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René Arseneault

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René Arseneault
MP
Arseneault in 2023
Member of Parliament
for Madawaska—Restigouche
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byBernard Valcourt
Personal details
Born (1966-07-01) July 1, 1966 (age 58)
Political partyLiberal
SpouseMichèle Pelletier
ResidenceCharlo, New Brunswick[1]
ProfessionAttorney

René Arseneault MP (born July 1, 1966) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election, and was re-elected in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.[2]

Background

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Arseneault earned an undergraduate degree in economics and political science, followed by a law degree from the Université de Moncton. He established a law practice with his wife Michèle Pelletier in 1996.[3]

On becoming a lawyer, he succeeded in overturning a requirement to swear an oath to the monarch and became the first lawyer in New Brunswick to join the bar without swearing the oath.[4]

Political career

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Arsenault was elected as a Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche in the 2015 federal election.

Arsenault was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Official Languages) on December 12, 2019.[5]

On August 16, 2024, Arseneault announced that he would not be running in the 2025 election.[6]

Foreign policy

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In February 2016, Arseneault broke ranks from many of his fellow Liberals when he voted against a Conservative Party motion rejecting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Arseneault addressed his vote by later stating that "he did not have a clear conscience with the motion as proposed," further adding that it would have been different if the motion were one which condemned organizations that promoted antisemitism. He disagreed with the motion's claim that the movement was "demonizing Israel" and rather described the movement as "encouraging boycotts of certain Israeli products made in the occupied territories." Arseneault added that this condemnation, in his opinion, violated Canadian freedom of expression.[7] The motion was also voted against by two other Liberals as well as the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois.[8]

Electoral record

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2021 Canadian federal election: Madawaska—Restigouche
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal René Arseneault 16,854 55.22 +4.94 $38,339.96
Conservative Shawn Beaulieu 7,857 25.74 -2.69 $33,053.20
People's Nancy Mercier 1,889 6.19 – $0.00
New Democratic Elizabeth MacDonald 1,859 6.09 -0.33 $0.00
Free Louis Berube 1,277 4.18 – $0.00
Green Rebecca Blaevoet 786 2.58 -12.29 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 30,522 100.0 – $104,119.82
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 30,522 60.74 -8.37
Registered voters 50,252
Liberal hold Swing +3.82
Source: Elections Canada[9]
2019 Canadian federal election: Madawaska—Restigouche
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal René Arseneault 17,331 50.28 -5.42 $69,640.81
Conservative Nelson Fox 9,801 28.43 +11.95 $41,501.75
Green Louis Bérubé 5,125 14.87 +12.97 $11,518.03
New Democratic Chad Betteridge 2,212 6.42 -19.50 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 34.469 98.13
Total rejected ballots 657 1.87 +0.95
Turnout 35,126 69.11 -4.86
Eligible voters 50,828
Liberal hold Swing -8.68
Source: Elections Canada[10][11]
2015 Canadian federal election: Madawaska—Restigouche
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal René Arseneault 20,778 55.70 +20.91 $66,315.47
New Democratic Rosaire L'Italien 9,670 25.92 +6.58 $92,730.82
Conservative Bernard Valcourt 6,151 16.49 -23.99 $101,364.85
Green Françoise Aubin 707 1.90 +0.10 –
Total valid votes/expense limit 37,306 99.08   $199,271.58
Total rejected ballots 348 0.92 –
Turnout 37,654 74.02 –
Eligible voters 50,871
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +22.45
Source: Elections Canada[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Rene Arseneault wins Liberalsa seat in Madawaska-Restigouche, Global News, October 19, 2015.
  3. ^ René Arseneault Biography, Liberal.ca.
  4. ^ Woolf, Marie (2 May 2023). "Time is right to scrap requirement to swear oath to the King, MPs and Senators say". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 5 January 2024. Mr. Arseneault successfully challenged a requirement to swear an oath to the Queen when he joined the bar in New Brunswick.
  5. ^ ROLES - RENÉ ARSENEAULT
  6. ^ McNally, Trevor (August 16, 2024). "Arseneault: I won't run in next federal election". Telegraph-Journal. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  7. ^ Boisvert, Jean-François. "René Arseneault assume pleinement son vote" (in Canadian French). L'Acadie Nouvelle. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  8. ^ McLeod, Paul (February 22, 2016). "The Canadian Parliament Overwhelmingly Voted To Condemn Boycotts Of Israel". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "Election night results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  10. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  12. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Madawaska—Restigouche, 30 September 2015
  13. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
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