Brian Gallant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Gallant
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Gallant in 2017
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| 33rd Premier of New Brunswick | |
| In office October 7, 2014 – November 9, 2018 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Lieutenant Governor | Graydon Nicholas Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau |
| Deputy | Stephen Horsman |
| Preceded by | David Alward |
| Succeeded by | Blaine Higgs |
| Attorney General of New Brunswick | |
| In office May 11, 2018 – November 9, 2018 |
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| Premier | Himself |
| Preceded by | Serge Rousselle |
| Succeeded by | Andrea Anderson-Mason |
| Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick | |
| In office November 9, 2018 – February 14, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Blaine Higgs |
| Succeeded by | Denis Landry |
| In office April 30, 2013 – October 7, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Victor Boudreau |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Fitch |
| Leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association | |
| In office October 27, 2012 – February 12, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Shawn Graham Victor Boudreau (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Denis Landry |
| Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly for Shediac Bay-Dieppe Kent (2013–2014) |
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| In office April 15, 2013 – October 7, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Shawn Graham |
| Succeeded by | Robert Gauvin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Brian Alexander Gallant
April 27, 1982 Shediac Bridge, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Political party | New Brunswick Liberal Association |
| Spouse |
Karine Lavoie
(m. 2017) |
| Education | Université de Moncton (BBA, LLB) McGill University (LLM) |
| Occupation | Politician, Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Brian Alexander Gallant (born April 27, 1982) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. He served as the 33rd premier of New Brunswick from 2014 to 2018. A premier is the head of government for a Canadian province.
When Gallant became premier at age 32, he was the second-youngest person to ever hold the job in New Brunswick. Before entering politics, he worked as a lawyer. He was a member of the New Brunswick Liberal Association.
After leaving politics, Gallant became the CEO of the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation, a group that studies the role of businesses in society.
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Early Life and Education
Brian Gallant was born in Shediac Bridge, New Brunswick. His father, Pierre, was of Acadian descent, and his mother, Marilyn, was the child of Dutch immigrants. He has a sister, Melissa, and a brother, Pierre.
His family moved often when he was young because his parents were looking for work. They worked at jobs in convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. Gallant graduated from Polyvalente Louis-J.-Robichaud high school in Shediac. His principal once told him he had the qualities to become a future premier.
To pay for his university education, Gallant started two small companies. He earned degrees in Business Administration and Law from the Université de Moncton. He later earned a Master of Laws degree from McGill University. After his studies, he worked as a lawyer.
Beginning a Career in Politics
Gallant's first attempt at provincial politics was in the 2006 election. At just 24 years old, he ran against the premier at the time, Bernard Lord. Although Gallant did not win, running against a premier helped him become more well-known.
In 2012, he was elected as the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association. The next year, he won a special election in the riding of Kent. On April 30, 2013, he officially joined the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick and became the Leader of the Opposition. This meant he was the leader of the main party that was not in power.
Premier of New Brunswick
In the 2014 election, Gallant's Liberal Party defeated the Progressive Conservative government. On October 7, 2014, he was sworn in as premier.
During his time as premier, Gallant's government focused on several key areas:
- Economy: The province's economy grew, and the unemployment rate went down. New Brunswick became known as a cost-effective place to do business.
- Population Growth: After a slight drop in population, New Brunswick's population grew to a record high, partly due to immigration. In 2016, the province welcomed many Syrian refugees.
- Education: The government increased funding for education. It introduced computer coding in schools and brought back trades programs in high schools.
- Social Programs: New programs were created to help families with the costs of childcare and university tuition.
- Equality: The government worked to improve women's equality. It also made it easier for women to access healthcare services. Gallant was the first premier in the province's history to walk in a pride parade.
- Environment: The government created a plan to fight climate change. It also placed a ban on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method of getting oil and gas.
Leaving Politics
The 2018 election was very close. The Liberals, led by Gallant, won 21 seats, while the Progressive Conservatives, led by Blaine Higgs, won 22 seats. Gallant tried to continue leading with a minority government, which is when a ruling party has less than half of the seats.
However, on November 2, 2018, his government lost a vote of confidence. This means a majority of the members of the legislature voted that they no longer had confidence in his government. Gallant resigned as premier, and Blaine Higgs took his place.
Gallant stepped down as Liberal leader in February 2019. He resigned his seat in the legislature on October 7, 2019, to take a job at a university in Toronto.
Life After Politics
Since leaving politics, Brian Gallant has stayed active in public life. He is the CEO of a research group and often appears on TV and radio to talk about business and politics. He is a strong supporter of bilingualism (the ability to speak two languages) in New Brunswick, which is Canada's only officially bilingual province.
In 2022, Gallant was named the CEO of Space Canada, an organization for the Canadian space industry.
