The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario has named Marc Despatie their candidate for the Sudbury riding in advance of the 2022 provincial election.
“I am proud to call Sudbury home and have dedicated many years as a community advocate for Franco-Ontarians,” Despatie said in a release. “I’m honoured to join Doug Ford’s team as your new PC candidate. Doug Ford is the right leader Ontario needs to lead us through the pandemic and build a better future for Ontario.”
Despatie is credited with having a long track record in public affairs, including serving as director of communications, strategic planning and government relations at Collège Boréal, commissioner’s representative for Ontario at the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada, and various other roles in the provincial government.
Despatie has taught at all levels and been a freelance journalist for the Sudbury Star and Le Gaboteur in Newfoundland.
He’s fluent in both English and French, holds a master’s degree in planning from the University of Toronto, a bachelor of education from Memorial University and a bachelor of arts in history from Laurentian University.
Despatie is originally from Hanmer, though he has also spent time in Toronto, St. John’s and Mainland, Nfld., Ottawa and Greater Sudbury.
In addition to various board and committee positions, he has also contributed to two books on the history of Franco-Ontarian cultural institutions in Sudbury, the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario and the Centre des jeunes/Carrefour francophone.
He also offers workshops in mindfulness and mindfulness meditation and gives historical tours of Greater Sudbury in his spare time.
“Having a candidate like Marc, with his education background and community involvement on Doug Ford's team, is a true testament to the changing political climate in Sudbury,” said Fred Slade, president of the Sudbury PC Riding Association. “Marc is prepared to hit the ground running for the next election."
