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Pierre Claude Nolin

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The Honourable
Pierre Claude Nolin
Nolin in 2014
Speaker of the Senate
In office
November 27, 2014 – April 23, 2015
Nominated byStephen Harper
Appointed byDavid Johnston
Preceded byNoël Kinsella
Succeeded byLeo Housakos
Senator for De Salaberry, Quebec
In office
June 18, 1993 – April 23, 2015
Nominated byBrian Mulroney
Appointed byRay Hnatyshyn
Preceded byJean-Marie Poitras
Succeeded byAndré Pratte
Personal details
Born(1950-10-30)October 30, 1950
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedApril 23, 2015(2015-04-23) (aged 64)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative (1993–2004)
Conservative (2004–2015)
SpouseCamille Desjardins
Children3
Residence(s)Ottawa, Ontario
Alma materUniversity of Ottawa

Pierre Claude Nolin (October 30, 1950 – April 23, 2015) was a Canadian politician and senator. A prominent member of the Conservative Party of Canada from 2004 until his death, he became an influential figure in the Party's parliamentary caucus.[1]

Appointed to the Canadian senate on recommendation of Brian Mulroney on 1993, he was designated as speaker pro tempore in 2013 before being promoted to the office of speaker of the Senate in November 2014. He held the office until his death on April 23, 2015.

Life before politics

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Nolin was born in Montreal, Quebec, and attended the University of Ottawa. He received a law degree in 1975.[2] In 1976, Nolin married Camille Desjardins, with whom he had three children, Simon, Louis and Virginie.[3]

Quebec senator

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Nolin was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the recommendation of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney on June 18, 1993. He had been an influential supporter of Mulroney in Quebec politics since 1976, when Mulroney made his first attempt at becoming the Progressive Conservative Party's leader.[4]

For ten years, Nolin worked actively as a high-profile member of the Progressive Conservative Senate caucus. In 2002, Nolin chaired the Canadian Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs and supporting its recommendations to legalize but not decriminalize the use of marijuana in Canada.[5] Nolin supported the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance in 2003 that ultimately created the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC).[6] Nolin supported auto-parts magnate Belinda Stronach during the 2004 CPC leadership election.[7]

Between former Tory MP André Bachand's departure from politics in June 2004 and January 2006, Nolin surreptitiously became the "Quebec strongman" in the new Conservative Party's parliamentary caucus. Nolin is largely seen as an influential Red Tory, which is in line with most of the Conservatives who have come from Quebec in recent decades.[citation needed]

In January 2005, Nolin announced that the Quebec wing of the CPC would be introducing several "moderate" principles to the March 2005 CPC Policy Convention in Montreal, including a motion to support the rights of married same-sex couples to equal status in the courts of law. Many of the new Tory party's Quebec-wing motions passed, but with amendments. In the 2006 Canadian federal election, the new Tories managed to elect 10 members from Quebec, which was the party's best showing since 1988.[citation needed]

Nolin was elected speaker pro tempore of the Canadian Senate on November 20, 2013. He was then appointed speaker of the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper effective November 27, 2014, as a result of the retirement of his predecessor, Noël Kinsella.[8]

Illness and death

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Nolin was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2010.[9] He died on April 23, 2015, at the age of 64 from pancreatic cancer.[3] Nolin's funeral was held at Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica.[5]

Senator Leo Housakos would continue in the role as acting Speaker of the Senate until a new person is appointed.[10] On May 4, 2015, Housakos was appointed as Pierre Claude Nolin's successor permanently.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Harper appoints Quebec Sen. Pierre Claude Nolin as new Speaker of the Senate". The Globe and Mail. Ottawa, Ontario. The Canadian Press. November 26, 2014. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  2. ^ "The Honourable Pierre Claude Nolin". Senate of Canada. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Galloway, Gloria (April 28, 2015). "Civil servant Pierre Claude Nolin 'led the way' in the Senate". The Globe and Mail. Ottawa, Ontario. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Galloway, Gloria (April 24, 2015). "Senate Speaker Pierre Claude Nolin was 'a man of uncommon integrity'". The Globe and Mail. Ottawa, Ontario. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Pierre Claude Nolin, Speaker of the Senate, dead at 64". CBC News. April 25, 2015 [April 24, 2015]. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "MacKay to Tories: just say 'Yes'". CBC News. October 31, 2002 [October 30, 2003]. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  7. ^ "Stronach wins key Quebec organizers". The Globe and Mail. Ottawa, Ontario. January 23, 2004. Archived from the original on December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  8. ^ Press, Jordan (November 27, 2014) [November 26, 2014]. "Quebec Conservative readies to take over as Senate Speaker". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "Mulroney and Harper among those attending funeral for Senate Speaker Nolin". HuffPost. June 30, 2015 [April 30, 2015]. Archived from the original on December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  10. ^ Fedio, Chloe (April 25, 2015) [April 24, 2015]. "Leo Housakos acting Senate Speaker after Pierre Claude Nolin's death". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  11. ^ "Quebec's Leo Housakos named new Senate Speaker". CBC News. The Canadian Press. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
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Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Senate of Canada
2014–2015 		Succeeded by
Leo Housakos (acting)
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