Jonathan Genest-Jourdain facts for kids

Jonathan Genest-Jourdain was born on July 16, 1979. He is a Canadian politician from Quebec. Mr. Genest-Jourdain served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the New Democratic Party. He represented the area called Manicouagan. He was also part of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet during the 41st Canadian Parliament, from 2011 to 2015.

What is a Member of Parliament?

A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a person elected by citizens to represent them in the House of Commons of Canada. This is where laws are made for the country. MPs work to bring the concerns of their local area, called a "riding," to the national government.

Jonathan Genest-Jourdain's Journey in Politics

Jonathan Genest-Jourdain started his political career in the town of Sept-Îles, Quebec, in 2009. As a lawyer, he has always cared deeply about issues important to First Nations people, as well as Quebec and Canadian history.

Becoming an MP for Manicouagan

In the 2011 Canadian federal election, Jonathan Genest-Jourdain won against the current MP, Gérard Asselin. This was a big moment because he became the first ever New Democratic Party (NDP) member to represent the Manicouagan riding.

He was one of two First Nations members from Quebec elected to the House of Commons of Canada at that time. The other was Romeo Saganash. Mr. Genest-Jourdain was also a member of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. This committee works on issues important to Indigenous peoples and northern communities.

His Background and Education

Jonathan Genest-Jourdain is a member of the Innu Nation. He grew up in the village of Uashat-Maliotenam, which is a reserve. He studied law at Université Laval and earned his law degree in 2004. Since 2007, he has been a member of the Bar of Quebec, which means he is a licensed lawyer. He has always focused on using his legal skills to help people in his community.

Supporting a New Leader

In 2012, after the death of NDP leader Jack Layton, the party needed a new leader. Jonathan Genest-Jourdain supported Tom Mulcair, the MP for Outremont, to become the new leader of the NDP.

End of His Term as MP

In the 2015 Canadian federal election, Jonathan Genest-Jourdain ran for re-election in Manicouagan. He finished third in the election. Marilène Gill from the Bloc Québécois party became the new MP for the riding.

What is a Shadow Cabinet?

Soon after Jonathan Genest-Jourdain became an MP in May 2011, the leader of the NDP, Jack Layton, gave him an important role. He was appointed to the shadow cabinet as the Deputy Critic for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

The "Shadow Cabinet" is made up of members of the main opposition party. They act like a "shadow" government. Each member is responsible for watching over a specific government department. For example, as Deputy Critic for Aboriginal Affairs, Jonathan Genest-Jourdain would have studied the government's plans for Indigenous peoples and suggested different ideas.

Election Results

Here are the results from the elections Jonathan Genest-Jourdain participated in:

2015 Federal Election in Manicouagan

• Marilène Gill (Bloc Québécois): 17,338 votes (41.25%)
• Mario Tremblay (Liberal): 12,343 votes (29.37%)
• Jonathan Genest-Jourdain (NDP): 7,359 votes (17.51%)
• Yvon Boudreau (Conservative): 4,317 votes (10.27%)
• Nathan Grills (Green): 673 votes (1.60%)

2011 Federal Election

• Jonathan Genest-Jourdain (NDP): 16,438 votes (48.93%)
• Gérard Asselin (Bloc Québécois): 10,496 votes (31.25%)
• Gordon Ferguson (Conservative): 3,879 votes (11.55%)
• André Forbes (Liberal): 1,881 votes (5.6%)
• Jacques Gélineau (Green): 898 votes (2.67%)