Prime Minister Stephen Harper this morning announced the appointment of five new Senators, including McGill grad (PhD Economics81) Diane Bellemare, filling a Senate vacancy in Quebec. Ms. Bellemare also holds a BA in Economics from the Université de Montréal and a Master’s in Economics from Western University.
Ms. Bellemare has been an Associate Fellow at the Centre de recherche interuniversitaire CIRANO, an economic advisor in the office of the Leader of the Official Opposition as well as first vice-president, chief economist and vice-president (research), for the Conseil du patronat du Québec. She has also been a consultant, an honorary professor and a full professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, She was also a member of the Economic Council of Canada from 1984 to 1990.
She also ran in the 2003 provincial elections for the Action Démocratique du Québec, as well as in a by-election and a general election in 2008 for the same party.
The Prime Minister’s Office said her Senate appointment is effective immediately.