Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagne, Bloc MP and new mom, ready for first foray into federal politics
As a new MP in the House of Commons, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagne has had a busy few weeks learning the ins and outs of the new job.
Tack on that she had a baby boy just days before the election -- her first child -- and the fall of 2021 has proven to be a whirlwind for the 33-year-old representative for Terrebonne, Que., north of Montreal.
“It was pretty stressful, and on the other hand, I didn't pick the date of the election and neither did I pick the date where he would come out,” she said in a recent interview by video chat. “When it did happen, of course it's overwhelming to learn how to be an MP at the same time as you're learning how to be a mother, but at the same time, it's something that I got along with.”
While tending to a newborn baby, Sinclair-Desgagne won the seat for the Bloc Quebecois with 41.1 per cent of the vote. Sinclair-Desgagne had taken over as the Bloc representative for Terrebonne from incumbent MP Michel Boudrias, who ran as an independent in 2021.
In what has been a busy few months, Sinclair-Desgagne added that the internal pressure is on to prove that she can handle being an MP and a new mom at the same time.
“What I really want to avoid is to do both in a poor way,” she said. “I'm focusing on trying to be a really good MP and learning the tricks of it while also learning to be a mother, but it's so far so good. I'm lucky I have a really good baby.”
Sinclair-Desgagneis one of the 50 rookie MPs elected in the 2021 federal election. CTVNews.ca is profiling five -- one from each party with a seat in the Commons -- in the lead-up to the first sitting day of the 44th Parliament.
Beginning at a young age, Sinclair-Desgagne was interested in politics. Her grandfather ran for the provincial Parti Quebecois in the 1970s, and she also founded the sovereigntist cell at McGill University while working towards an economics degree.
After McGill, Sinclair-Desgagne went to Oxford University to study for a masters in Environmental Change and Management, before working at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte.
“I worked a few years in Europe before coming back to Montreal and when I came back, I realized it was already a different Montreal that I left 10 years later, and I started feeling that I had to be more involved,” she said. “I had to contribute more to my community, and there were some changes that I would like to be part of.”
Newly-elected Bloc Quebecois member of Parliament Nathalie Sinclair Desgagne joins Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet as they hold a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Newly-elected Bloc Quebecois member of Parliament Nathalie Sinclair Desgagne joins Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet as they hold a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Before joining federal politics, Sinclair-Desgagne worked for the City of Montreal as a senior economic advisor. In a statement, the City of Montreal said Sinclair-Desgagne had a hand in achieving its “ambitious environmental goals” by “rethinking Montreal's tax and pricing system” to help with the city’s climate plan.
“She worked with a diverse team (engineers, architects, biologists, sociologists, etc.) committed to the ecological transition,” a spokesperson for the city said in an email, translated from French.
One of Sinclair-Desgagne’s files in the House of Commons concerns pandemic programs. She hopes to see these programs focused more on supporting small businesses, which she believes have had the opposite effect in some cases.
“One thing I'd like to see is more targeted initiatives and programs for entrepreneurs, for businesspeople. I think they've received a lot of help, but actually some of the help was counterproductive,” she said. “The wage subsidy is one thing, but then on the other hand, the individual help that some people are receiving is actually making the shortage of workers even worse.”
Sinclair-Desgagne joins a Bloc Quebecois caucus of 32 representatives, the same number compared to the 2019 election, but a significant increase since the 2015 election.
“As long as Quebec needs to have a voice in Ottawa, then I hope the Bloc does well and I think right now the Bloc is doing well because they feel like their voice is not being heard,” she said.
When it comes to her community, Sinclair-Desgagne hopes to put her economics background to use and grow the industry of Terrebonne, where about half of residents either work in business and finance, sales and services or the trades, according to Statistics Canada,
“I'm proud that I've been elected MP in Terrebonne and Terrebonne is actually a constituency that's full of entrepreneurs and business people,” she said. “If I can continue with my background and I've worked a lot with businesses in the last 10 years. I've seen start ups to two multinationals and if I can help and contribute with my background, that's exactly what I want to do.”
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.
Local Spotlight
Fergus, Ont. man feels nickel-and-dimed for $0.05 property tax bill
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
'I'm committed': Oilers fan won't cut hair until Stanley Cup comes to Edmonton
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
'It's not my father's body!' Wrong man sent home after death on family vacation in Cuba
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
'Once is too many times': Education assistants facing rising violence in classrooms
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
What is capital gains tax? How is it going to affect the economy and the younger generations?
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Cat found at Pearson airport 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.