Mathieu Ravignat

Mathieu Gérard Ravignat (born January 18, 1973) is a Canadian federal politician from Cantley, Quebec, Canada, who was elected to the House of Commons of Canada from the riding of Pontiac in the May 2, 2011 federal election. He is a member of the New Democratic Party, which formed the official opposition in the 41st Canadian Parliament. He was defeated by Liberal Will Amos in the 2015 Canadian federal election.

Early life

Of Belgian descent and raised in Gracefield, Quebec and Orleans, Ontario, Ravignat received a master's degree in political science. He co-founded Local 2626 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the labour union that represents student employees of the University of Ottawa. He was also the father to two daughters as of 2011. At the time of his election to Parliament, Ravignat was a federal government researcher for aboriginal and environmental issues.

Political career

Ravignat first ran for a seat as an independent candidate in the 1997 federal election. Ravignat ran in the riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie finishing in last place out of eight candidates earning 123 votes. He was soundly defeated by Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe.

Ravignat ran for his second time as a New Democratic Party candidate in the 2011 federal election. He was nominated by the party to contest the riding of Pontiac. On election night, he won his first term in office and picked up the seat for his party by defeating Conservative Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, despite the Conservative Party gaining its first majority government in the election. He was defeated by Liberal Will Amos in the 2015 Canadian federal election.

After politics

Ravignat is a sensei at the Daijiken Traditional Karate Association which he founded in Wakefield, Quebec. He is also one of the founders of the Canada Hokubei Karate-jutsu and Kobu-jutsu Association, a national martial arts organization affiliated with the North America Karate-jutsu Kobu-jutsu Association and with the International Kenshi-kai Organisation (IKO) headquartered in Okinawa, Japan.

Honours

Medals

Ribbon	Description	Notes	Ref
	Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers	Awarded 4 December 2017
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Canada	Awarded in 2012

Arms

Coat of arms of Mathieu Ravignat

Adopted Shield of arms & badge granted by the Canadian Heraldic Authority on 15 March 2011, crest/full achievement granted on 20 April 2012 by the same. Crest Issuant from a coronet of fleurs-de-lis and escallops Or a demi-lion guardant Sable holding in the dexter paw a rose Gules barbed and slipped Vert Escutcheon Paly Or and Sable a lion rampant Gules charged with a crescent Or Motto FORTITUDO IN AMORE ET PROELIO Badge A lion’s face Gules jessant-de-lis per pale Or and Sable within a belt Sable edged, buckled and inscribed with the Motto in letters Or

Electoral record

References

External links

• Mathieu Ravignat – Parliament of Canada biography
• Mathieu Ravignat candidate page