Éric Dorion

Éric Dorion (born June 2, 1970) is an administrator and politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He served in the National Assembly of Quebec from 2007 to 2008, representing Nicolet-Yamaska as a member of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ).

Éric Dorion
MNA for Nicolet-Yamaska
In office
April 25, 2007 – November 5, 2008
Preceded byMichel Morin
Succeeded byJean-Martin Aussant
Personal details
Born (1970-06-24) June 24, 1970
Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
Political partyAction démocratique du Québec
Spouse(s)Gina Bilodeau

Early life and career

Dorion was born in Drummondville, Quebec, and by his own admission had a troubled early life. He received a two-year suspended sentence for illegal possession of a vehicle in 1992, at a time when he was battling drug and alcohol addiction.[1] He has also admitted to having written false cheques in this period.[2] He later regained control of his life and began working for the treatment and prevention of drug addiction; he founded the intervention centre "De l'autre côté de l'ombre" in 1996 and served as its president and director until his election to the Quebec legislature. He also completed a training program in drug addiction and psychology at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières in 1997-98.

In his spare time, he has been a minor league hockey coach in Bécancour.[3]

Legislator

Dorion was elected to the National Assembly of Quebec in the 2007 general election, winning a seat that was previously held by the Parti Québécois. His criminal background was discovered by the media during the campaign and was reported in newspapers across Canada; he initially denied having a police record, but acknowledged the truth when presented with incontrovertible evidence. ADQ leader Mario Dumont accused the media of conducting a "witch hunt" against Dorion, who he said had turned his life around several years earlier.[4] After his election, Dorion said that his top priority would be preventing drug addiction.[5]

The Quebec Liberal Party formed a minority government after the 2007 election, and the ADQ became the official opposition in the National Assembly. Dorion was appointed as his party's critic for social solidarity.[6] As a legislator, he took part in all-party efforts to ensure that future Quebec legislation would be free of homophobia.[7] He later helped promote his party's controversial social security reforms in the 2008 Quebec election.[8]

Dorion was personally defeated in 2008, finishing third against Parti Québécois candidate Jean-Martin Aussant amidst a provincial swing away from the ADQ. He returned to work at "De l'autre côté de l'ombre" after the election.[3]

Electoral record
2008 Quebec general election: Nicolet-Yamaska
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Parti QuébécoisJean-Martin Aussant8,13135.24
LiberalMario Landry7,95634.48
Action démocratiqueÉric Dorion
(incumbent)		6,04426.20
Québec solidaireMarianne Mathis9404.07
Total valid votes 23,071 98.14
Rejected and declined votes 438 1.86
Turnout 23,509 67.38 −10.35
Electors on the lists 34,889
Source: Official Results, Le Directeur général des élections du Québec.
2007 Quebec general election: Nicolet-Yamaska
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Action démocratiqueÉric Dorion10,83941.18
Parti QuébécoisDonald Martel7,45528.32
LiberalYves Baril6,77025.72
Québec solidaireJean Proulx1,1214.26
IndependentSimonne Lizotte1380.52
Total valid votes 26,323 98.73
Rejected and declined votes 339 1.27
Turnout 26,662 77.73
Electors on the lists 34,301
Source: Official Results, Le Directeur général des élections du Québec.

Footnotes
  1. "Candidates haunted by past gaffes," Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 10 March 2007, A4.
  2. Rhéal Séguin, "PQ members blame Boisclair for defeat," Globe and Mail, 30 March 2007, A12.
  3. "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
  4. "Candidates haunted by past gaffes," Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 10 March 2007, A4; Francois Shalom, "Dumont decries 'witchhunt' against ADQ candidates: Nominee is found to have a criminal record," Montreal Gazette, 10 March 2007, A9.
  5. Jocelyne Richer, "Mario Dumont sera sur le terrain pour préparer la prochaine élection," La Presse Canadienne, 29 March 2007, 4:38pm.
  6. "CABINET DU CHEF DE L'OPPOSITION OFFICIELLE - LE CHEF DE L'OPPOSITION OFFICIELLE ANNONCE LA COMPOSITION DE SON "CABINET FANTÔME"" [press release], Canada NewsWire, 9:19am.
  7. Martin Ouellet, "Les partis de l'Assemblée nationale s'associent à la cause gaie," La Presse Canadienne, 20 November 2007, 4:10pm.
  8. Antoine Robitaille, "Dumont veut mettre un terme à l'aide sociale comme «mode de vie»," Le Devoir, 21 November 2008, A5.
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