A TOM MULCAIR TIMELINE
OCT. 24, 1954
Born in Ottawa, second of 10 children. Family soon moves to Laval, a suburb of Montreal.
1976
Married, at age 21, to French-born Catherine Pinhas. They have two sons, both now adults (one a police officer, the other a physics professor).
1977
Graduates from McGill law school.
1978
Moves to Quebec City for a job in the provincial government’s justice department.
1983
Becomes legal affairs director at Alliance Quebec, an anglophone rights group.
1987
Becomes president of Office des professions du Quebec, which oversees provincially regulated professions.
1994
Elected as a Liberal to Quebec’s National Assembly. The party forms the opposition.
2003
Becomes minister of sustainable development, environment and parks in Quebec’s Liberal government under Jean Charest.
2006
Shuffled out of environment to a lesser portfolio. Quits cabinet, saying the premier tried to force him to approve a condo development in a park.
NOV. 7, 2006
Has dinner with federal NDP leader Jack Layton, who persuades him to run for NDP.
SEPT. 17, 2007
Wins federal byelection in the Montreal riding of Outremont.
OCT. 14, 2008
Wins his riding in general election but is the only NDP MP in Quebec.
MAY 2, 2011
The “Orange Wave” sweeps Quebec, as 59 NDP MPs, including Mulcair, are elected.
AUG. 22, 2011
Layton dies.
OCT. 13, 2011
Mulcair declares his candidacy for NDP leadership.
MARCH 24, 2012
Wins NDP leadership.
MAY 28, 2013
Launches prosecutorial-style questioning of Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the Senate expense scandal.
OCT. 14, 2014
Unveils NDP child-care promise.
FEB. 18, 2015
Announces NDP caucus will vote against Bill C-51, the government’s sweeping anti-terrorism law. The law passes, nonetheless.