Richard Martel

Richard Martel MP (born March 23, 1961) is a Canadian politician and former ice hockey coach. He last coached the Grenoble Brûleurs de Loups in the French Ligue Magnus. Martel was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election on June 18, 2018. He represents the electoral district of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Richard Martel
Member of Parliament
for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord
Assumed office
June 18, 2018
Preceded byDenis Lemieux
Personal details
Born (1961-03-23) March 23, 1961 (age 63)
Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada
Political partyConservative
SpouseAnnie Houle
Residence(s)Chicoutimi, Quebec
OccupationIce hockey coach
Ice hockey career
Coached forSaint-Hyacinthe Laser
Val-d'Or Foreurs
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Brûleurs de Loups (France)
Coaching career1993–2015

Coaching career

Martel was an assistant coach under Jos Canale from 1991 to 1993 in Chicoutimi.[1][2] Between 1993 and 2011, Martel served as a head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) where he twice won the Ron Lapointe Trophy as the QMJHL coach of the year. On February 28, 2010, Martel became the most successful coach in the history of the QMJHL when he coached the Chicoutimi Saguenéens to a 3–1 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to win his 570th QMJHL game, surpassing the record previously held by Guy Chouinard.[3]

Coaching record

Martel in 2014

QMJHL

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTOTLW-L%FinishResult
Saint-Hyacinthe1993-9472353070.5354th in LebelEliminated - Round 1
Saint-Hyacinthe1994-9572264240.3895th in LebelEliminated - Round 1
Val-d'Or1995-9670392470.6073rd in LebelEliminated - Round 2
Val-d'Or1996-9770402820.5863rd in LebelEliminated - Semi Finals
Val-d'Or1997-9858292360.552(replaced mid-season)
Baie-Comeau1998-9953173240.3587th in DilioMissed Playoffs
Baie-Comeau1999-0072313155.5003rd in EastEliminated - Round 1
Baie-Comeau2000-0172412380.6251st in EastEliminated - Semi Finals
Baie-Comeau2001-0272382572.5902nd in EastEliminated - Round 1
Baie-Comeau2002-0372501462.7501st in EastEliminated - Semi Finals
Chicoutimi2003-0442231351.6192nd in EasternEliminated - Semi Finals
Chicoutimi2004-0570381967.6362nd in EasternEliminated - Semi Finals
Chicoutimi2005-0670511504.7572nd in WesternEliminated - Round 2
Chicoutimi2006-0770342808.5438th in TelusEliminated - Round 1
Chicoutimi2007-0870372508.5854th in TelusEliminated - Round 1
Chicoutimi2008-09682432012.4413rd in Telus EastEliminated - Round 1
Chicoutimi2009-1068263309.4493rd in Telus EastEliminated - Round 1
Chicoutimi2009-10501822010.460(replaced mid-season)
Total11915974596768Win%: .501

Source: Career profile

Awards and honours

AwardYear
Ron Lapointe Trophy - QMJHL Coach of the Year1993–94[4]
Ron Lapointe Trophy - QMJHL Coach of the Year2004–05[5]

Politics

Andrew Scheer at opening of Martel's campaign office

On December 20, 2017, Martel was named the Conservative candidate for an upcoming by-election in the federal electoral district of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord,[6] as a star candidate.[7] Martel was recruited by a former player, Antoine Tardif, who served as the party's chief organizer in Quebec.[8][9] Martel had previously been courted to run for mayor of Saguenay as well as the National Assembly of Quebec.[10]

Martel was elected as a Member of Parliament on June 18, 2018, gaining the seat from the Liberals.[11]

He was reelected in the 2019 Canadian federal election.[7][12]

On September 2, 2020, Conservative leader Erin O'Toole announced that Martel would serve as the party's Quebec lieutenant, succeeding Alain Rayes.[13] Martel served in the role until November 8, 2021, when he was succeeded by Rayes.

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: Chicoutimi—Le Fjord
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeRichard Martel17,29140.95+4.14$49,214.19
Bloc QuébécoisJulie Bouchard14,09633.38-1.53$13,745.50
LiberalJean Duplain7,74618.35+1.24$0.00
New DemocraticIsmaël Raymond1,9524.62-1.88$2,095.41
People'sJimmy Voyer6501.54+0.72none listed
GreenYves Laporte4891.16-2.00$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit42,224$104,807.38
Total rejected ballots
Turnout64.47-3.68
Registered voters65,498
Conservative holdSwing+2.83
Source: Elections Canada[14]
2019 Canadian federal election: Chicoutimi—Le Fjord
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeRichard Martel16,15536.82-15.85$88,278.98
Bloc QuébécoisValérie Tremblay15,32134.91+29.31none listed
LiberalDajana Dautovic7,50417.10-12.40$9,048.24
New DemocraticStéphane Girard2,8556.51-2.14$1,181.55
GreenLynda Youde1,3883.16+0.07$2,988.37
People'sJimmy Voyer3590.82$1,360.01
RhinocerosLine Bélanger2990.68$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit43,88197.94
Total rejected ballots9252.06+0.42
Turnout44,80668.15+1.48
Eligible voters65,747
Conservative holdSwing-21.09
Source: Elections Canada[15][16]
Canadian federal by-election, June 18, 2018: Chicoutimi—Le Fjord
Resignation of Denis Lemieux
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeRichard Martel12,60052.76+36.16
LiberalLina Boivin7,04429.50-1.60
New DemocraticÉric Dubois2,0658.65-21.07
Bloc QuébécoisCatherine Bouchard-Tremblay1,3375.60-14.92
GreenLynda Youde7383.09+1.02
IndependentJohn Turmel980.41
Total valid votes/expense limit23,88298.67
Total rejected ballots3221.33-0.34
Turnout24,29436.52-30.15
Eligible voters66,267
Conservative gain from LiberalSwing+18.88
Source:Elections Canada: Official Voting Results

References