Updated: 05/04/11
About Gilles Duceppe:
Gilles Duceppe became the Bloc Québécois Party's first federal member of parliament in 1990, and in 1997 he became the Bloc Québécois Party leader. A Quebec separatist in Ottawa, Gilles Duceppe was always in opposition, leading a party which only ran candidates in the province of Quebec. A good debater, Gilles Duceppe was extremely focused and had bull-dog tendencies. He sometimes showed his extremely dry sense of humour, but he always kept a tight control on his caucus.
The 2011 Canadian federal election proved a disaster for Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Québécois. The party went from 47 seats in the House of Commons to just four, replaced by a massive surge from the New Democratic Party. Gilles Duceppe lost his own seat. He resigned as leader of the Bloc Québécois the night of the election.
Leader of the Bloc Québécois Party:
1997 to 2011
Birth:
July 22, 1947 in Montreal, Quebec
Education:
- Studied political science - Université de Montréal
- BA - Collège Mont-Saint-Louis
Profession:
Union organizer
Political Party:
Riding (Electoral District):
Laurier - Sainte-Marie
Political Career of Gilles Duceppe:
- Gilles Duceppe was first elected to the House of Commons in 1990. He was the first MP elected for the Bloq Québécois.
- He served as Opposition Whip from 1993 to 1996.
- In 1996, Gilles Duceppe became Opposition House Leader.
- Gilles Duceppe was elected Leader of the Bloc Québécois in 1997.
- In the 2011 federal election, the Bloc Québécois was nearly wiped out and Gilles Duceppe lost his own seat. He resigned as Bloc leader on election night.
