Madeleine Bélanger

Madeleine Bélanger (née Audet, born April 7, 1932) is a Quebec politician, she previously served as the member for Mégantic-Compton in the Quebec National Assembly as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party from 1983 until 2003. Following the death of her second husband Fabien Bélanger on October 2, 1983, she was elected as his replacement on December 5, 1983 and took her oath of office shortly thereafter. Her daughter Johanne Gonthier, also served Mégantic-Compton as a Liberal Member of the National Assembly of Quebec. Her nephew Gérard Gosselin served as a Parti Québécois member for Sherbrooke.

Bélanger was born in Saint-Sébastien, the daughter of a farmer. She was an Elementary school teacher at Saint-Samuel-Station for three years. She owned two hairdressing salons and was also and administrator and manager of a home electrical installation company for three years, then a director of two residential development companies.

Bélanger's Husband Fabien Bélanger, died suddenly on October 2, 1983. She secured the Liberal nomination for Mégantic-Compton and won the ensuing by-election and was re-elected in 1985, 1989, 1994 and 1998 never once facing a serious challenge and winning by at least ten percent each time, except for her last run for office. Bélanger served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs during the very brief government of Daniel Johnson Jr. and later became Chair of the Committee on Planning and the Public Domain as well as the Chairperson of the Committee on Education during her time in office.

She did not seek re-election in 2003.

Provincial