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Martin Cauchon




Martin Cauchon, PC , LL.B , LL.M (born August 23rd 1962 ) is a Canadian politician and former Liberal Party Of Canada Cabinet minister.

Cauchon was born in La Malbaie, Quebec and studied law at the University Of Ottawa and the University Of Exeter . He was a lawyer from 1985 to 1993.

He first entered politics when he ran against Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in the Riding of Charlevoix in the 1988 Election , and was defeated. He first won a seat in the Canadian House Of Commons in the 1993 Election in the riding of Outremont in Montreal , and was re-elected in the 1997 and 2000 Elections .

Cauchon was appointed Secretary Of State for the Federal Office Of Regional Development - Quebec by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 1996. He became a full cabinet minister in 1999 when he was given the position of Minister Of National Revenue . On January 12 , 2002 , he became Minister Of Justice and Minister with political responsibility for Quebec. As justice minister, Cauchon argued in cabinet in favour of Same-sex Marriage and the decriminalization of Marijuana (indeed, when asked whether he had used marijuana in the past, he responded "Yes, of course" {Link without Title} ).

Cauchon was a Chrétien loyalist and opposed Paul Martin 's attempt to force Chrétien to retire. When Chrétien announced his resignation, Cauchon was touted as a possible candidate to succeed him but did not end up running in the 2003 Leadership Convention . Cauchon refused to back Martin's leadership bid, and supported John Manley instead. Cauchon was not included in Martin's first cabinet.

Cauchon did not run for re-election in the 2004 Election . It is reported he is seeking out Chretien loyalists, many of whom were outcast when Paul Martin became leader of the party, and rallying them for a possible leadership bid in the 2006 Liberal Leadership Convention .


EXTERNAL LINKS



  Post2 Minister Of Justice
  Post2years 2002&ndash2003
  Post2note
  Post2preceded Anne McLellan
  Post2followed Irwin Cotler
  Post1 Minister Of National Revenue
  Post1years 1999&ndash2002
  Post1note
  Post1preceded Herb Dhaliwal
  Post1followed Elinor Caplan


  Post1 Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)
  Post1years 1996&ndash2002
  Post1note (NB: "Secretary of State (Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec)" before 1998)
  Post1preceded
  Post1followed Claude Drouin