Pierre Curzi
Encyclopedia
Pierre Curzi is an actor, screenwriter and politician in Quebec, Canada. He is the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
(MNA) for the riding of Borduas in the Montérégie
region south of Montreal. Elected under the Parti Québécois
(PQ) banner, he now sits as an independent.
, Maria Chapdelaine
, Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe, Babylone, Les Filles de Caleb
, Million Dollar Babies, Virginie
, Matroni et moi, The Barbarian Invasions, Le Négociateur and Romeo and Juliette.
Overall, he played roles in about 50 productions since 1971 and had been nominated for four Genie Award
s for his roles in Maria Chapdelaine (1983), Lucien Brouillard (1983) and Le Déclin de l'empire américain
(1986) and a nomination for best screenplay for Pouvoir intime
in 1986.
He was also the president of the Union des artistes
for eight years. The UDA is the main union group for cinema, theatre and television actors in Quebec.
He is married to Marie Tifo
, an actress with whom he costarred in the films Pouvoir intime and Le Jour "S".
, following the retirement of Jean-Pierre Charbonneau
. He defeated the Action démocratique du Québec
's Claude Gauthier by over 2,000 votes. He was later named the PQ critic for culture, communications and language.
Curzi was forced to apologize and retract a statement he made in October 2007 during a radio interview that appeared to suggest that a sovereign Quebec would have "more teeth" and could potentially remove the voting rights of Quebec's English-speaking community living on Montreal
's West Island
. He faced some criticism in 2008 as one of two MNAs, along with Daniel Turp
, who endorsed a controversial petition opposing Paul McCartney
's performance at Quebec City
's 400th anniversary celebrations. In September 2010, Curzi expressed on the television interview show Les Francs-tireurs his theory that there was a shortage of Francophone
players on the National Hockey League
team the Montreal Canadiens
and that this was "damned well political" and the result of a federalist
plot.
On June 6, 2011, Curzi and caucus mates Louise Beaudoin
and Lisette Lapointe
resigned from the Parti Québécois to sit as independents over the PQ's acceptance of a bill changing the law to permit an agreement between the City of Québec
and Quebecor
Inc. concerning the construction of an arena in Quebec City.
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
(MNA) for the riding of Borduas in the Montérégie
Montérégie
Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion....
region south of Montreal. Elected under the Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
(PQ) banner, he now sits as an independent.
Acting and screenplay career
Curzi went to the Ecole nationale de Théâtre in 1969. Prior to his political career, he played in numerous popular Quebec movies, plays, television shows and documentaries including DuplessisDuplessis
Duplessis was a historical television series in Quebec, Canada, that aired in 1978. It tells the story of Maurice Duplessis, the controversial premier of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. It is one of the most famous mini-series in Quebec television history...
, Maria Chapdelaine
Maria Chapdelaine
Maria Chapdelaine is a novel written in 1913 by the French writer Louis Hémon, who was then residing in Quebec.-Adaptations:The novel has had three film adaptations, two French and one Québécois: in 1934, by Julien Duvivier, with Madeleine Renaud , and Jean Gabin , partly filmed in Péribonka; in...
, Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe, Babylone, Les Filles de Caleb
Les Filles de Caleb
Les Filles de Caleb is a Quebec TV series of 20 one-hour episodes, created by Jean Beaudin, based on the eponymous novel of Arlette Cousture, broadcast in 1990 on Radio-Canada and repeated in 2006 on Prise 2.-Plot:...
, Million Dollar Babies, Virginie
Virginie
Virginie was a French-language Canadian television series that aired Monday through Thursday on Radio-Canada . It debuted in 1996. The show examined the public and private lives of teachers, students, and families at the fictional Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc high school...
, Matroni et moi, The Barbarian Invasions, Le Négociateur and Romeo and Juliette.
Overall, he played roles in about 50 productions since 1971 and had been nominated for four Genie Award
Genie Award
Genie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
s for his roles in Maria Chapdelaine (1983), Lucien Brouillard (1983) and Le Déclin de l'empire américain
Le Déclin de l'empire américain
The Decline of the American Empire is a 1986 Québécois comedy/drama film directed by Denys Arcand. It was followed by a sequel, The Barbarian Invasions in 2003.-Synopsis:...
(1986) and a nomination for best screenplay for Pouvoir intime
Pouvoir intime
Pouvoir intime is a 1986 Canadian thriller film.- Plot :A government ministry's fast-rising head of security asks a shadowy figure, Meursault, to steal a bag from an armoured truck...
in 1986.
He was also the president of the Union des artistes
Union des artistes
The Union des artistes or Artist union is a Quebec-based labour organization representing stage, television, radio and film performers in French-language media in Canada . It represents over 6,900 members and is affiliated with the International Federation of Actors...
for eight years. The UDA is the main union group for cinema, theatre and television actors in Quebec.
He is married to Marie Tifo
Marie Tifo
Marie Tifo is a Canadian actress, and a major star in French-speaking Canada. She won a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the 1980 drama film Les Bons Débarras.She will star in La Déraison d'amour at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in Montreal...
, an actress with whom he costarred in the films Pouvoir intime and Le Jour "S".
Politics
Curzi entered politics when he announced his candidacy for the riding of Borduas in the 2007 provincial electionsQuebec general election, 2007
The Quebec general election of 2007 was held in the Canadian province of Quebec on March 26, 2007 to elect members of the 38th National Assembly of Quebec. The Quebec Liberal Party led by Jean Charest managed to win a plurality of seats, but were reduced to a minority government, Quebec's first in...
, following the retirement of Jean-Pierre Charbonneau
Jean-Pierre Charbonneau
Jean-Pierre Charbonneau is a journalist and a former Quebec politician. He was the Quebec MNA member under the Parti Québécois for the provincial ridings of Borduas and Verchères in the Montérégie region....
. He defeated the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
's Claude Gauthier by over 2,000 votes. He was later named the PQ critic for culture, communications and language.
Curzi was forced to apologize and retract a statement he made in October 2007 during a radio interview that appeared to suggest that a sovereign Quebec would have "more teeth" and could potentially remove the voting rights of Quebec's English-speaking community living on Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's West Island
West Island
The West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada...
. He faced some criticism in 2008 as one of two MNAs, along with Daniel Turp
Daniel Turp
Daniel Turp is a politician in Quebec, Canada. He has served as a Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament and as a Parti Québécois member of the Quebec National Assembly .- Biography :...
, who endorsed a controversial petition opposing Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
's performance at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
's 400th anniversary celebrations. In September 2010, Curzi expressed on the television interview show Les Francs-tireurs his theory that there was a shortage of Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
players on the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
team the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and that this was "damned well political" and the result of a federalist
Quebec federalist ideology
Quebec federalist ideology revolves around the concept of Quebec remaining within Canada, in opposition to the desires of Quebec sovereigntists and proponents of Quebec independence....
plot.
On June 6, 2011, Curzi and caucus mates Louise Beaudoin
Louise Beaudoin
Louise Beaudoin is a Canadian politician, who represents the electoral district of Rosemont in the National Assembly of Quebec, initially as a member of the Parti Québécois , and since June 6, 2011, as an independent...
and Lisette Lapointe
Lisette Lapointe
Lisette Lapointe is a Quebec politician, journalist and teacher, currently sitting as an independent. She is the wife of Jacques Parizeau, former Premier of Quebec, Canada...
resigned from the Parti Québécois to sit as independents over the PQ's acceptance of a bill changing the law to permit an agreement between the City of Québec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and Quebecor
Quebecor
Quebecor Inc. is a communications company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was founded by Pierre Péladeau, and remains run by his family. Quebecor Inc. owns 55% of Quebecor Media Inc...
Inc. concerning the construction of an arena in Quebec City.