Dominic LeBlanc

Dominic A. LeBlanc PC QC MP (born December 14, 1967), is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He has been the member of parliament for the New Brunswick riding of Beauséjour since 2000. From July 2018 to November 2019, he served as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern affairs and Internal Trade. LeBlanc is the son of former Member of Parliament, Senator and Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc.[1] He is currently the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

The Honourable

Dominic LeBlanc

PC QC MP
LeBlanc in 2017
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Assumed office
July 18, 2018
Preceded byKarina Gould
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern Affairs and Internal Trade
In office
July 18, 2018 – November 20, 2019
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded by
Succeeded byChrystia Freeland (Intergovernmental Affairs)
Dan Vandal (Northern Affairs)
50th Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
In office
May 31, 2016 – July 18, 2018
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byHunter Tootoo
Succeeded byJonathan Wilkinson
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
In office
November 4, 2015 – August 19, 2016
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byPeter Van Loan
Succeeded byBardish Chagger
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Beauséjour
Assumed office
November 27, 2000
Preceded byAngela Vautour
Personal details
Born (1967-12-14) December 14, 1967
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Jolène Richard
ResidenceMoncton, New Brunswick
ProfessionLawyer
WebsiteDominic LeBlanc

LeBlanc ran for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 2008 but dropped out of the race to endorse Michael Ignatieff, who was later acclaimed leader. With the resignation of Ignatieff after the 2011 federal election LeBlanc was considered a likely candidate in the race to succeed him as party leader, but did not run.[2][3]

On November 4, 2015, he was appointed the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On May 31, 2016, upon the resignation of Hunter Tootoo from the Ministry, LeBlanc also assumed the role of Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. On August 19, 2016, LeBlanc was replaced by Bardish Chagger as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.[4] On July 18, 2018, LeBlanc was shuffled from the role of Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to the role of Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern Affairs and Internal Trade.

Early life and education

LeBlanc was born in Ottawa, Ontario, to Roméo LeBlanc and Joslyn "Lyn" Carter. As a child, he baby-sat Justin, Alexandre, and Michel Trudeau, the children of then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. He has remained friends with Justin Trudeau, with whom he is currently serving with in the House of Commons, and endorsed his candidacy for Liberal leader in 2012.[3]

LeBlanc attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute for high school.[5] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Toronto (Trinity College), a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of New Brunswick, and then attended Harvard Law School, where he obtained his Master of Laws degree.

Prior to being elected to the House of Commons, LeBlanc was a Barrister and Solicitor with Clark Drummie in Shediac and Moncton. From 1993–1996, LeBlanc was a Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He is the son of the former Governor General of Canada, The Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, who had previously been the Member of Parliament for Westmorland-Kent from 1972 to 1984, and then a Senator from 1984 to 1994.[6]

LeBlanc is an Acadian.

Political career

LeBlanc is member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the House of Commons of Canada, representing the riding of Beauséjour in New Brunswick.

LeBlanc first ran in that riding in 1997,[7] losing to New Democratic Party candidate, Angela Vautour.[8] During that race there were accusations of political patronage as LeBlanc's father was the sitting viceroy, and there was criticism that the Governor General had a series of events planned in New Brunswick the very week that the Prime Minister dropped the election writs.[9][10][11][12]

In 2000 LeBlanc once again ran against Vautour, who had crossed the floor and was a Progressive Conservative, and was elected.[13] LeBlanc has been re-elected in the 2004 (where he faced Vautour for the third time), 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015 federal elections.

Chrétien and Martin governments

During the Liberal Party's time in power LeBlanc served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, from January 13, 2003, to December 11, 2003, and was the chair of the Atlantic Caucus.

On July 10, 2004, he was sworn-in as a Member of the Privy Council for Canada and appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Deputy Chief Government Whip. He has served on the Special Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs, and the Standing Committees on Fisheries and Oceans, Transport and Government Operations, National Defence and Veterans Affairs, and Public Accounts, Procedures and House Affairs, and International Trade.

In opposition

In January 2006, he was named Official Opposition critic for international trade and later that year he was co-chair of the 2006 Liberal Party leadership convention in Montreal. In January 2007, he was named by the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Vice Chair – Liberal Party of Canada Policy and Platform Committee and In October of that year, he was named Official Opposition critic for intergovernmental affairs. In January 2009, he was named by the Honourable Michael Ignatieff as the critic for justice and attorney general. Before the return of Parliament in September 2010, Ignatieff shuffled his Shadow Cabinet and appointed LeBlanc as the Liberal critic for national defence.[14] Following LeBlanc's re-election in the 2011 federal election, interim Liberal leader Bob Rae appointed LeBlanc as the Liberal Party's Foreign Affairs Critic.

2008 leadership bid
LeBlanc in 2009

On October 27, 2008, LeBlanc was the first candidate to officially announce his intention to seek the leadership of the Liberal party to replace Stéphane Dion. Former leadership candidates Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae came forward shortly after LeBlanc's announcement.[15] His supporters included top staffers in the prime minister's office under Jean Chrétien, such as his former chief of staff Percy Downe, and Tim Murphy, chief of staff under Paul Martin. Some senior organizers in Gerard Kennedy's 2006 leadership bid were also with LeBlanc.[16]

On December 8, 2008, LeBlanc announced he was dropping out of the leadership race because he felt a leader needed to be put in place as soon as possible and that he was throwing his support behind Ignatieff. The next day Rae dropped out of the race and Ignatieff was acclaimed leader when Dion stepped down.[17][18]

2011–2015

LeBlanc retained his seat in the 2011 election, while the Liberals dropped down to third place in the House of Commons.

Regarding the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party, LeBlanc, a prospective leadership candidate, puts it, the next leader needs to commit 10 to 15 years of his or her life "occupied exclusively" with rebuilding the Liberal party and winning elections.[19]

Trudeau government

On November 4, 2015, he was appointed the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons in the present Cabinet, headed by Justin Trudeau.[20] On May 31, 2016, upon the resignation of Hunter Tootoo from the Ministry, LeBlanc also became the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. His father had previously held the equivalent position under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.[21]

On August 19, 2016, Leblanc was replaced as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons by Bardish Chagger. He retained the post of Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.[4]

On July 18, 2018, Leblanc was shuffled from Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.[22]

On September 12, 2018, Canada's Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion found LeBlanc broke conflict of interest rules when he awarded a lucrative Arctic surf clam licence to a company linked to his wife's cousin in February 2018.[23]

Cabinet positions
29th Ministry – Cabinet of Justin Trudeau
Cabinet posts (3)
Predecessor Office Successor
Justin Trudeau Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern Affairs and Internal Trade
2018–present		 Incumbent
Hunter Tootoo Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
2016–2018		 Jonathan Wilkinson
Peter Van Loan Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
2015–2016		 Bardish Chagger

Electoral record
2019 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc24,94846.47−22.54
GreenLaura Reinsborough14,30526.65+22.16
ConservativeVincent Cormier9,43817.58+6.21
New DemocraticJean-Marc Bélanger3,9407.34−7.79
People'sNancy Mercier1,0541.96New
Total valid votes/Expense limit 53,685100.0   $101,392.80
Total rejected ballots 4750.88+0.28
Turnout 54,16077.99−2.49
Eligible voters 69,444
Liberal hold Swing −22.35
Source: Elections Canada[24][25]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc36,53469.02+28.33$77,614.48
New DemocraticHélène Boudreau8,00915.13–8.30$24,161.02
ConservativeAnn Bastarache6,01711.37–20.35–
GreenKevin King2,3764.49+0.32$1,009.07
Total valid votes/Expense limit 52,936100.00 $200,494.19
Total rejected ballots 3200.60
Turnout 53,25680.48
Eligible voters 66,170
Liberal notional hold Swing +18.31
Source: Elections Canada[26][27]
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc17,39939.08-7.68
ConservativeEvelyn Chapman14,81433.27+4.12
New DemocraticSusan Levi-Peters10,39723.35+6.47
GreenNatalie Arsenault1,9134.3-2.89
Total valid votes/Expense limit – 100.00
Liberal hold Swing +5.90
2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc19,97246.6-0.95
ConservativeOmer Léger12,51229.2-3.03
New DemocraticChris Durrant7,21916.8+0.13
GreenMike Milligan3,1877.4+4.61
Total valid votes 42,890
Liberal hold Swing -2.08
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc22,01247.55-5.73
ConservativeOmer Léger14,91932.23+4.04
New DemocraticNeil Gardner7,71716.67+1.96
GreenAnna Girouard1,2902.79-1.03
IndependentFrank Comeau3570.77Ø
Total valid votes 46,295
Liberal hold Swing +4.89
2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc21,93453.28+6.18
ConservativeAngela Vautour11,60428.19-17.65
New DemocraticOmer Bourque6,05614.71+7.65
GreenAnna Girouard1,5743.82Ø
Total valid votes 41,168
Liberal hold Swing +11.92
2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc21,46547.10+12.27
Progressive ConservativeAngela Vautour14,63132.11+16.11
AllianceTom Taylor625613.73+3.55
New DemocraticInka Milewski32177.06-31.93
Total valid votes 45,569
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +22.10
1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticAngela Vautour18,50438.99+33.25
LiberalDominic LeBlanc16,52934.83-41.20
Progressive ConservativeIan Hamilton759216.00+0.78
ReformRaymond Braun483310.18Ø
Total valid votes 47,458
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +37.23

Personal life

In 2003, he married Jolène Richard, a former Moncton lawyer who became a judge on the Provincial Court of New Brunswick in 2008, and eventually became a chief judge.[28] She is the daughter of Guy A. Richard, who served as Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick.[29][30] He has an adult stepson.[30]

In December 2017, he announced that he had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and would begin chemotherapy immediately while continuing to serve in his parliamentary roles.[30]

References
  1. "Romeo LeBlanc, 1927–2009". Maclean's. June 24, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  2. "LeBlanc eyes Liberal leadership". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. May 3, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  3. "Justin Trudeau's leadership bid backed by LeBlanc". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 5, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  4. "Bardish Chagger adds government House leader to small business, tourism duties". CBC News. August 19, 2016.
  5. Kennedy, Mark (December 1, 2015). "Dominic LeBlanc is Trudeau's go-to guy. Here's why". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  6. "Biography – Dominic LeBlanc – Your member of parliament for Beauséjour". dleblanc.liberal.ca.
  7. "Governor General's son wins Liberal nomination". Southam Newspapers. April 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 25, 1999. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  8. "Beausejour, not Bay Street". The Chronicle Herald. June 4, 1997. Archived from the original on July 27, 2001. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  9. Fidelis (1999), "The LeBlanc Years: A Frank Assessment", Canadian Monarchist News, Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada, Autumn 1999, archived from the original on July 8, 2009, retrieved March 2, 2009
  10. Martin, Don (May 28, 2009), "Jean is now least boring G-Gever", National Post, archived from the original on October 23, 2014, retrieved October 23, 2014
  11. Smith, David E. (1999), written at Toronto-Buffalo-London, Jackson, Michael D. (ed.), "The Republican Option in Canada: Past and Present" (PDF), Canadian Monarchist News, Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada (published 2007), Autumn-Winter 2007 (27), p. 12, archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2009, retrieved July 26, 2009
  12. Boyce, Peter (2008), written at Sydney, Jackson, Michael D. (ed.), "The Senior Realms of the Queen" (PDF), Canadian Monarchist News, Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada (published October 2009), Autumn 2009 (30), p. 10, archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2009, retrieved October 22, 2009
  13. "Liberals gain three seats in NB". CBC News. November 28, 2000. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  14. JUN. "Ignatieff shuffles shadow cabinet". Archived from the original on September 18, 2010 – via National Post.
  15. Brian Laghi and Omar El Akkad (October 27, 2008). "LeBlanc seeks, Manley tests Liberal support". Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  16. Beausejour MP to run for federal Liberal leadership, wants to be a voice for middle-class, younger generation Archived August 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  17. "Dion to step aside; LeBlanc supports Ignatieff". CTV. December 8, 2008. Archived from the original on December 9, 2008. Retrieved December 8, 2008.
  18. "Rae bows out, offers 'unqualified' support for Ignatieff as Liberal leader". CBC News. December 9, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  19. "The Ottawa Citizen – Liberals set to lay out latest leadership race rules". The Ottawa Citizen. The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  20. "Full list of Justin Trudeau's cabinet 31-member cabinet includes 15 women, attempt at regional balance". CBC News. November 4, 2015.
  21. "Hunter Tootoo resigns as fisheries minister, leaves Liberal caucus". CBC News. May 31, 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  22. Kathleen Harris. "Trudeau adds 5 new ministers in cabinet shakeup that puts focus on seniors, border security – CBC News". CBC.
  23. "Dominic LeBlanc found in conflict of interest over lucrative fishing licence". CBC. May 18, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  24. "Results Validated by the Returning Officer". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  25. "Final Election Expense Limits for Candidates: 43rd General Election - October 21, 2019". Elections Canada. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  26. "October 19, 2015 Election Results — Beauséjour (Validated results)". Elections Canada. October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  27. "Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates". Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  28. McHardie, Dominic (November 14, 2008). "Province names new judge, wife of MP Dominic LeBlanc". CBC News. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  29. "Province names new judge, wife of MP Dominic LeBlanc". CBC News. November 14, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  30. Stone, Laura (December 6, 2017). "Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc won't feel sorry for himself as he battles leukemia". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
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