TORONTO —
As a brand new MP within the Home of Commons, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagne has had a busy few weeks studying the ins and outs of the brand new job.
Tack on that she had a child boy simply days earlier than the election — her first youngster — and the autumn of 2021 has confirmed to be a whirlwind for the 33-year-old consultant for Terrebonne, Que., north of Montreal.
“It was fairly demanding, and alternatively, I did not decide the date of the election and neither did I decide the date the place he would come out,” she stated in a current interview by video chat. “When it did occur, after all it is overwhelming to discover ways to be an MP similtaneously you are studying how you can be a mom, however on the identical time, it is one thing that I received together with.”
Whereas tending to a new child child, Sinclair-Desgagne gained the seat for the Bloc Quebecois with 41.1 per cent of the vote. Sinclair-Desgagne had taken over because the Bloc consultant for Terrebonne from incumbent MP Michel Boudrias, who ran as an unbiased in 2021.
In what has been a busy few months, Sinclair-Desgagne added that the interior stress is on to show that she will be able to deal with being an MP and a brand new mother on the identical time.
“What I actually wish to keep away from is to do each in a poor means,” she stated. “I am specializing in attempting to be a extremely good MP and studying the tips of it whereas additionally studying to be a mom, but it surely’s up to now so good. I am fortunate I’ve a extremely good child.”
Sinclair-Desgagneis one of many 50 rookie MPs elected within the 2021 federal election. CTVNews.ca is profiling 5 — one from every occasion with a seat within the Commons — within the lead-up to the primary sitting day of the forty fourth Parliament.
Starting at a younger age, Sinclair-Desgagne was taken with politics. Her grandfather ran for the provincial Parti Quebecois within the Nineteen Seventies, and he or she additionally based the sovereigntist cell at McGill College whereas working in the direction of an economics diploma.
After McGill, Sinclair-Desgagne went to Oxford College to review for a masters in Environmental Change and Administration, earlier than working at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte.
“I labored a number of years in Europe earlier than coming again to Montreal and once I got here again, I noticed it was already a distinct Montreal that I left 10 years later, and I began feeling that I needed to be extra concerned,” she stated. “I needed to contribute extra to my neighborhood, and there have been some adjustments that I wish to be a part of.”
Newly-elected Bloc Quebecois member of Parliament Nathalie Sinclair Desgagne joins Bloc Quebecois Chief Yves-Francois Blanchet as they maintain a press convention on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Earlier than becoming a member of federal politics, Sinclair-Desgagne labored for the Metropolis of Montreal as a senior financial advisor. In a press release, the Metropolis of Montreal stated Sinclair-Desgagne had a hand in attaining its “bold environmental targets” by “rethinking Montreal’s tax and pricing system” to assist with the town’s local weather plan.
“She labored with a various group (engineers, architects, biologists, sociologists, and so forth.) dedicated to the ecological transition,” a spokesperson for the town stated in an electronic mail, translated from French.
One among Sinclair-Desgagne’s information within the Home of Commons issues pandemic applications. She hopes to see these applications centered extra on supporting small companies, which she believes have had the alternative impact in some circumstances.
“One factor I might wish to see is extra focused initiatives and applications for entrepreneurs, for businesspeople. I believe they’ve obtained numerous assist, however truly a few of the assist was counterproductive,” she stated. “The wage subsidy is one factor, however then alternatively, the person assist that some persons are receiving is definitely making the scarcity of staff even worse.”
Sinclair-Desgagne joins a Bloc Quebecois caucus of 32 representatives, the identical quantity in comparison with the 2019 election, however a major improve for the reason that 2015 election.
“So long as Quebec must have a voice in Ottawa, then I hope the Bloc does properly and I believe proper now the Bloc is doing properly as a result of they really feel like their voice isn’t being heard,” she stated.
In terms of her neighborhood, Sinclair-Desgagne hopes to place her economics background to make use of and develop the business of Terrebonne, the place about half of residents both work in enterprise and finance, gross sales and companies or the trades, in response to Statistics Canada,
“I am proud that I have been elected MP in Terrebonne and Terrebonne is definitely a constituency that is filled with entrepreneurs and enterprise folks,” she stated. “If I can proceed with my background and I’ve labored quite a bit with companies within the final 10 years. I’ve seen begin ups to 2 multinationals and if I may help and contribute with my background, that is precisely what I wish to do.”
