Maka Kotto facts for kids

Maka Kotto (born December 7, 1961) is a Canadian politician who was born in Cameroon. He is also an author and has acted in films. Before becoming a politician, Maka Kotto studied in France. He then moved to Quebec, Canada, where he worked as a teacher. He was a member of the Parti Québécois in the National Assembly of Quebec, representing the area of Bourget. From 2012 to 2014, he was the Minister of Culture and Communications. He also used to be a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada for the Bloc Québécois.

Maka Kotto's Early Life and Learning

Maka Kotto was born in Douala, Cameroon. He finished high school in Saint-Quentin, France. He went on to study law, politics, acting (dramatic art), and filmmaking (cinema). He studied in French cities like Nanterre, Bordeaux, and Paris. Maka Kotto moved to Quebec in 2006.

Before he became a politician, Maka Kotto was a writer, actor, and director for plays. He also acted in a film called Lumumba in 2000, where he played the role of Joseph Kasa-Vubu. For almost 15 years, Maka Kotto also taught acting in both France and Quebec.

His Time in Federal Politics

Maka Kotto was chosen to be a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada. He represented the Bloc Québécois party. This happened in the 2004 Canadian federal election. In that election, he won against the current Member of Parliament from the Liberal Party of Canada, Yolande Thibeault, and five other people.

When he won the Saint-Lambert area, Maka Kotto became the first black Canadian Member of Parliament for the Bloc Québécois. He was chosen again two years later in the 2006 Canadian federal election. He won comfortably, beating five other candidates. During his time in federal politics, Maka Kotto was the Bloc Québécois's spokesperson for Canadian heritage. This role meant he spoke for his party on topics related to Canada's culture and history.

His Time in Provincial Politics

On November 12, 2007, Maka Kotto announced he would run for the Parti Québécois in a provincial election. This was for the Bourget area in Montreal. There was an empty spot because the previous leader, Diane Lemieux, had resigned. This was Maka Kotto's second try at provincial politics. He had previously lost in the Viau area to William Cusano from the Quebec Liberal Party.

Maka Kotto left his seat in the House of Commons of Canada on March 5, 2008. He did this so he could run in the provincial by-election. His departure was officially recognized on March 13, 2008. On May 12, 2008, he won the Bourget by-election as a Parti Québécois candidate. He received 40% of the votes.

When the Parti Québécois won the election on September 4, 2012, Maka Kotto became the Minister of Culture and Communications. He was chosen again in the 2014 Quebec election. However, the Parti Québécois government, led by Pauline Marois, was defeated. This meant Maka Kotto became a member of the Official Opposition group. He lost his seat in the 2018 election.

Personal Life

Maka Kotto is married to Caroline St-Hilaire, who used to be the mayor of Longueuil. She was also a colleague of his in the Bloc Québécois. Maka Kotto is a father of four children.

Films Maka Kotto Appeared In

• The Night of the Visitor (La nuit du visiteur) - 1990
• Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - 1995
• Beaumarchais - 1996
• The Caretaker's Lodge (La Conciergerie) - 1997
• Lumumba - 2000
• On Your Head (Le Ciel sur la tête) - 2001
• A Silent Love - 2004
• Looking for Alexander (Mémoires affectives) - 2004
• On the Verge of a Fever (Le Goût des jeunes filles) - 2004
• How to Conquer America in One Night (Comment conquérir l'Amérique en une nuit) - 2004
• Zim and Co. - 2005
• A Sunday in Kigali (Un dimanche à Kigali) - 2006

Books Written by Maka Kotto

• Kotto, Maka. Femme : libre exaltation poétique. Outremont, Québec: Lanctôt, 2002. This book is a collection of poems. It is part of a series called "J'aime la poésie 12^e".