDP's candidate in the riding of Outremont for a by-election on September 17. Mulcair won the byelection, defeating Liberal candidate Jocelyn Coulon 48% to 29%; the seat had been a Liberal stronghold since 1935. Jean Lapierre suggested that Mulcair was likely aided by defecting Bloc supporters (the Bloc candidate had finished second in the 2006 federal election). In addition, Coulon's writings were condemned by B'nai Brith Canada, and the local Jewish community in Outremont makes up 10% of the riding demographics. [12][13] The Conservatives focused their attacks on the leadership skills of Stéphane Dion, and there were allegations that Michael Ignatieff's supporters tried to sabotage the race for the Liberals to undermine Dion's leadership.[14][15][16]

Mulcair is only the second NDP Member of Parliament ever elected from Quebec, following Phil Edmonston in 1990 (one previous MP, Robert Toupin of Terrebonne, had crossed the floor to the NDP in 1986). Mulcair is also only the second non-Liberal ever to win Outremont, following Jean-Pierre Hogue in 1988.

He and colleague Libby Davies were jointly appointed deputy leaders of the party. [17] Mulcair was sworn in on October 12, 2007. [18]

On October 14, 2008, Thomas Mulcair was re-elected the Member of Parliament for Outremont, making him the first New Democrat to win a riding in Quebec during a federal general election. He defeated the federal Liberal candidate, Sébastien Dhavernas, by 14,348 votes to 12,005 (a margin of 6.4%). [19]

Despite facing a strong challenge from Liberal Martin Cauchon, a former federal justice minuster, Mulcair was re-elected once more with 56.4% of the popular vote, 21,916 to 9,204.

May 2011 interview controversy

In a May 2011 television interview (see transcript), Mulcair was asked by Evan Solomon of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, "Should the U.S. release pictures of Osama bin Laden as many are demanding? What would you say?" Mulcair answered “I don’t think from what I’ve heard that those pictures exist, and if they do I’ll leave that up to the American military.”[20] Mulcair's answer was widely interpreted as intended to cast doubt on the existence of photos of bin Laden's corpse.[21][22] The remarks were picked up by American media outlets[23] and criticized by Canadian politicians.[24][failed verification] [21][failed verification][22][failed verification][23][failed verification] Mulcair later clarified that he had actually been referring to the question of whether any pictures exist showing bin Laden reaching for a gun before he was killed.[25] He added that he never doubted American forces had killed bin Laden nor that the U.S. had photographs proving bin Laden was dead.[26][25]

Personal

Mulcair's family background is bilingual. His maternal great-grandfather was former Quebec Premier Honoré Mercier, to whom he compared himself when he announced his return to politics: "My great grandfather was Honoré Mercier, so what else could you expect from me." [27]

Family

Mulcair is married to Catherine Pinhas, a psychologist who was born in France to a Turkish-Jewish family.[28]

Her family reportedly descends from the Sephardi Jews expelled in 1492 from Spain, according to the Alhambra Decree. The couple has two sons.

Electoral record (partial)

Template:Canadian federal election, 2008/Electoral District/Outremont (electoral district)

Template:Canadian federal by-election, September 17, 2007/Electoral District/Outremont (electoral district)

References

  1. ^ http://www.utpress.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/cw2w3.cgi?p=moscovit&t=77205&d=1807
  2. ^ "Sustainable Development: Because Quality of Life Counts!, Press Release, November 25, 2004". Mddep.gouv.qc.ca. 2004-11-25. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  3. ^ "Ch13-10.indd" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-06-05. [dead link]
  4. ^ Meunier, Hugo, Prolongement de l'autoroute 25 : Les environnementalistes s'adressent à la Cour supérieure, La Presse, April 1, 2006, page A6
  5. ^ Gazette, The (2006-02-28). "Mulcair quits in a huff, The Gazette, February 28, 2006". Canada.com. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  6. ^ Corbeil, Michel, Mulcair règle ses comptes: Malgré ses flèches à Charest, il reste député Le Soleil, Quebec, March 7, 2006, page A1
  7. ^ "Mulcair will not be a Liberal candidate in the next election (press release distributed by Canada NewsWire), February 20, 2007". Newswire.ca. 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  8. ^ NDP recruits ex-Quebec environment minister Thomas Mulcair for next election, EarthEast, April 20, 2007
  9. ^ Mulcair sera candidat pour le NPD, La Presse, April 20, 2007
  10. ^ Mulcair courtisé par quatre partis fédéraux, La Presse, March 12, 2007
  11. ^ Liberal and NDP candidates speak out, The McGill Daily, September 13, 2007[dead link]
  12. ^ "Jocelyn Coulon est contesté par le B'nai Brith - LCN - National". Lcn.canoe.ca. 2007-07-23. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  13. ^ "B'nai Brith has many reasons to doubt Jocelyn Coulon". Vigile.net. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  14. ^ "Coup dur pour Stéphane Dion, ''Le Devoir'', September 18, 2007". Ledevoir.com. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  15. ^ "NDP grabs seat, Tories vindicated in byelections". Cbc.ca. 2007-09-18. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  16. ^ "National". globeandmail.com. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  17. ^ Mulcair monte en grade, Gilles Toupin, September 27, 2007
  18. ^ Mulcair assermenté comme nouveau député d'Outremont, La Presse, October 12, 2007
  19. ^ "Elections Canada - Electoral Districts". Enr.elections.ca. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
  20. ^ Transcript: Mulcair on Osama bin Laden, CBC
  21. ^ a b Payton, Laura (04-05-11). "NDP deputy leader doubts bin Laden photos exist". CBC. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ a b Ibbitson, John (04-05-11). "NDP's deputy leader doubts existence of bin Laden photos". Globe and Mail. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ a b Kaszor, Daniel (04-05-11). "NDP MP Thomas Mulcair questions bin Laden pictures". National Post. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ Press, The Canadian (04-05-11). "Conspiracy theory: NDP deputy leader Mulcair doubts U.S. has bin Laden photos". Toronto Star. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ a b MP Mulcair explains skepticism over bin Laden photos
  26. ^ Transcript: Mulcair explains, CBC
  27. ^ "Mulcair is back, Courrier Laval, 20 April 2007". Courrierlaval.com. 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  28. ^ "The Canadian Jewish News - 'Tribune Juive' fête les 60 ans d'Israël". Cjnews.com. 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2011-05-02.

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