Maurice Beauchamp

Maurice Beauchamp is a retired politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He served on the Montreal city council from 1994 to 2005, representing Saint-Sulpice as a member of Vision Montreal.

Early career

Beauchamp is a horticulturalist.[1] He was an employee of the Montreal Botanical Garden for three decades and in this capacity worked closely with its director, Pierre Bourque, who was subsequently the founder of Vision Montreal.[2]

City councillor

Bourque administration

Beauchamp was first elected to Montreal city council in the 1994 municipal election, defeating incumbent Michael Benoit in Saint-Sulpice.[3] Vision Montreal won a council majority in this election under Bourque's leadership, and, when the new council met in November 1994, Bourque appointed Beauchamp to a six-month term as deputy mayor.[4] In February 1997, he appointed Beauchamp as president of the city's administration and services committee.[5]

Vision Montreal won a second consecutive council majority in the 1998 municipal election. Beauchamp, who was re-elected in Saint-Sulpice, was appointed as an associate member of the Montreal executive committee in November 1998.[6] He was also named as municipal ombudsman, a position that Bourque had established in 1994. Beauchamp's 1998 ombudsman's report requested that the office have an independent budget and be formally recognized in Montreal's city charter.[7]

Tremblay administration

Beauchamp was elected to a third term in 2001, as Gérald Tremblay's Montreal Island Citizens Union (MICU) won a majority on council. Beauchamp stood down as ombudsman and served for the next four years as a member of the opposition. By virtue of his position on city council, he also served on the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough council.

As a member of city's transport committee, Beauchamp called for a smoking ban in city taxis in 2003.[8]

Beauchamp ran for borough mayor of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in the 2005 election and was defeated by MICU candidate Marie-Andrée Beaudoin. A newspaper report from the campaign identified him as seventy-three years old.[9]

Electoral record

2005 Montreal municipal election results: Mayor, Borough of Ahuntsic–Cartierville Party Candidate Total votes % of total votes Montreal Island Citizens Union Marie-Andrée Beaudoin 16,411 49.59 Vision Montreal Maurice Beauchamp 12,789 38.65 Projet Montréal Yves Laporte 3,891 11.76 Total valid votes 33,091 100 Source: City of Montreal official results (in French), City of Montreal.

2001 Montreal municipal election results: Councillor, Saint-Sulpice Party Candidate Total votes % of total votes Vision Montreal (x)Maurice Beauchamp 6,064 67.56 Montreal Island Citizens Union Salvatore Rubbo 2,912 32.44 Total valid votes 8,976 100 Source: Election results, 1833-2005 (in French), City of Montreal.

1998 Montreal municipal election results: Councillor, Saint-Sulpice Party Candidate Total votes % of total votes Vision Montreal (x)Maurice Beauchamp 2,686 39.20 New Montreal Jean Des Trois Maisons 2,039 29.76 Team Montreal France Hubert 1,193 17.41 Montreal Citizens' Movement André-Pierre Duchamp 863 12.59 Montreal 2000 Frédéric La Brie 71 1.04 Total valid votes 6,852 100.00 Source: Official Results, City of Montreal.

1994 Montreal municipal election results: Councillor, Saint-Sulpice Party Candidate Total votes % of total votes Vision Montreal Maurice Beauchamp 2,602 39.26 Independent (x)Michel Benoit 2,125 32.06 Montreal Citizens' Movement Daniel Ducharme 1,540 23.23 Montrealers' Party Karine Hénault 263 3.97 Democratic Coalition–Ecology Montreal Max de Carrier 98 1.48 Total valid votes 6,628 100 Source: Official results, City of Montreal.

References

1. "Water garden, fountains, pools will highlight Longueuil fair," Montreal Gazette, 21 March 1991, G5.
2. Stuart Robertson, "So close! We nearly lost the Botanical Garden," Montreal Gazette, 23 January 1992, C1.
3. Katherine Wilton, "Residents choose new Vision at city hall," Montreal Gazette, 7 November 1994, A3.
4. Michelle Lalonde, "Novice heads top city committee; Bourque picks Noushig Eloyan," Montreal Gazette, 18 November 1994, A1.
5. "Bourque rewards loyal councillors with added duties, responsibilities," Montreal Gazette, 6 February 1997, F8.
6. Aaron Derfel, "Mayor taps Fortier as chairman: Executive committee is experienced," Montreal Gazette, 13 November 1998, A3.
7. The office's budget was overseen by the executive committee. See Michael Mainville, "Report slams city hall rudeness," Montreal Gazette, 21 October 1999, A1; Michael Mainville, "Red tape often ties up valid complaints: official," Montreal Gazette, 28 September 2000, A5; Darren Becker, "Disgruntled suburbanites seek Montreal ombudsman's help," Montreal Gazette, 20 June 2001, A3.
8. Linda Gyulai, "No more smoking in Taxis, city urges: Seeking ban. Second-hand smoke a concern: councillor," Montreal Gazette, 25 July 2003, A6.
9. Irwin Block, "Candidates in three-way race tackle traffic, potholes and funding," Montreal Gazette, 26 October 2005, A6. This article wrongly identifies Beauchamp as the incumbent borough mayor.