Former Liberal cabinet minister is next New Brunswick senator
Savannah Awde | CBC News | Posted: June 29, 2024 9:03 PM | Last Updated: June 30
Victor Boudreau of Shediac to join upper chamber after over a decade as New Brunswick MLA
Former Liberal MLA and cabinet minister Victor Boudreau was appointed to Canada's Senate on Friday after over a decade in provincial politics.
Boudreau, currently the chief administrative officer for the Town of Shediac, said on Saturday he was excited to receive the news.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to get to work, to represent New Brunswick and New Brunswickers' interest in our federal parliamentary system," he told Radio-Canada in Shediac.
However, Boudreau said he has yet to commit to any particular Senate group, including Justin Trudeau's Independent Senators Group.
"I obviously want to take my time to get to understand the various groups that are represented in the Senate, and decide which one aligns more with my values, and what's important to me," he said.
"No doubt there will be some causes that I will be more passionate about. Social causes are always something throughout my career that have been very important to me."
Boudreau was elected to New Brunswick's legislature in 2004 and was re-elected for several terms after that. In that time, he held several cabinet portfolios, including health, finance, economic development and the Regional Development Corporation.
He was also appointed to the interim Liberal leader role in 2010, replacing former New Brunswick premier Shawn Graham.
His time in the legislative assembly was also marked by some controversy for his role in the Atcon scandal — signing off on removing security on $64 million in loan guarantees — and for his now-dropped investment in a proposed Shediac campground.
The former was subject to an investigation by the auditor general, as over 70 million in taxpayer dollars were lost when Atcon went bankrupt.
The appointment comes after New Brunswick senator and longtime Progressive Conservative MLA Percy Mockler, from Saint-Léonard, retired in April.
Shediac Mayor Roger Caissie said he's known Boudreau for over 35 years after they met in university.
"He believes in what he says, and I know that during his past life as a politician ... obviously the folks here wished to have him," Caissie said.
"He was well liked within his party, he was well liked by the opposition party because he treats everybody reasonably. He's as solid a person as they come."
While Boudreau has yet to declare an affiliation, political scientist J.P. Lewis said Trudeau's appointment of longtime Liberal politicians to the Senate may cast doubts on his earlier commitment to make the Senate less partisan.
"If you want senators with political experience, obviously Boudreau has a record of public service in the province," Lewis said.
"But a longtime Liberal provincial minister is, it's difficult to make the case that they are independent ... I guess a tiger can change their stripes."