Career
Outside politics he has been a lawyer, lecturer and professor He joined HMCS Donnacona in 1959, within the framework of the UNDT (University Naval Training Division) and served in the Royal Canadian Navy until 1968. He was commissioned as an officer in 1962, spent his summers serving in Halifax, Hamilton and Victoria and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1964.
The following year, in 1965, he was appointed executive officer of the UNDT in Montreal.
He was re-elected in 1994 and 1998, but defeated in 2003. During that time he served under a number of Cabinet portfolios: Minister of Public Safety (1994–1996.
1998–2002. 2002–2003), Minister of State for the Greater Montreal & Minister Responsible for the Montreal Region (1996–1997), Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1997–1998) and Minister of Transport (2002–2003).
He represented the riding of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin and was the Bloc critic to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2008, but did not run in 2011.
