Pierre-Luc Dusseault

Pierre-Luc Dusseault
MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Sherbrooke
Assumed office
May 2, 2011
Preceded by Serge Cardin
Chairman of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
In office
April 24, 2012 – August 2, 2015
Minister Peter Penashue
Denis Lebel
Preceded by Jean Crowder
Succeeded by Blaine Calkins
Chair of the Standing Committee on
Government Operations & Estimates
In office
October 24, 2013 – February 4, 2015
Minister Diane Finley
Preceded by Pat Martin
Succeeded by Pat Martin
Personal details
Born (1991-05-31) May 31, 1991
Granby, Quebec
Political party New Democratic Party
Spouse(s) Joanie Boulet (2013-present) [1]
Residence Sherbrooke, Quebec
Profession Student

Pierre-Luc Dusseault (born May 31, 1991) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election at the age of 19, becoming the youngest Member of Parliament in the country's history.[2] He was sworn into office two days after his 20th birthday.

Early life and education

Born in Granby, Quebec, and educated in Magog, Dusseault, is the son of a daycare administrator and a customer service manager.[2] He received a DEC diploma in social studies from Cégep de Sherbrooke.[3][4]

Dusseault was a first-year student studying applied politics at the Université de Sherbrooke at the time of his election as an MP. He was the co-founder and president of the university's student NDP club, having joined the NDP in 2009. He has told the press he would like to finish the degree once his political career is over.[2]

2011 election

As a New Democratic Party candidate in the riding of Sherbrooke, Dusseault defeated the incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Serge Cardin (four decades Dusseault's elder), and was elected at the age of 19 years, 336 days, making him the youngest Canadian ever to be elected to the House of Commons, surpassing former Liberal Party MP Claude-André Lachance, who was aged 20 years, 94 days when elected in 1974.[2] Dusseault turned 20 two days before the 41st Parliament was sworn in.

He was elected in the same election as five McGill University students, fellow NDP MPs Charmaine Borg, Matthew Dubé, Mylène Freeman, Laurin Liu, and Jamie Nicholls, following the NDP's unexpected mid-campaign surge in Quebec.[5]

Dusseault voted for the first time in this election and had originally planned to work a summer job at a golf course but will serve in Parliament instead.[2] In parliament, he serves as the chair of the access to information, privacy and ethics committee.[6]

2015 election

Dusseault retained his seat at the 2015 general election, one of 17 NDP candidates elected in Quebec. He remained the youngest MP at the start of the 42nd Parliament.[7]

Quebec sovereignty

Three days after the election, Toronto radio host John Oakley conducted an interview with Dusseault, who drew himself into the debate on the Quebec sovereignty movement by stating, "Sovereignty will be done in Quebec. And Quebecers will decide if they want to be a country." He later clarified his remarks, saying that he was a federalist who respects sovereignty.[8][9]

Personal

Dusseault, a francophone, stated that he would like to improve his English language skills while in Parliament.[8]

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
New DemocraticPierre-Luc Dusseault 21,374 37.33 -5.64 –
LiberalTom Allen 17,071 29.81 +20.32 –
Bloc QuébécoisCaroline Bouchard 11,713 20.46 -15.51 –
ConservativeMarc Dauphin 5,391 9.42 +0.06 –
GreenSophie Malouin 1,143 1.20 -0.51 –
IndependentBenoit Huberdeau 303 0.53 – –
RhinocerosHubert Richard 262 0.46 +0.03 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 57,257100.0   $226,355.78
Total rejected ballots –––
Turnout –––
Eligible voters 86,809
New Democratic hold Swing -12.98
Source: Elections Canada[10][11]
Canadian federal election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
New DemocraticPierre-Luc Dusseault 22,344 42.97 +29.9
Bloc QuébécoisSerge Cardin 18,703 35.97 −14.1
LiberalÉric Deslauriers-Joannette 4,953 9.49 −10.0
ConservativePierre Harvey 4,865 9.36 −5.0
GreenJacques Laberge 890 1.71 N/A
RhinocerosCrédible Berlingot Landry 224 0.43 −0.5
Total valid votes/Expense limit 51.999100.0%
New Democratic gain from Bloc Québécois Swing +22.0

See also

References

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