Gerald J. Comeau PC (February 1, 1946 – December 4, 2023) was a Canadian politician who served as a senator and as a member of Parliament.

Gerald Comeau
Senator for Nova Scotia
In office
August 30, 1990 – November 30, 2013
Appointed byBrian Mulroney
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for West Nova
In office
September 4, 1984 – November 21, 1988
Preceded byColine Campbell
Succeeded byColine Campbell
Personal details
Born(1946-02-01)February 1, 1946
Meteghan Station, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedDecember 4, 2023(2023-12-04) (aged 77)
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyConservative
SpouseAurore

Early life

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Born in Meteghan Station, Nova Scotia, Comeau was an accountant by training. Comeau received his B.Comm and his B.Ed from the Université de Moncton.

Comeau was a member of Nova Scotia's Acadian minority.

Political career

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Comeau was elected to the House of Commons of Canada as part of the Progressive Conservative landslide win in the 1984 election. The member of Parliament for South West Nova, Comeau was a government backbencher throughout his term and was defeated in the 1988 election due in part to the unpopularity of the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement in Atlantic Canada.

In 1990, Comeau was appointed to the Senate by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn, on the advice of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He sat as a Progressive Conservative until February 2004. He then became a Conservative Party senator after the merger of the Progressive Conservative and the Canadian Alliance parties. He served as deputy leader of the Government in the Senate from February 23, 2006 to May 24, 2011.

On January 19, 2013, Governor General David Johnston, on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, appointed Comeau to the Privy Council.

Comeau retired from the Senate on November 30, 2013, seven years before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.[1]

Death

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Comeau died from cancer at a hospital in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on December 4, 2023, at the age of 77.[2][3]

Electoral record

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1984 Canadian federal election: West Nova
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gerald Comeau 20,604 50.59 +13.78
Liberal Coline Campbell 17,044 41.85 -7.97
New Democratic Bob Ritchie 3,076 7.55 -5.25
Total valid votes 40,724 100.00
1988 Canadian federal election: West Nova
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Coline Campbell 21,062 50.01 +8.16
Progressive Conservative Gerald Comeau 17,482 41.51 -9.08
New Democratic Peter Zavitz 2,396 5.69 -1.86
Christian Heritage Angus M. McLean 1,172 2.78
Total valid votes 42,112 100.00

References

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  1. ^ "Gerald Comeau announces early retirement from Senate". CBC News. December 12, 2013. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Hon. Gerald J.'s Obituary". Meteghan Funeral & Cremation Services. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "L'ancien sénateur acadien Gerald Comeau est décédé" [Former Acadian Senator Gerald Comeau has died]. Radio-Canada (in French). December 6, 2023 [December 5, 2023]. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
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