Robert-Falcon Ouellette

Dr.
Robert-Falcon Ouellette
MP BA PhD
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Winnipeg Centre
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded by Pat Martin
Personal details
Born (1976-11-22) November 22, 1976
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Catherine Cantin[1]
Children 5
Residence St. Vital, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Education Doctor of Philosophy, Anthropology
Alma mater Université Laval (Ph.D., M.A.)
University of Calgary (B.A.)
Profession Anthropologist
Military service
Allegiance Canadian Forces
Service/branch Royal Canadian Navy
Years of service 1992-present
Rank Petty Officer 2nd class
Unit HMCS Chippawa

Robert-Falcon Ouellette MP (born November 22, 1976) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Winnipeg Centre in the House of Commons of Canada in the Canadian federal election, 2015. He was previously a candidate for Mayor of Winnipeg in the 2014 municipal election, finishing third.

Of mixed English and Cree descent, Ouellette was a veteran of nearly twenty years in the Canadian Forces and a university professor before his entry into politics.

Early life and career

Ouellette was born and raised in Calgary.[1][2] His namesake was his mother's younger brother Robert-Falcon Green[3] who died in 1961 at age 9.[4] His mother was born in Tottenham, England[5] and moved from England to Canada in 1974[6] and his father was Cree and from the Red Pheasant First Nation, located south of North Battleford, Saskatchewan.[7] Ouellette was raised primarily by his mother, a poorly educated woman with a history of depression.[7] Ouellette's father was a student in the Canadian Indian residential school system and an alcoholic who was sometimes absent.[7]

Ouellette grew up in poor conditions, often going hungry, and he once spent a summer homeless in Winnipeg.[7] Determined to change her son's future, Ouellette's mother insisted that he take the admissions test for the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, an elite private school.[7] After Ouellette was admitted, his mother paid for his tuition by taking out a loan she could not afford to pay back.[7][8]

Ouellette earned a bachelor of arts in music from the University of Calgary, a master's in music and a master's in education from Laval University, and a PhD in anthropology, also from Laval.[8]

He retired from the Royal Canadian Navy after nearly two decades of service with the rank of Petty Officer 2nd class and remains as part of the Naval Reserve.[1] He moved to Winnipeg in 2011 from Quebec City after he was appointed as director of Aboriginal Focus Programs at the University of Manitoba.[1]

Municipal politics

In 2005, Ouelette ran for a council seat for Quebec City Council, but lost by 170 votes.[8]

Ouellette finished third in the 2014 Winnipeg municipal election.[9] He had run on a platform of dedicated infrastructure funding and campaign finance reform.[1] Shortly after his defeat, he declared that he was developing a business plan to open a Winnipeg university catering to indigenous post-secondary students.[9]

Federal politics

In the 2015 election, Ouellette took over 50% of the vote and defeated longtime NDP MP Pat Martin in Winnipeg Centre.[10] Ouellette resigned his position with the University of Manitoba in July 2015 to focus on his campaign.[11] After his election, Ouellette was considered a leading candidate for the position of Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.[12]

Ouellette withdrew from the race to be Speaker of the House of Commons after making comments at a Winnipeg town hall meeting stating the position comes with "great influence" over the Prime Minister to the extent of calling the Prime Minister to the Speaker's Chair to address constituent's concerns.[13]

Personal life

Ouellette is married to Catherine Cantin, whom he met while they were both military cadets, and has five children.[1] Like himself, his household is fluently bilingual.[1] He lives in the southern suburban region of St. Vital, Winnipeg.[1]

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalRobert-Falcon Ouellette 18,471 54.51 +43.44 $78,690.24
New DemocraticPat Martin 9,490 28.01 -25.65 $107,665.59
ConservativeAllie Szarkiewicz 4,189 12.36 -15.28 $32,494.32
GreenDon Woodstock 1,379 4.07 -2.98 $38,782.49
Christian HeritageScott Miller 221 0.65 n/a $1,210.15
CommunistDarrell Rankin 135 0.40 -0.19 $0.00
Total valid votes/Expense limit 33,885100.00 $191,132.58
Total rejected ballots 2810.82–
Turnout 34,16661.41–
Eligible voters 55,633
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +34.59
Source: Elections Canada[14][15][16]
2014 Winnipeg Mayoral
Candidate Votes %
(x) Brian Bowman 111,504 47.54
Judy Wasylycia-Leis 58,440 24.29
Robert-Falcon Ouellette 36,823 15.70
Gord Steeves 21,080 8.99
David Sanders 3,718 1.59
Paula Havixbeck 2,083 0.89
Michel Fillion 898 0.38

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kavanagh, Sean (17 October 2014). "At home with Robert-Falcon Ouellette and his family". CBC News. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  2. ↑ Ouellette, Robert-Falcon (June 6, 2014). "Introducing Robert Falcon Ouellette". YouTube. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  3. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008". FamilySearch. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007". FamilySearch. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  5. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008". FamilySearch. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Obiruary: Sharon Lesley Ouellette née Green". Calgary Herald. Postmedia Network. Legacy.com. January 17, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Raj, Althia (20 September 2015). "Winnipeg Centre: Pat Martin, Robert-Falcon Ouellette Make Riding Key NDP-Liberal Battle". Huffington Post Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 Welch, Mary Agnes (18 October 2014). "The Most Interesting Man in the Game". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  9. 1 2 Hatherly, Dana (3 December 2014). "Robert-Falcon Ouellette Wants Indigenous University". The Manitoban. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Robert-Falcon Ouellette wins in Winnipeg Centre". CBC News. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Macdonald, Nancy (24 September 2015). "Winnipeg's amazing race". Maclean's. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  12. ↑ Roman, Karina (24 October 2015). "Justin Trudeau has strong slate of aboriginal MPs when considering cabinet". CBC News. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Rookie Winnipeg MP withdraws from Speaker race following comments at meeting". The Globe and Mail. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Winnipeg Centre, 30 September 2015
  15. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
  16. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/WPAPPS/WPF/EN/CC/DistrictReport?act=C23&eventid=41&returntype=1&option=3&queryid=72c1eb8bd75a4964986c724956f5a358
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