René Piché
René Piché | |
---|---|
Cochrane North | |
Personal details | |
Born | Cache Bay, Ontario | May 5, 1931
Died | January 22, 2011 Orleans, Ontario | (aged 79)
Political party | Progressive Conservative |
Spouse | Olga Kowaluk |
Children | 4 |
Occupation | Newspaper publisher |
Portfolio | Minister without portfolio (February–May 1985) responsible for northern transportation |
René Louis Piché (May 5, 1931 – January 22, 2011) was a politician in
Background
Piché was born in Cache Bay, Ontario in 1931 to parents Louis Piché and Églantine Nadon. He was one of four children. He lived in Kapuskasing and later Orleans, Ontario.[1] In 1951, he married Olga Kowaluk and together they raised four children.[1] In 1961 he founded a newspaper called the Northern Times and remained president and publisher until 1998. He was also the founding chairman of Northeastern Ontario Municipalities Action Group, serving for nine years as its chairman between 1972 and 1980.[2] In addition, Piché served as a member of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission for seven years from 1973 to 1980.
Politics
In 1971, Piché was elected mayor of Kapuskasing and served in that position until 1980.[2]
In the
The Progressive Conservatives were reduced to a tenuous minority government in the 1985 provincial election. Piché was defeated losing to Liberal René Fontaine by 1,910 votes.[5] He formally resigned from cabinet on May 17, 1985.
Piché attempted to return to the Ontario legislature in the
He later returned to municipal politics, and again served as Kapuskasing's mayor in the 1991 and served one term until 1993.[2]
References
- ^ a b Gillis, Len (January 24, 2011). "North loses powerhouse politician". Timmins Times.
- ^ a b c "Rene Piche, former Kap mayor, dies". Northern Ontario Business. January 31, 2011. Archived from the original on February 8, 2011.
- ^ Canadian Press (March 20, 1981). "Winds of change, sea of security". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 22.
- ^ "The Ontario Cabinet". The Globe and Mail. February 9, 1985. p. 4.
- ^ "Results of vote in Ontario election". The Globe and Mail. May 3, 1985. p. 13.
- ^ "Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results". The Globe and Mail. September 7, 1990. p. A12.