Jacques Chagnon : Ask Biography

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Jacques Chagnon (born August 28, 1952 in Montreal, Quebec) is a politician in Quebec, Canada. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Concordia University and graduate degrees in political science and in Law from the Université de Montréal. He is a former school board commissioner, former president of the Chambly regional school board and the former president of the Fédération des commission scolaires catholiques du Québec. He is currently a member of the National Assembly of Quebec. He represents the electoral district of Westmount-Saint-Louis and is a member of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP).

He was the Minister of Education in the government of Daniel Johnson from January 11, 1994 to September 26, 1994 when the QLP was defeated in the 1994 election. When the QLP retook power in 2003, he was appointed to cabinet by Premier Jean Charest as Minister of Public Security from April 29, 2003 to February 18, 2005. During his time as Minister of Public Security, he had to deal with the Kanesatake crisis. His performance during this time as well as certain remarks that were perceived as offensive towards aboriginals may explain Charest's decision to drop him from cabinet in 2005. Chagnon was the chair the committee on education in the National Assembly until 2007 and was named the Second Vice-President of the National Assembly after the elections.

Chagnon was first elected in the riding of Saint-Louis in the 1985 election and was re-elected again in 1989. He was then elected in the new riding of Westmount-Saint-Louis during the 1994 election. He was subsequently re-elected in this riding in the 1998, 2003 and 2007 elections. On April 5, 2011 Chagnon was made Speaker of the National Assembly.