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Gérald Tremblay
Gérald Tremblay November 2011.jpg
41st Mayor of Montreal
In office
January 1, 2002 – November 5, 2012
Preceded by Pierre Bourque
Succeeded by Jane Cowell-Poitras (Acting)
Michael Applebaum
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology
In office
1989–1994
Premier Robert Bourassa
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Succeeded by Daniel Paillé
MNA for Outremont
In office
1989–1996
Preceded by Pierre Fortier
Succeeded by Pierre-Étienne Laporte
Personal details
Born (1942-09-20) September 20, 1942 (age 82)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party Union Montréal (defunct)
Quebec Liberal Party (provincial)
Spouse Suzanne Tailleur
Relations Marcel Tremblay (brother)
Children Marie-Laurence,
Georges-Étienne
Alma mater University of Ottawa
Harvard Business
Profession Entrepreneur Businessman

Gérald Tremblay (born September 20, 1942) is a Canadian businessman and former politician. He was the mayor of Montreal from 2002 until he resigned in 2012. He also led the Montreal Metropolitan Community. Before becoming mayor, he had a long career in business. Tremblay resigned as Mayor on November 5, 2012, after questions were raised about city contracts.

Gérald Tremblay's Early Life and Education

Gérald Tremblay was born in Ottawa, Ontario. His family moved to Montreal when he was four years old. His father was a notary, and his mother was Rollande Forest. He has three brothers: Michel, Marcel, and François.

He studied law at the University of Ottawa, finishing in 1969. He then became a lawyer in Quebec in 1970. Later, he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School in 1972.

Teaching and Business Career

From 1974 to 1977, Tremblay taught at HEC Montréal, a business school. After that, he worked as a senior manager for several companies. He was a consultant and worked in the hospitality and retail industries. He also served on the boards of important organizations like Hydro-Québec.

In 1989, he entered provincial politics. He was elected as a Liberal Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Outremont. An MNA is like a Member of Parliament, but for a province. He became the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology. He held this role from 1989 to 1994.

He was re-elected as an MNA in 1994. He left provincial politics in 1996.

After his time in the provincial government, Tremblay returned to the private sector. He taught again at HEC Montréal and worked for other companies. He also started his own successful business. It was a chain of stores called Dans un Jardin that sold perfumes and other small items.

Gérald Tremblay married Suzanne Tailleur on November 24, 1979. Four years later, they adopted twins, Marie-Laurence and Georges-Etienne.

Becoming Mayor of Montreal

Gérald tremblay
Mayor Tremblay at the 2007 Montreal Saint Patrick's Day Parade.

Tremblay decided to run for mayor of Montreal after a big change happened. Many smaller towns around Montreal were combined into one large city. This was a big topic of discussion at the time.

Tremblay's political party was called the Montreal Island Citizens Union, later known as Union Montréal. He promised to look closely at this merger and give more power back to local areas. Many people who were against the merger supported him.

He was elected mayor on November 4, 2001. He won with support from many different groups of people.

Second and Third Terms as Mayor

On November 6, 2005, Gérald Tremblay won his second term as mayor. He easily defeated his main opponent, Pierre Bourque.

During his time as mayor, Tremblay worked to make the city's operations more efficient. He also encouraged more public discussions about city decisions. In 2006, he was chosen as a vice president for North America of United Cities and Local Governments.

Gérald Tremblay was re-elected for a third term on November 1, 2009. The election campaign in 2009 focused on how the city was managed. There were questions about city contracts, especially for things like water meters.

Resignation from Office

In October 2012, during a public inquiry called the Charbonneau Commission, some serious claims were made. A contractor said that Tremblay's party, Union Montreal, received money linked to city contracts.

On October 30, 2012, a former organizer for Union Montreal also made claims. He suggested that Mayor Tremblay knew about some questionable financial practices. These statements caused a lot of concern among politicians.

After these claims, Tremblay announced he would take a few days off. On November 5, 2012, Gérald Tremblay announced that he was resigning as mayor. He also said he was leaving politics.

See also

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