Jean-Jacques Blais

Who is Jean-Jacques Blais?

Jean-Jacques Blais, PC, QC is a former Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Nipissing in the Canadian House of Commons from 1972 to 1984. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Born in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Blais attended Ecole Sacré-Coeur and Sturgeon Falls High School before receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1964 from the University of Ottawa. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1966 and created a Queen's Counsel in 1979. In 2001, he obtained a Masters degree in International Law from the University of Ottawa.

First elected to the Canadian House of Commons for Nipissing in the 1972 federal election, Blais served in several cabinet posts in the government of Pierre Trudeau. He was parliamentary secretary to the President of the Privy Council from 1975 to 1976, Postmaster General from 1976 to 1978, and Solicitor General from 1978 to 1979.

Blais retained his seat when the Liberal Party was defeated by the Progressive Conservative government of Joe Clark, and returned to cabinet when the Liberals regained power in 1980.