Pierre Duchesne (born February 27, 1940) is a Canadian public servant who was the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec and former secretary general of the National Assembly of Quebec. As lieutenant governor he was the viceregal representative of Queen Elizabeth II of Canada in the Province of Quebec. His appointment was made by Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean, on the Constitutional advice of Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, and announced on May 18, 2007.

Pierre Duchesne
28th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
In office
June 7, 2007 – September 24, 2015
MonarchElizabeth II
Governors GeneralMichaëlle Jean
David Johnston
PremierJean Charest
Pauline Marois
Philippe Couillard
Preceded byLise Thibault
Succeeded byJ. Michel Doyon
Personal details
Born (1940-02-27) February 27, 1940 (age 84)
La Malbaie, Quebec
Spouse
Ginette Lamoreux[1]
(m. 1963)
Parent(s)Lorenzo Duchesne
Anne-Marie Bouchard
Alma materLaval University
ProfessionNotary, civil servant

Biography

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Duchesne on Remembrance Day, 2010, receiving the vice-regal salute

With a Bachelor of Arts degree from the seminary of Chicoutimi and a licentiate in law from Laval University, Duchesne became a notary in Sept-Îles in 1966.[2]

He had worked in the National Assembly since 1974 and served as its secretary general from 1984 to 2001.

He is the author of two important publications on Quebec parliamentary procedure, Recueil des décisions concernant la procédure parlementaire and La Procédure parlementaire du Québec.

On May 18, 2007, he was announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the next Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, replacing outgoing Lieutenant Governor Lise Thibault.[3] He was sworn in on June 7, 2007.[4]

Arms

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Coat of arms of Pierre Duchesne
 
Notes
The arms of Pierre Duchesne consist of:
Adopted
March 20, 2009
Crest
A crane Or beaked and membered Gules, its dexter foot holding a paint brush Azure bristled Or
Supporters
Two bloodhounds proper standing on a rocky mount Or
Motto
CONFIDE TIBI ET PERSEVERA (Have confidence in yourself and persevere)
Symbolism
The shield shows an oak tree which refers to Duchesne's surname meaning "of the oak"; with the three roots symbolizing his children and the seven acorns symbolizing future descendants. The crane (grue) represents L'Isle-aux-Grues, Quebec, symbolizing Duchesne's attachment to that location and to Quebec as a whole, and holds a paint brush symbolizing Duchesne's support for the arts. The horizontal blue band represents the rule of law, alluding to Duchesne's previous roles as a notary and as Secretary General of the National Assembly, and the indented lines on the shield and rocky terrain of the supporters represent the Charlevoix region.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Enregsitrement de mariage" (in French). Ministry of Health and Social Services. August 17, 1963. Retrieved March 26, 2020 – via Institut généalogique Drouin.
  2. ^ Biography at official website
  3. ^ The Canadian Press (May 18, 2007). "Pierre Duchesne appointed Quebec's new lieutenant-governor". CBC. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  4. ^ "Duchesne sworn in as Quebec's lieutenant-governor". CBC. June 7, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  5. ^ "Pierre Duchesne". Public Register of Arms, Flags, and Badges. Canadian Heraldic Authority. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
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