12 Facts About Mario Beaulieu

An advocate for nationalism in Quebec, he served as leader, interim leader and president of the Bloc Quebecois ; Beaulieu has been the Member of Parliament for La Pointe-de-l'Ile since the 2015 election.

Mario Beaulieu was the 80th president of the sovereignist Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste of Montreal from 2009 to 2014 and has been a spokesman for the Mouvement Quebec francais, a coalition of organizations in favour of the preservation and defence of the French language in Quebec.

Mario Beaulieu was born on February 1,1959, in Sherbrooke; at age four, his family moved to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.

Mario Beaulieu has been a long-time advocate for strengthening measures requiring the predominance of the French language in Quebec, as well as for Quebec independence.

Mario Beaulieu, viewed as a "hardline" sovereigntist, promised to prioritize achieving Quebec independence above everything else.

Mario Beaulieu took office as Bloc leader at the party's convention on June 25,2014.

Shortly after his election, Mario Beaulieu attracted controversy from within the party due to statements in his acceptance speech associated with the Front de liberation du Quebec and separate statements seemingly critical about the past leaders of the party, which drew criticism from former Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe and resulted in two party members announcing their intentions to leave the party.

Mr Mario Beaulieu says he can unite the party; for me it's not the case.

Mario Beaulieu was one of three Bloc MPs who initially supported Martine Ouellet's leadership during a caucus revolt and remained with the Bloc caucus when seven MPs resigned on February 28,2018, to sit as Independents.

Mario Beaulieu later became critical of her leadership and campaigned for her removal for an upcoming leadership review, whilst staying in caucus.

Mario Beaulieu was named interim leader after Ouellet resigned over losing a party referendum on her leadership.

Mario Beaulieu is to continue as interim leader until a leadership election is held in 2019.