Matt DeCourcey

Matthew DeCourcey (born April 4, 1983) is a Canadian Liberal politician, who represented the riding of Fredericton in the House of Commons of Canada from 2015 until 2019.[1]

Matt DeCourcey

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
January 30, 2017  May 3, 2019
MinisterChrystia Freeland
Preceded byPamela Goldsmith-Jones
Succeeded byRob Oliphant
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Fredericton
In office
October 19, 2015  September 11, 2019
Preceded byKeith Ashfield
Succeeded byJenica Atwin
Personal details
Born (1983-04-04) April 4, 1983
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceFredericton, New Brunswick
Alma materSt. Thomas University
Mount Saint Vincent University
Professioncommunity outreach specialist

Family and education

Matthew Carey DeCourcey is the son of Harold DeCourcey a retired probation officer for the Province of New Brunswick and Dawn DeCourcey, a retired teacher in Fredericton, New Brunswick. His sister, Michelle DeCourcey, is the coach of the St. Thomas University women's soccer team.

DeCourcey graduated from Fredericton High School in 2001. DeCourcey graduated from St. Thomas University in 2005. DeCourcey graduated from Mount St. Vincent University in 2007 with a Master's degree in public relations (MPR) and was valedictorian.

In 2019, he announced his engagement to Liberal member of Parliament Maryam Monsef.[2]

Career

DeCourcey first became involved in politics during his studies at St. Thomas University, volunteering for Paul Martin's successful federal Liberal leadership bid in 2003.[3] He worked for Fredericton MP Andy Scott from 2005 to 2006, and subsequently worked for Labrador MP Todd Russell.[4][3] He was a director on the board of the Fredericton YMCA and taught Child and Youth Rights at Saint Thomas Aquinas University.[3]

He spent five months in The Gambia on an international development initiative, and on his return to Canada he became the director of communications for New Brunswick's Child and Youth Advocate.[4]

Politics

DeCourcey became the Liberal Party's candidate in Fredericton during the 2015 federal election, and won, ousting Conservative incumbent and former cabinet minister Keith Ashfield.

DeCourcey was appointed to the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform, which was established due to the campaign promise made by DeCourcey and the Liberal Party that 2015 would be the last Federal election decided under the first-past-the-post system. That committee travelled across Canada in 2016 to consult with Canadians as to their preference for electoral reform, and in doing so, heard widespread support for a switch from the first-past-the-post electoral system to proportional representation.[5] DeCourcey and the Liberal Party ultimately refused to table any legislation to enact electoral reform.

In spring 2018 DeCourcey was criticized for violating House of Commons rules by using his taxpayer-funded M.P. newsletter to recruit volunteers for the Liberal Party. [6]

He was defeated in the 2019 federal election by Jenica Atwin of the Green Party.

Electoral record

2019 Canadian federal election: Fredericton
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
GreenJenica Atwin16,64033.68+21.26
ConservativeAndrea Johnson15,01130.38+1.96
LiberalMatt DeCourcey13,54427.41−21.85
New DemocraticMackenzie Thomason2,9465.96−3.93
People'sJason Paull7761.57New
Animal ProtectionLesley Thomas2860.58New
LibertarianBrandon Kirby1260.26New
CommunistJacob Patterson800.16New
Total valid votes/Expense limit 49,409100.0   $101,795.92
Total rejected ballots 3010.61+0.20
Turnout 49,71075.52−0.21
Eligible voters 65,825
Green gain from Liberal Swing +21.56
Source: Elections Canada[7][8]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalMatt DeCourcey23,01649.26+25.24
ConservativeKeith Ashfield13,28028.42-18.55
GreenMary Lou Babineau5,80412.42+8.27
New DemocraticSharon Scott-Levesque4,6229.89-14.41
Total valid votes/Expense limit 46,722100.0 $194,784.13[9]
Total rejected ballots 188
Turnout 46,910
Eligible voters 60,587
Source: Elections Canada[10][11]

References

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