Alain Giguère

Alain Giguère is an old NDP warrior. Member of the federal wing of the party since 1976, he was active in NDP-Québec at the same time. A finance lawyer with a degree in political science, Mr. Giguère dabbled in labour and criminal law before specializing in research and development tax credits, at his Candiac law firm. Resident of Laval-des-Rapides, this election is his 7th, and 3rd in Laval.

"In some corners, the problem of quality housing relative to cost means that a substantial minority of the population doesn't have the means for a decent apartment," he says. "Some apartments need repairs. In parts of Laval-des-Rapides people are suffering from deinstitutionalization. They need quality public-housing ." In a riding containing Collège Montmorency, education is particularly important, especially with knowledge and the information highway on everyone's lips, he says. "It takes qualified technicians. We don't entrust the handling of an airplane to just anyone." Although unemployment is stable in sectors of the riding, there's scarcity (of jobs) in others. There's a need for networking between the needs of industry and education in schools." Health and medical sciences, and pharmaceuticals, well-established in the riding, constitute a good portion of the value-added aspects of the economy of knowledge, in Laval. Money has to be invested, he notes. "We have to stop saying "It's expensive. We have to be responsible, in matters of health," Mr. Giguère concludes.



(Photo: Alain Giguère)