Hon. Ronald Ouellette
Minister of Agriculture and Aquaculture

Ronald Ouellette, was re-elected in the provincial election held September 18, 2006, as the first MLA to represent the new electoral district of Grand Falls—Drummond—Saint-André.

He was first elected to the Assembly as the Liberal Member for Grand Falls Region in the provincial election held June 9, 2003. As a member of the Official Opposition, he was the critic for interests relating to immigration and local government. He was a member of the Select Committee on Education.

On Oct. 3, 2006, he was sworn in as Minister of Agriculture and Aquaculture.

After receiving his Bachelor of Education from the Université de Moncton, he began his teaching career. For many years, he taught special needs children. He held various positions during his 31 years as an educator, including vice-principal at John Caldwell School, and department head at the Polyvalente Thomas-Albert.

His interest in politics began as a teen when he sat on the student council of Collège Saint-Louis/Maillet. He was selected as the New Brunswick representative at the Convention Internationale de la Francophonie in Africa in 1968.

In the fall of 2004 he represented two American continents at a parliamentary seminar in Bénin sponsored by the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie.

From 1984 to 1987 he served as a councillor, before becoming the mayor of Grand Falls (1987 to 1992). He sat on the industrial commission for 11 years, including two years as president. He became president of the urban planning commission in 1999.

He sat on the executive of the Saint John River Mariners. He has been involved with the scouting movement and with the minor hockey association. He held the rank of Grand Knight with the Knights of Columbus in Grand Falls. He has been active in his church where, for many years, he was co-ordinator of the marriage preparation team. He was a director of the Grand Falls library committee, and a board member of the Grand Falls Manor.

Ron Ouellette is married to Doreen Cyr and they are the parents of three children: Tina (1970, deceased 1999) (Marcel); Marco (1972) (Carole); and Luc (1974) (Lynn); and the grandparents of four granddaughters: Rébecca, Danie, Gabrielle (deceased 1999) and Carina; and one grandson, Maxime.