Pierre Brien

Pierre Brien, Action Démocratique du Québec (ADQ) star candidate in the riding of Vimont, is part of party leader Mario Dumont's inner circle of advisors. An economist by profession, he won a seat in the House of Commons for the Bloc Québecois on three different occasions, winning in 1993, 1997, and 2000). He made the move to provincial politics in 2003, under the banner of the ADQ. In 2007, he became an advisor to Mario Dumont and chief of staff of National Assembly opposition house leader Sébastien Proulx. In the House of Commons, Mr. Brien was Bloc Québécois spokesperson and opposition critic for national revenue, the pharmaceutical industry, national defense, intergovernmental affairs, the Privy Council, industry, science research and development, the Canada Economic Development Agency for Quebec regions, and parliamentary affairs.

The father of two children, ages 5 and 12, wants to reduce the drop-out rate in Quebec schools, which for him is a great source of concern on a human level. He says that despite the success of the polyvalent schools in the riding, whose graduation rates exceed those of the provincial average, there are still, in his view, too many drop-outs. "It's unacceptable that 20% of the students in a high school do not get their high school diploma. Appropriate value must be placed on academic success and the obtaining of a high school diploma."