Roch Cholette
Encyclopedia
Roch Cholette is an accountant
and a former municipal and provincial politician in Quebec
, Canada
. He served as the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
(MNA) for the provincial riding of Hull
from 1998 until 2008, as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party caucus.
Cholette studied at the Université du Québec en Outaouais
(Université du Québec à Hull at that time) and completed a bachelor's degree
in business administration in 1987. He was a member of the Ordre des comptables generaux licenciés du Québec (Certified General Accountants of Quebec) for over 10 years and also worked at the Office of the Auditor-General of Canada.
Cholette started his political career in 1992 when he was elected as a councillor
for the former city of Hull
. He remained at that position until the 1998 provincial election
when he ran as a candidate in the riding of Hull. He was elected in 1998 and the opposition critic in immigration then in municipal affairs. During his first mandate, the Liberals were the opposition party and the Parti Québécois
(PQ) under Lucien Bouchard
and later Bernard Landry
were in power. Cholette was the Liberal Party's municipal affairs critic and had heavily criticized the party's municipal reorganization project, known as Bill 170.
After being re-elected and the Liberals won a majority government
in the 2003 election
, Cholette remained a backbencher MNA, and was named the Parliamentary Secretary of Premier Jean Charest
in 2005.
In the 2007 elections
, Cholette defeated PQ candidate and well-known teacher Marcel Painchaud and social activist Bill Clennett from Québec Solidaire
. However, Cholette's majority was reduced significantly during the 2007 election because of the strong performance of the Action démocratique du Québec
's candidate Francois Lizotte and the Green Party's
Melanie Perrault. He was later named the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister
of Finances and President of the Treasury Board, portfolios that are occupied by Monique Jérôme-Forget
.
On April 9, 2008, Cholette announced his resignation as Hull MNA and was replaced by his constituency assistant Maryse Gaudreault
in the resulting by-election
.
Cholette has shown interest in running for mayor of the city of Gatineau in the 2009 municipal elections.
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
and a former municipal and provincial politician 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....
, 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...
. He served as the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
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 provincial riding of Hull
Hull (provincial electoral district)
Hull is provincial electoral riding located in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Outaouais region, the district includes the entire Hull sector of the city of Gatineau. It was created in 1919 and was previously part of the riding of Ottawa from 1887 to 1919 and Ottawa from 1867 to 1887...
from 1998 until 2008, as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party caucus.
Cholette studied at the Université du Québec en Outaouais
Université du Québec en Outaouais
The Université du Québec en Outaouais is a branch of the Université du Québec located in Gatineau, Québec, Canada. As of September 2010, combined enrolment at UQO's Gatineau and Saint-Jérôme campuses was 6,017, of which 4,738 were undergraduates and 1,279 postgraduate students...
(Université du Québec à Hull at that time) and completed a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in business administration in 1987. He was a member of the Ordre des comptables generaux licenciés du Québec (Certified General Accountants of Quebec) for over 10 years and also worked at the Office of the Auditor-General of Canada.
Cholette started his political career in 1992 when he was elected as a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
for the former city of Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
. He remained at that position until the 1998 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1998
The Quebec general election of 1998 was held on November 30, 1998, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Lucien Bouchard, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Charest.After the narrow defeat of...
when he ran as a candidate in the riding of Hull. He was elected in 1998 and the opposition critic in immigration then in municipal affairs. During his first mandate, the Liberals were the opposition party and 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) under Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
and later Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry, is a Quebec lawyer, teacher, politician, who served as the 28th Premier of Quebec , leader of the Opposition and leader of the Parti Québécois .-Personal:...
were in power. Cholette was the Liberal Party's municipal affairs critic and had heavily criticized the party's municipal reorganization project, known as Bill 170.
After being re-elected and the Liberals won a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
in the 2003 election
Quebec general election, 2003
The Quebec general election of 2003 was held on April 14, 2003, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec . The Parti libéral du Québec , led by Jean Charest, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Bernard Landry.-Unfolding:...
, Cholette remained a backbencher MNA, and was named the Parliamentary Secretary of Premier Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
in 2005.
In the 2007 elections
Quebec 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...
, Cholette defeated PQ candidate and well-known teacher Marcel Painchaud and social activist Bill Clennett from Québec Solidaire
Québec Solidaire
Québec solidaire is a democratic socialist and sovereigntist political party in Quebec, Canada, that was created on 4 February 2006 in Montreal. It was formed by the merger of the left-wing party Union des forces progressistes and the alter-globalization political movement Option Citoyenne, led...
. However, Cholette's majority was reduced significantly during the 2007 election because of the strong performance of 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 candidate Francois Lizotte and the Green Party's
Green Party of Quebec
The Parti vert du Québec/Green Party of Quebec or PVQ is a Quebec political party whose platform is the promotion of green values. It has not elected any members to the National Assembly of Quebec...
Melanie Perrault. He was later named the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Finances and President of the Treasury Board, portfolios that are occupied by Monique Jérôme-Forget
Monique Jérôme-Forget
Monique Jérôme-Forget is a psychologist and a former Quebec politician. She was the Member of National Assembly for the riding of Marguerite-Bourgeois in the Montreal region as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party between 1998 and 2009...
.
On April 9, 2008, Cholette announced his resignation as Hull MNA and was replaced by his constituency assistant Maryse Gaudreault
Maryse Gaudreault
Maryse Gaudreault is a Quebec provincial politician. She is the newly-elected Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Hull....
in the resulting by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
.
Cholette has shown interest in running for mayor of the city of Gatineau in the 2009 municipal elections.