Maxime Bernier
Encyclopedia
Maxime Bernier, PC
, MP
(born January 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of State
for Small Business and Tourism in the cabinet of Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
.
Bernier previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs
, but was forced to resign from cabinet on May 26, 2008, after a scandal involving an ex-girlfriend, Julie Couillard, with ties to the Hells Angels
. He is the Member of Parliament
for the riding of Beauce
in Quebec
. A businessman and lawyer, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 2006 federal election
, and was re-elected in 2008
and 2011.
, Quebec
, the son of Gilles Bernier
, who represented the Beauce riding from 1984
to 1997
first as a Progressive Conservative and then as an independent. Maxime has a bachelor's degree in commerce from UQAM and a degree in Law from the University of Ottawa
. He is a former vice president of the Montreal Economic Institute
, a Quebec think-tank advocating smaller government. He is regarded as belonging to the libertarian
wing of the party. He has made several public comments denying humans are responsible for climate change
. He won 67 percent of the vote, the best performance for a Conservative candidate in a riding east of Manitoba
.
Bernier was one of the higher-profile freshman MPs from Quebec, and as such, on February 6, 2006, he was appointed federal Minister of Industry
. He was also the minister responsible for Statistics Canada
, replacing the former minister, David Emerson
. By virtue of being appointed as the Minister of Industry, Bernier also served as the Registrar General
.
Following a cabinet shuffle in August 2007, Bernier, the neophyte MP, was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs replacing Peter MacKay
who became the Minister of National Defence. During his stint as Foreign Affairs Minister, he came under fire for several high-profile gaffes.
Asadullah Khalid to be replaced. This caused a major diplomatic scandal in which both heads of government, Hamid Karzai
and Stephen Harper
, had to become involved, denying that the Canadian government told the Afghan government who to put in important posts. The call for Bernier to resign or be removed was almost universal among opposition politicians.
Khalid was removed quietly several months later. In the interim period, however, about one thousand prisoners affiliated with the Taliban and warlord and ethnic insurgencies, even some believed to be with Al Qaeda, escaped from the major prison in Kandahar. It was described by investigators as likely having been an inside job, possibly one carried out with the knowledge or support of Khalid's inner circle. The civil war in the southern regions of Afghanistan became markedly more difficult for NATO as a direct result, with casualties mounting and the Taliban later threatening to kill more Canadian troops during the Canadian election. Accordingly, Bernier's gaffe, which both warned Khalid and prevented the early removal of him and his clique, giving them time to deal with their enemies before resuming a more vulnerable life out of office, was seen in retrospect to be extremely detrimental to both Afghan and Canadian interests.
aircraft transporting several helicopters to Burma which was hit by Cyclone Nargis
that killed tens of thousands of people in early May. However, none of the four C-17 aircraft were made available at the time and the government was forced to send an aircraft rented at a cost of $1 million to the cyclone-ravaged area.
. Although the Prime Minister initially dismissed this as irrelevant, he later accepted Bernier's resignation when it was revealed that Bernier had left classified and sensitive briefing notes for an upcoming NATO meeting at Couillard's house after having broken off the relationship. Foreign Affairs was apparently unaware that NATO briefing papers were missing for five weeks. Couillard returned the package to Foreign Affairs on the advice of a lawyer, and went to the media. The Liberals and the NDP are calling for a Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) investigation into possible security breaches, including Bernier's.
Bernier consequently resigned from Cabinet on May 26, 2008, though he retains his seat in the House of Commons. He was replaced as Minister of Foreign Affairs by David Emerson
on a short term basis, with fellow Quebec Tory MP Josée Verner
taking over as Minister responsible for La Francophonie.
A parliamentary inquiry into the matter was announced on June 2, 2008.
Bernier resigned as foreign affairs minister May 26, hours before Julie Couillard revealed he had left classified government documents in her house in mid-April. She didn't return them to the government until May 25.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(born January 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Small Business and Tourism in the cabinet of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
.
Bernier previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada....
, but was forced to resign from cabinet on May 26, 2008, after a scandal involving an ex-girlfriend, Julie Couillard, with ties to the Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
. He is the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the riding of Beauce
Beauce (electoral district)
Beauce is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1867. In 2006, it had a population of 103,617 people, of whom 82,123 were eligible voters.-Geography:...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. A businessman and lawyer, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
, and was re-elected in 2008
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
and 2011.
Background
Bernier was born in Saint-GeorgesSaint-Georges, Quebec
Saint-Georges is a city in the province of Quebec. It is the seat of Beauce-Sartigan Regional County Municipality, part of the Chaudière-Appalaches region. The population was 30,113 as of 2009. Route 173 runs through Saint-Georges Est and heads south to the border with Maine, USA...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, the son of Gilles Bernier
Gilles Bernier (Quebec politician)
Gilles Bernier, MP is a former Canadian politician and diplomat. He was the Member of Parliament representing the riding of Beauce from 1984 to 1997, initially as a Progressive Conservative and later as an Independent...
, who represented the Beauce riding from 1984
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
to 1997
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
first as a Progressive Conservative and then as an independent. Maxime has a bachelor's degree in commerce from UQAM and a degree in Law from the University of Ottawa
University 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...
. He is a former vice president of the Montreal Economic Institute
Montreal Economic Institute
The Montreal Economic Institute is a non-profit research organization based in Montreal. It aims at promoting economic education of the general public and efficient public policies in Quebec and Canada through studies and conferences. Its research areas include different topics such as health...
, a Quebec think-tank advocating smaller government. He is regarded as belonging to the libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
wing of the party. He has made several public comments denying humans are responsible for climate change
Election to parliament
Bernier was elected to parliament as one of a group of new Conservative MPs in the 2006 Canadian electionCanadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
. He won 67 percent of the vote, the best performance for a Conservative candidate in a riding east of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
Bernier was one of the higher-profile freshman MPs from Quebec, and as such, on February 6, 2006, he was appointed federal Minister of Industry
Minister of Industry
The industry minister is a cabinet position in a government.The title may refer to the head of the governmental department that specializes in industry. This position may also be responsible for trade and employment, areas that fall under the ministries of commerce and labour in some governments...
. He was also the minister responsible for Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
, replacing the former minister, David Emerson
David Emerson
David Lee Emerson, PC, OBC is a Canadian politician, businessman and civil servant.Emerson is a former Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Kingsway. He was first elected as a Liberal and served as Minister of Industry under Prime Minister Paul Martin...
. By virtue of being appointed as the Minister of Industry, Bernier also served as the Registrar General
Registrar General of Canada
The Registrar General of Canada is responsible for registering all letters patent, commissions, instruments, proclamations, and any other documents that may, from time to time, be issued under the Great Seal of Canada or the Privy Seal of Canada...
.
Following a cabinet shuffle in August 2007, Bernier, the neophyte MP, was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs replacing Peter MacKay
Peter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
who became the Minister of National Defence. During his stint as Foreign Affairs Minister, he came under fire for several high-profile gaffes.
Khalid affair
In April 2008, during a trip to Afghanistan, he told reporters that he wanted the governor of KandaharKandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
Asadullah Khalid to be replaced. This caused a major diplomatic scandal in which both heads of government, Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
and Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, had to become involved, denying that the Canadian government told the Afghan government who to put in important posts. The call for Bernier to resign or be removed was almost universal among opposition politicians.
Khalid was removed quietly several months later. In the interim period, however, about one thousand prisoners affiliated with the Taliban and warlord and ethnic insurgencies, even some believed to be with Al Qaeda, escaped from the major prison in Kandahar. It was described by investigators as likely having been an inside job, possibly one carried out with the knowledge or support of Khalid's inner circle. The civil war in the southern regions of Afghanistan became markedly more difficult for NATO as a direct result, with casualties mounting and the Taliban later threatening to kill more Canadian troops during the Canadian election. Accordingly, Bernier's gaffe, which both warned Khalid and prevented the early removal of him and his clique, giving them time to deal with their enemies before resuming a more vulnerable life out of office, was seen in retrospect to be extremely detrimental to both Afghan and Canadian interests.
Aircraft affair
In May 2008, he promised to send a C-17C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
aircraft transporting several helicopters to Burma which was hit by Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis , was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Burma. The cyclone made landfall in Burma on Friday, May 2, 2008, causing catastrophic destruction and at least 138,000 fatalities...
that killed tens of thousands of people in early May. However, none of the four C-17 aircraft were made available at the time and the government was forced to send an aircraft rented at a cost of $1 million to the cyclone-ravaged area.
Couillard affair / Cabinet resignation
Bernier came under even more intense scrutiny after the media discovered that his girlfriend Julie Couillard had past romantic links with members of the Hells AngelsHells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
. Although the Prime Minister initially dismissed this as irrelevant, he later accepted Bernier's resignation when it was revealed that Bernier had left classified and sensitive briefing notes for an upcoming NATO meeting at Couillard's house after having broken off the relationship. Foreign Affairs was apparently unaware that NATO briefing papers were missing for five weeks. Couillard returned the package to Foreign Affairs on the advice of a lawyer, and went to the media. The Liberals and the NDP are calling for a Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) investigation into possible security breaches, including Bernier's.
Bernier consequently resigned from Cabinet on May 26, 2008, though he retains his seat in the House of Commons. He was replaced as Minister of Foreign Affairs by David Emerson
David Emerson
David Lee Emerson, PC, OBC is a Canadian politician, businessman and civil servant.Emerson is a former Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Kingsway. He was first elected as a Liberal and served as Minister of Industry under Prime Minister Paul Martin...
on a short term basis, with fellow Quebec Tory MP Josée Verner
Josée Verner
Josée Verner, PC, is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
taking over as Minister responsible for La Francophonie.
A parliamentary inquiry into the matter was announced on June 2, 2008.
Bernier resigned as foreign affairs minister May 26, hours before Julie Couillard revealed he had left classified government documents in her house in mid-April. She didn't return them to the government until May 25.