Marcel Côté facts for kids

Marcel Côté (born July 29, 1942 – died May 25, 2014) was an important Canadian economist and politician. An economist studies how money, goods, and services are made and used. He helped start a big business consulting firm called SECOR. A consulting firm gives advice to other businesses. Later in his life, he ran to become the Mayor of Montreal.

Early Life and Education

Marcel Côté was born in Malartic, Quebec. He went to the University of Ottawa and earned a degree in physical science in 1966. He then studied economics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He received his master's degree in economics in 1969. He also spent time studying at Harvard University in 1986.

Marcel Côté's Career

Marcel Côté had a varied career, working in education, business, and government.

Teaching and Early Politics

He taught at two universities in Quebec: Université de Sherbrooke and Université du Québec à Montreal. In 1973, he tried to become a politician. He ran for the Union Nationale party in Quebec but did not win.

Business and Consulting Work

In 1975, Marcel Côté started his own company called SECOR. This company gave advice to other businesses about how to plan their future. He remained a founding member even after a larger company, KPMG, bought SECOR in 2012.

Government Advisor Roles

Marcel Côté also worked for important political leaders. From 1986 to 1988, he was an economic advisor to the Premier of Quebec, Robert Bourassa. A Premier is like the head of a province's government. Later, in 1989 and 1990, he advised the Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney. The Prime Minister is the head of Canada's national government.

Work as an Economist

As an economist, Marcel Côté was an expert in how different regions grow and how new technologies affect the economy. He wrote several books about these topics. In 2010, he helped write a report about how Montreal was managed and how it collected taxes. This report was called the "Côté-Séguin Report."

Community Involvement

Marcel Côté was very involved in his community. He was the head of the board of directors for the Montreal YMCA. A board of directors helps guide an organization. He also served on the boards of many other important groups. These included the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Foundation of Greater Montreal. He received an award in 2012 for his work in arts and business.

Political Campaign for Mayor

On July 3, 2013, Marcel Côté announced he would run for Mayor of Montreal. He led a group called Coalition Montréal. This group included independent candidates and others from another party, Vision Montreal.

His Passing

Marcel Côté passed away on May 25, 2014. He had a heart attack while riding his bicycle.