René Arseneault
René Arseneault | |
|---|---|
 Arseneault in 2023 | |
| Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche | |
| Assumed office October 19, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Bernard Valcourt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1, 1966 |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Michèle Pelletier |
| Residence | Charlo, New Brunswick[1] |
| Profession | Attorney |
René Arseneault MP (born July 1, 1966) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election, and was re-elected in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.[2]
Background[edit]
Arseneault earned an undergraduate degree in economics and political science, followed by a law degree from the Université de Moncton. He established a law practice with his wife Michèle Pelletier in 1996.[3]
On becoming a lawyer, he succeeded in overturning a requirement to swear an oath to the monarch and became the first lawyer in New Brunswick to join the bar without swearing the oath.[4]
Political life[edit]
Arsenault was elected as a Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche in the 2015 federal election.
He broke ranks from a majority of his fellow Liberals when he voted against a Conservative Party motion condemning the BDS movement.[5]
Arsenault was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Official Languages) on December 12, 2019.[6]
Electoral record[edit]
| 2021 Canadian federal election: Madawaska—Restigouche | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | René Arseneault | 16,854 | 55.22 | +4.94 | $38,339.96 | |||
| Conservative | Shawn Beaulieu | 7,857 | 25.74 | -2.69 | $33,053.20 | |||
| People's | Nancy Mercier | 1,889 | 6.19 | – | $0.00 | |||
| New Democratic | Elizabeth MacDonald | 1,859 | 6.09 | -0.33 | $0.00 | |||
| Free | Louis Berube | 1,277 | 4.18 | – | $0.00 | |||
| Green | Rebecca Blaevoet | 786 | 2.58 | -12.29 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 30,522 | 100.0 | – | $104,119.82 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | 30,522 | 60.74 | -8.37 | |||||
| Registered voters | 50,252 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +3.82 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[7] | ||||||||
| 2019 Canadian federal election: Madawaska—Restigouche | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | René Arseneault | 17,331 | 50.28 | -5.42 | $69,640.81 | |||
| Conservative | Nelson Fox | 9,801 | 28.43 | +11.95 | $41,501.75 | |||
| Green | Louis Bérubé | 5,125 | 14.87 | +12.97 | $11,518.03 | |||
| New Democratic | Chad Betteridge | 2,212 | 6.42 | -19.50 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 34.469 | 98.13 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 657 | 1.87 | +0.95 | |||||
| Turnout | 35,126 | 69.11 | -4.86 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 50,828 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -8.68 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[8][9] | ||||||||
| 2015 Canadian federal election: Madawaska—Restigouche | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | René Arseneault | 20,778 | 55.70 | +20.91 | $66,315.47 | |||
| New Democratic | Rosaire L'Italien | 9,670 | 25.92 | +6.58 | $92,730.82 | |||
| Conservative | Bernard Valcourt | 6,151 | 16.49 | -23.99 | $101,364.85 | |||
| Green | Françoise Aubin | 707 | 1.90 | +0.10 | – | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 37,306 | 99.08 | $199,271.58 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 348 | 0.92 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 37,654 | 74.02 | – | |||||
| Eligible voters | 50,871 | |||||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +22.45 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[10][11] | ||||||||
References[edit]
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ^ Rene Arseneault wins Liberalsa seat in Madawaska-Restigouche, Global News, October 19, 2015.
- ^ René Arseneault Biography, Liberal.ca.
- ^ Woolf, Marie (2 May 2023). "Time is right to scrap requirement to swear oath to the King, MPs and Senators say". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
Mr. Arseneault successfully challenged a requirement to swear an oath to the Queen when he joined the bar in New Brunswick.
- ^ BOISVERT, JEAN-FRANÇOIS. "René Arseneault assume pleinement son vote". Acadie Nouvelle. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ ROLES - RENÉ ARSENEAULT
- ^ "Election night results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Madawaska—Restigouche, 30 September 2015
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine