Pierrette Ringuette (born December 31, 1955), also formerly known as Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais, is a Canadian politician.

Pierrette Ringuette
Canadian Senator
from New Brunswick
Assumed office
December 12, 2002
Nominated byJean Chrétien
Appointed byAdrienne Clarkson
Member of Parliament
for Madawaska—Victoria
In office
October 25, 1993 – April 27, 1997
Preceded byBernard Valcourt
Succeeded byriding abolished
Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
for Madawaska South
In office
October 13, 1987 – October 25, 1993
Preceded byPercy Mockler
Succeeded byPercy Mockler
Personal details
Born (1955-12-31) December 31, 1955 (age 68)
Edmundston, New Brunswick
Political partyIndependent Senators Group (since 2016)
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (until 2014)
Independent Liberal
(2014-2016)
OccupationPolitician

Ringuette, a businesswoman and professor, was the first francophone woman to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. She sat in the body as a member of the New Brunswick Liberal Party beginning in 1987, and resigned her seat once she was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). She was succeeded by her predecessor, Percy Mockler, in a provincial by-election in 1993.[1]

In the 1993 federal election, she won a seat in the House of Commons of Canada as the Liberal MP for Madawaska—Victoria by defeating Progressive Conservative Cabinet Minister Bernard Valcourt.

She was defeated in the subsequent 1997 federal election, one of a number of Maritime Liberal MPs who lost their seats that year.

After her electoral defeat, she joined Canada Post Corporation in a senior position as manager of the international trade development unit.

On December 12, 2002, she was appointed to the Senate on the recommendation of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

On January 29, 2014, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau announced all Liberal Senators, including Ringuette, were removed from the Liberal caucus, and would continue sitting as Independents.[2] The Senators referred to themselves as the Senate Liberal Caucus even though they are no longer members of the parliamentary Liberal caucus.[3]

Ringuette announced, on February 2, 2016 that she was leaving the Senate Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent saying, in a statement, that "Canadians have been clear in their desire for a non-partisan Senate. The status quo is not acceptable."[4]

She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Moncton and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa. She has completed the coursework for a Master of Industrial Relations.

Electoral record

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Federal

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1997 Canadian federal election: Tobique—Mactaquac
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Gilles Bernier 12,125 35.9
Liberal Pierrette Ringuette 10,190 30.2
Reform Ivan Shaw 9,371 27.7
New Democratic Leslie Ann Ferguson 2,093 6.2
Total 33,779 100.0
1993 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Pierrette Ringuette 16,058 48.8 +5.0
  Progressive Conservative Bernard Valcourt 15,045 45.7 -2.5
Reform Kimberly Spikings 955 2.9 +2.9
  New Democratic Party Parise Martin 844 2.6 -5.4
Total 32,902

Provincial

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1991 New Brunswick general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Pierrette Ringuette 2,843 59.64 +7.70
Progressive Conservative Théo Poitras 1,715 35.98 -9.46
New Democratic Julien Tardif 209 4.38 +1.76
Total valid votes 4,767 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +8.58
1987 New Brunswick general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Pierrette Ringuette 2,597 51.94 +7.62
Progressive Conservative Percy P. Mockler 2,272 45.44 -8.41
New Democratic Jean-Claude Bosse 131 2.62 +0.79
Total valid votes 5,000 100.0  
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +8.02

References

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Notes
  1. ^ "Election Results for November 29, 1993". The Legislative Library of New Brunswick. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Liberal leader says senators not welcome in caucus". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Trudeau's expulsion catches Liberal senators by surprise". Globe and Mail. January 29, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  4. ^ "Photo GalleriesCBC SecureDrop Irving Gerstein retires from Senate, Pierrette Ringuette to sit as Independent". CBC News. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
Sources
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