Fernand Roberge

The Honourable
Fernand Roberge
Senator from Quebec
(Saurel)
In office
1993–2000
Preceded byFernand Leblanc
Succeeded byJean Lapointe
Personal details
Born (1940-07-19) July 19, 1940 (age 84)
Laurierville, Quebec, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Professionhotelier

Fernard Roberge (born July 19, 1940) is a hotelier and former Canadian Senator.

In 1977, Roberge became the first French Canadian to be chief executive officer of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal and held the post for over 12 years. He was also part-owner of the hotel until selling his interest in 1991 to the Rolaco Group of New York.[1]

He was appointed to the upper house by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in May 1993, a month before the Progressive Conservative leader retired from office. Mulroney and Roberge were long time friends.[2] Mulroney had previously appointed Roberge to the board of Air Canada in 1985.[3]

Roberge had been one of the members of the "Ritz Gang" which helped Mulroney plot the downfall of then-Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark in 1983 precipitating the 1983 Progressive Conservative leadership convention won by Mulroney.[4]

In the lead up to the 1984 federal election, Roberge was a member of the Progressive Conservative party's candidate selection committee for Quebec.[5] After the election, he was appointed chairman of the Mulroney government's patronage advisory committee for Quebec.[6]

Shortly before the 1993 Progressive Conservative leadership convention, Roberge endorsed Kim Campbell for leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.[7]

In 1998, Roberge was named one of the 10 senators with the worst attendance record in the chamber.[8] He resigned from the body in July 2000 at the age of 60 in order to spend more time on his business affairs[9] saying in the statement that, "I want to concentrate all my energies on various business projects and this involvement becomes increasingly incompatible with Senate duties in Ottawa."[10]

In 2007, he was appointed chairman of the Ritz-Carlton advisory committee.[11]

Since the early 1990s Roberge has also President and Chief Executive Officer of Stratcorp Inc., a management consulting society where he assists with special projects involving international strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions and is a special advisor to the firm of Jones Lang LaSalle.[12]

  1. ^ "Ritz-Carlton gets a makeover; $100-million project. New wing, penthouse are in the works", The Gazette, September 19, 2007
  2. ^ "Appointment flurry ends Mulroney term Canadian Press", Canadian Press, Winnipeg Free Press, June 24, 1993
  3. ^ "Additions to the Red Chamber's roster", Globe and Mail, June 11, 1993
  4. ^ "Conservative fund raiser named to Senate", Globe and Mail, June 11, 1993
  5. ^ "Mulroney friends 25-year-old network forged win" by Graham Fraser, Globe and Mail, September 7, 1984
  6. ^ "REWARDS So long, Over the past six months, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has made more than 500 appointments of sundry friends and supporters. Herewith, a guide to the patronage game and thank you very much" by Stevie Cameron, Globe and Mail, June 5, 1993
  7. ^ "CAUCUS SUPPORT CONTINUES TO GROW", Canada NewsWire, June 2, 1993
  8. ^ "Senate records", Toronto Star, February 11, 1998
  9. ^ [1][usurped]
  10. ^ "Mr. Fernand Roberge resigns from the Senate", Canada NewsWire, July 20, 2000
  11. ^ "Aging grande dame gets a facelift", Globe and Mail, January 21, 2008
  12. ^ "Appointment Notices - Jones Lang LaSalle", Globe and Mail, June 7, 2007