Senator Fernand Robichaud

Appointed to the Senate by the Rt. Honourable Jean Chrétien, Senator Fernand Robichaud represents the province of New Brunswick and the Senatorial Division of Saint-Louis-de-Kent. He has served in the Senate of Canada since September 23, 1997.

He was appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate on January 26, 2001 and is a Member of Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. Additionally, he has been involved with Parliamentary groups including the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly, the Canada-Cuba Friendship Group, and the Canada-Russia Parliamentary Group. His areas of interest and specialization include agriculture and fisheries.

In private life, Senator Robichaud enjoyed success in the fields of education, community development, and business. His career also includes substantial experience in the public sector. He was elected to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament for the New Brunswick riding of Westmorland-Kent in 1984. He was re-elected in the elections of 1988 and 1993. In Opposition, he filled several senior positions, including Assistant to the House Leader, Critic for Tourism, and Critic for Fisheries and Oceans. Senator Robichaud resigned his seat on September 24, 1990. For the next three years, he served as Special Assistant to the Leader of the Official Opposition at the time, the Honourable Jean Chrétien. Senator Robichaud was subsequently re-elected to the House of Commons on October 25, 1993, representing the riding of Beauséjour, and was named Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs. On September 15, 1994, he was appointed Secretary of State for Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans. He retired from the House of Commons in April 1997.

He holds a Teacher’s Certificate from the Moncton Technical Institute.

Senator Robichaud and his wife Ginette have four children: Danielle, Andrée, Jacques, and Pierre.

He was born in Shippagan, New Brunswick on December 2, 1939.