Dominic LeBlanc

Dominic A. LeBlanc PC KC MP (born December 14, 1967) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has served as the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs since 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, LeBlanc sits as the member of Parliament (MP) for Beauséjour, representing the New Brunswick riding in the House of Commons since 2000. He has held a number of Cabinet portfolios throughout his tenure in government.

The Honourable
Dominic LeBlanc
PC KC MP
LeBlanc in 2023
Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Assumed office
July 26, 2023[1]
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byMarco Mendicino (Public Safety)
Himself (Intergovernmental Affairs)
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities[lower-alpha 1]
In office
August 18, 2020 – July 26, 2023[2]
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byChrystia Freeland (Intergovernmental Affairs)
Catherine McKenna (Infrastructure and Communities)
Succeeded byHimself (Intergovernmental Affairs)
Sean Fraser (Infrastructure and Communities)
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
In office
July 18, 2018 – October 26, 2021
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byKarina Gould
Succeeded byBill Blair
Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade
In office
July 18, 2018 – November 20, 2019
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byJustin Trudeau (Intergovernmental Affairs)
Carolyn Bennett (Northern Affairs)
Succeeded byChrystia Freeland (Intergovernmental Affairs)
Dan Vandal (Northern Affairs)
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
In office
May 31, 2016 – July 18, 2018
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byHunter Tootoo
Succeeded byJonathan Wilkinson
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
In office
November 4, 2015 – August 19, 2016
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byPeter Van Loan
Succeeded byBardish Chagger
Member of Parliament
for Beauséjour
Assumed office
November 27, 2000
Preceded byAngela Vautour
Personal details
Born (1967-12-14) December 14, 1967
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political partyLiberal
SpouseJolène Richard
ParentRoméo LeBlanc[3]
Residence(s)Moncton, New Brunswick
EducationLisgar Collegiate Institute
Alma materTrinity College, Toronto (BA)
University of New Brunswick (LLB)
Harvard University (LLM)
ProfessionLawyer
WebsiteDominic LeBlanc

LeBlanc ran for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 2008 but dropped out of the race to endorse Michael Ignatieff, who was later acclaimed leader. With the resignation of Ignatieff after the 2011 federal election LeBlanc was considered a likely candidate in the race to succeed him as party leader, but did not run.[4][5]

LeBlanc served as the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from 2015 to 2016.[6] He served as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard from 2016 to 2018 and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern Affairs and Internal Trade from 2018 to 2019. He has served as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada from 2018 to 2021 and began a second stint as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in 2020. After the 2021 federal election, LeBlanc remained as minister of intergovernmental affairs but also became minister of infrastructure and communities. In 2023, LeBlanc moved to his current role as Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, gaining responsibility for public safety and democratic institutions while remaining minister of intergovernmental affairs.

Early life and education

LeBlanc was born in 1967, of Acadian descent, in Ottawa, Ontario, to Joslyn "Lyn" (née Carter) and Roméo LeBlanc, a former MP, senator and 25th governor general of Canada.

As a child, he baby-sat the children of then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau. He remained friends with Justin Trudeau and endorsed Trudeau's candidacy for Liberal leader in 2012.

LeBlanc attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute for high school.[7] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Toronto (Trinity College), a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of New Brunswick, and then attended Harvard Law School, where he obtained his Master of Laws degree. LeBlanc worked as a barrister and solicitor with Clark Drummie in Shediac and Moncton. From 1993 to 1996, LeBlanc was a Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

Political career

LeBlanc is member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the House of Commons of Canada, representing the riding of Beauséjour in New Brunswick.

LeBlanc first ran in that riding in 1997,[8] losing to New Democratic Party candidate, Angela Vautour.[9] During that race there were accusations of political patronage as LeBlanc's father was the sitting viceroy, and there was criticism that the governor general had a series of events planned in New Brunswick the very week that the election writs dropped.[10][11][12][13]

In 2000 LeBlanc once again ran against Vautour, who had crossed the floor and was a Progressive Conservative, and was elected.[14] LeBlanc has been re-elected in the 2004 (where he faced Vautour for the third time), 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2021.

Chrétien and Martin governments

During the Liberal Party's time in power LeBlanc served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, from January 13, 2003, to December 11, 2003, and was the chair of the Atlantic Caucus.

On July 10, 2004, he was sworn in as a Member of the Privy Council for Canada and appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the leader of the Government in the House of Commons and deputy chief government whip. He has served on the Special Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs, and the Standing Committees on Fisheries and Oceans, Transport and Government Operations, National Defence and Veterans Affairs, and Public Accounts, Procedures and House Affairs, and International Trade.

In opposition

In January 2006, he was named Official Opposition critic for international trade and later that year he was co-chair of the 2006 Liberal Party leadership convention in Montreal. In January 2007, he was named by the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Vice Chair – Liberal Party of Canada Policy and Platform Committee and In October of that year, he was named Official Opposition critic for intergovernmental affairs. In January 2009, he was named by Michael Ignatieff as the critic for justice and attorney general. Before the return of Parliament in September 2010, Ignatieff shuffled his Shadow Cabinet and appointed LeBlanc as the Liberal critic for national defence.[15] Following LeBlanc's re-election in the 2011 federal election, interim Liberal leader Bob Rae appointed LeBlanc as the Liberal Party's foreign affairs critic.

2008 leadership bid

On October 27, 2008, LeBlanc was the first candidate to officially announce his intention to seek the leadership of the Liberal party to replace Stéphane Dion. Former leadership candidates Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae came forward shortly after LeBlanc's announcement.[16] His supporters included top staffers in the prime minister's office under Jean Chrétien, such as his former chief of staff Percy Downe, and Tim Murphy, chief of staff under Paul Martin. Some senior organizers in Gerard Kennedy's 2006 leadership bid were also with LeBlanc.[17]

LeBlanc with former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff (centre-left) during the 2011 federal election campaign launch, in Ottawa.

On December 8, 2008, LeBlanc announced he was dropping out of the leadership race because he felt a leader needed to be put in place as soon as possible and that he was throwing his support behind Ignatieff. The next day Rae dropped out of the race and Ignatieff was acclaimed leader when Dion stepped down.[18][19]

2011–2015

LeBlanc retained his seat in the 2011 election, while the Liberals dropped down to third place in the House of Commons.

Regarding the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party, LeBlanc, a prospective leadership candidate, puts it, the next leader needs to commit 10 to 15 years of his or her life "occupied exclusively" with rebuilding the Liberal party and winning elections.[20]

42nd Canadian Parliament

On November 4, 2015, he was appointed the leader of the Government in the House of Commons in the present Cabinet, headed by Justin Trudeau.[21] On May 31, 2016, upon the resignation of Hunter Tootoo from the Ministry, LeBlanc also became the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. His father had previously held the equivalent position under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.[22]

On August 19, 2016, Leblanc was replaced as leader of the Government in the House of Commons by Bardish Chagger. He retained the post of Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.[6]

On July 18, 2018, Leblanc was shuffled from Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, a combination of two positions, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, and Northern Affairs.[23]

On September 12, 2018, the ethics commissioner, Mario Dion found LeBlanc broke conflict of interest rules when he awarded a lucrative Arctic surf clam licence to a company linked to his wife's cousin in February 2018.[24]

On April 26, 2019, Leblanc announced he would be stepping back from cabinet as he sought treatment for cancer.[25]

43rd Canadian Parliament

On November 20, 2019, Leblanc returned to Cabinet as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, a position with reduced responsibilities. His former role as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, was split between the Minister of Northern Affairs, and the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.[26]

After the resignation of Bill Morneau as Minister of Finance, Leblanc again became Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs after his successor, Chrystia Freeland, took the role of Minister of Finance in a cabinet shuffle on August 18, 2020. He retained his position as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.[27]

44th Canadian Parliament

As of 31 August 2022, Leblanc sat on seven of the 13 cabinet committees then extant:[28]

  • Cabinet Committee on Agenda, Results and Communications
  • Sub-Committee on Intergovernmental Coordination
  • Cabinet Committee on Operations
  • Sub-Committee on Litigation Management
  • Cabinet Committee on Economy, Inclusion and Climate “B”
  • Sub-Committee on the federal response to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
  • Task Force on Services to Canadians

Electoral record
2021 Canadian federal election: Beauséjour
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc27,31355.6+9.1$66,501.84
ConservativeShelly Mitchell9,52619.4+1.8$14,489.19
New DemocraticEvelyne Godfrey5,39411.0+3.7$516.68
GreenStella Anna Girouard2,7985.7-21.0$864.18
People'sJack Minor3,7237.6+5.6$11,448.76
FreeIsabelle Sauriol Chiasson3910.8N/A$0.00
Total valid votes/Expense limit 49,14599.4–$107,726.91
Total rejected ballots 2940.6
Turnout 49,43968.0-10.0
Registered voters 72,726
Liberal hold Swing +5.5
Source: Elections Canada[29]
2019 Canadian federal election: Beauséjour
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc24,94846.47−22.54$83,393.36
GreenLaura Reinsborough14,30526.65+22.16$74,321.26
ConservativeVincent Cormier9,43817.58+6.21$39,043.98
New DemocraticJean-Marc Bélanger3,9407.34−7.79none listed
People'sNancy Mercier1,0541.96New$6,338.64
Total valid votes/expense limit 53,685100.0   $101,392.80
Total rejected ballots 4750.88+0.28
Turnout 54,16077.99−2.49
Eligible voters 69,444
Liberal hold Swing −22.35
Source: Elections Canada[30][31]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc36,53469.02+28.33$77,614.48
New DemocraticHélène Boudreau8,00915.13–8.30$24,161.02
ConservativeAnn Bastarache6,01711.37–20.35–
GreenKevin King2,3764.49+0.32$1,009.07
Total valid votes/Expense limit 52,936100.00 $200,494.19
Total rejected ballots 3200.60
Turnout 53,25680.48
Eligible voters 66,170
Liberal notional hold Swing +18.31
Source: Elections Canada[32][33]
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalDominic LeBlanc17,39939.08-7.68
ConservativeEvelyn Chapman14,81433.27+4.12
New DemocraticSusan Levi-Peters10,39723.35+6.47
GreenNatalie Arsenault1,9134.3-2.89
Total valid votes/Expense limit – 100.00
Liberal hold Swing +5.90
2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc19,97246.6-0.95
ConservativeOmer Léger12,51229.2-3.03
New DemocraticChris Durrant7,21916.8+0.13
GreenMike Milligan3,1877.4+4.61
Total valid votes 42,890
Liberal hold Swing -2.08
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc22,01247.55-5.73
ConservativeOmer Léger14,91932.23+4.04
New DemocraticNeil Gardner7,71716.67+1.96
GreenAnna Girouard1,2902.79-1.03
IndependentFrank Comeau3570.77Ø
Total valid votes 46,295
Liberal hold Swing +4.89
2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc21,93453.28+6.18
ConservativeAngela Vautour11,60428.19-17.65
New DemocraticOmer Bourque6,05614.71+7.65
GreenAnna Girouard1,5743.82Ø
Total valid votes 41,168
Liberal hold Swing +11.92
2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDominic LeBlanc21,46547.10+12.27
Progressive ConservativeAngela Vautour14,63132.11+16.11
AllianceTom Taylor625613.73+3.55
New DemocraticInka Milewski32177.06-31.93
Total valid votes 45,569
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +22.10
1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticAngela Vautour18,50438.99+33.25
LiberalDominic LeBlanc16,52934.83-41.20
Progressive ConservativeIan Hamilton759216.00+0.78
ReformRaymond Braun483310.18Ø
Total valid votes 47,458
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +37.23

Notes
  1. From 2020 to 2021, the role was known as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs; on October 26, 2021, the role was renamed Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, with LeBlanc gaining responsibility for Infrastructure and Communities from Catherine McKenna.

Personal life

In 2003, he married Jolène Richard, a former Moncton lawyer who became a judge on the Provincial Court of New Brunswick in 2008, and eventually became a chief judge.[34] She is the daughter of Guy A. Richard, who served as Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick.[35][36] He has an adult stepson.[36]

In December 2017, he announced that he had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and would begin chemotherapy immediately while continuing to serve in his parliamentary roles.[36]

In 2019 he got a treatment with stem cells (chance of 1 to 1 million match) from an 18-year-old German donor and has been cured since.[37] After the regular two-years non-contact time between donor and patient, both have been in personal contact since then and the donor paid a visit to LeBlanc in Canada in September 2022.[38]

Arms
Coat of arms of Dominic LeBlanc
Notes
inherited his arms from his father
Adopted
January 1, 1995 (granted to his father), June 24, 2009 (inherited)
Crest
Four eagle feathers within a circlet of Micmac quill decration Gules
Torse
Argent and Gules
Escutcheon
Argent on a pile Gules the Star of Acadia ensigned by a representation of the Royal Crown Or;
Supporters
Two dolphins Argent each gorged with a collar of maple leaves Gules and fleurs de lys Or, pendand therefrom a plate Azure, dexter surmounted by a steam locomotive wheel Or, sinister surmounted by a book Or
Compartment
Issuant from a mound set with maple leaves all Gules flanked by waves proper
Motto
SEMPER AMISSOS MEMINISSE DECET
(It is right to remember the forgotten)
Symbolism
The use of white recalls the LeBlanc family name, while the pile refers to the Memramcook Valley, where Roméo LeBlanc was born, and the dolphins evoke the Rivière Dauphin (now Annapolis River), where LeBlanc's ancestors settled in the mid 17th century, as well as Roméo LeBlanc's maritime heritage and his service as the minister of fisheries. The star is a symbol long used by the Acadians, as are the fleurs de lys representative of LeBlanc's roots in that community, and the royal crown represents Roméo LeBlanc's appointment as the representative of the Canadian sovereign. The eagle feathers, a symbols of peace, honour the Canadian First Nations, and the number represents Roméo LeBlanc's four children. More family links are depicted in the steam locomotive wheel – representing LeBlanc's father's service on the Canadian railways – and the book evoking Roméo LeBlanc's training and work as a teacher. The compartment symbolises a multi-ethnic Canada between two seas, and recalls the Micmac origin of the word Memramcook, meaning multi-coloured landscape.[39]

References
  1. Tunney, Catharine (July 26, 2023). "Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, drops 7 ministers and shuffles most portfolios". CBC News. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  2. Tunney, Catharine (July 26, 2023). "Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, drops 7 ministers and shuffles most portfolios". CBC News. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  3. LeBlanc, Dominic. "The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc". Parlinfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  4. "LeBlanc eyes Liberal leadership". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. May 3, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  5. "Justin Trudeau's leadership bid backed by LeBlanc". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 5, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  6. "Bardish Chagger adds government House leader to small business, tourism duties". CBC News. August 19, 2016.
  7. Kennedy, Mark (December 1, 2015). "Dominic LeBlanc is Trudeau's go-to guy. Here's why". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  8. "Governor General's son wins Liberal nomination". Southam Newspapers. April 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 25, 1999. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  9. "Beausejour, not Bay Street". The Chronicle Herald. June 4, 1997. Archived from the original on July 27, 2001. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
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  11. Martin, Don (May 28, 2009), "Jean is now least boring G-Gever", National Post, archived from the original on October 23, 2014, retrieved October 23, 2014
  12. Smith, David E. (1999), written at Toronto-Buffalo-London, Jackson, Michael D. (ed.), "The Republican Option in Canada: Past and Present" (PDF), Canadian Monarchist News, Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada (published 2007), vol. Autumn-Winter 2007, no. 27, p. 12, archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2009, retrieved July 26, 2009
  13. Boyce, Peter (2008), written at Sydney, Jackson, Michael D. (ed.), "The Senior Realms of the Queen" (PDF), Canadian Monarchist News, Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada (published October 2009), vol. Autumn 2009, no. 30, p. 10, archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2009, retrieved October 22, 2009
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  17. Beausejour MP to run for federal Liberal leadership, wants to be a voice for middle-class, younger generation Archived August 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
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  23. Kathleen Harris. "Trudeau adds 5 new ministers in cabinet shakeup that puts focus on seniors, border security – CBC News". CBC.
  24. "Dominic LeBlanc found in conflict of interest over lucrative fishing licence". CBC. May 18, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
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  26. "Trudeau expands cabinet, promotes seven rookies and shakes up existing ministers". CTVNews. November 20, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
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  35. "Province names new judge, wife of MP Dominic LeBlanc". CBC News. November 14, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  36. Stone, Laura (December 6, 2017). "Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc won't feel sorry for himself as he battles leukemia". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  37. "Jonathan Kehl aus Bad Hersfeld ist Stammzellenspender". July 31, 2022.
  38. "Bad Hersfelder rettet kanadischen Minister - "War gleich, als würden wir uns schon lange kennen"". May 6, 2023.
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