Claudette Boyer
Encyclopedia
Claudette Boyer is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in 1999 as a Liberal
, but was later forced to leave the party as a result of legal difficulties. She retired from politics in 2003.
, receiving a Bachelor of Arts
degree and a Teacher's Certificate. She worked as a teacher for thirty years, and was actively involved in the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (Franco-Ontarian teachers association), the Ontario Teachers' Federation
and the Canadian Teachers Federation. She also became active in politics, serving as President of the Liberal Party of Canada
and Ontario Liberal Party
riding associations in Ottawa East. In 1996, she served as co-chair of the provincial party's leadership convention
.
, Boyer was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in the redistributed riding of Ottawa—Vanier
, successor to Ottawa East. This seat is considered safe for the Liberal Party, and she defeated her Progressive Conservative
opponent by almost 9,000 votes. According to some sources, Boyer was the first Franco-Ontarian woman to be elected to Queen's Park.
Boyer planned to serve two terms as an Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) before retiring, but her plans were derailed by legal difficulties shortly after her election. In August 1999, her husband accidentally backed their family van into Denis Grandmaitre, the son of former area MPP Bernard Grandmaître
. Boyer subsequently asked three other people to claim they were driving; one, her niece, agreed. This resulted in an obstruction-of-justice charge, to which Boyer pleaded guilty.
Boyer was suspended from the Liberal caucus for a six-month period in 2000, and was not permitted to return thereafter. She sat as an Independent Liberal MPP after March 26, 2001. Despite calls from some supporters, she did not run for re-election as an Independent candidate in 2003. Many believed that party leader Dalton McGuinty
was unnecessarily severe in punishing Boyer, and by all accounts Boyer was extremely annoyed with the way she was treated by her party.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
in 1999 as a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
, but was later forced to leave the party as a result of legal difficulties. She retired from politics in 2003.
Background
Boyer was educated at the University of OttawaUniversity of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, receiving a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree and a Teacher's Certificate. She worked as a teacher for thirty years, and was actively involved in the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (Franco-Ontarian teachers association), the Ontario Teachers' Federation
Ontario Teachers' Federation
The Ontario Teacher's Federation is a professional organization representing teachers in Ontario, Canada. All teachers in publicly-funded Ontario schools are required by law to be members of the federation...
and the Canadian Teachers Federation. She also became active in politics, serving as President of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
riding associations in Ottawa East. In 1996, she served as co-chair of the provincial party's leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
.
Politics
In the provincial election of 1999Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, Boyer was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
in the redistributed riding of Ottawa—Vanier
Ottawa—Vanier (provincial electoral district)
Ottawa—Vanier is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1908.It is composed of the eastern part of downtown Ottawa....
, successor to Ottawa East. This seat is considered safe for the Liberal Party, and she defeated her Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
opponent by almost 9,000 votes. According to some sources, Boyer was the first Franco-Ontarian woman to be elected to Queen's Park.
Boyer planned to serve two terms as an Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) before retiring, but her plans were derailed by legal difficulties shortly after her election. In August 1999, her husband accidentally backed their family van into Denis Grandmaitre, the son of former area MPP Bernard Grandmaître
Bernard Grandmaître
Bernard "Ben" C. Grandmaitre is a retired politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1984 to 1999, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.Grandmaitre was educated as Ottawa schools, and owned a small business in...
. Boyer subsequently asked three other people to claim they were driving; one, her niece, agreed. This resulted in an obstruction-of-justice charge, to which Boyer pleaded guilty.
Boyer was suspended from the Liberal caucus for a six-month period in 2000, and was not permitted to return thereafter. She sat as an Independent Liberal MPP after March 26, 2001. Despite calls from some supporters, she did not run for re-election as an Independent candidate in 2003. Many believed that party leader Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
was unnecessarily severe in punishing Boyer, and by all accounts Boyer was extremely annoyed with the way she was treated by her party.