Haiti’s Dubourg to receive award

Emmanuel Dubourg By Gerald V. Paul
Emmanuel Dubourg
By Gerald V. Paul

Haitian-born MP Emmanuel Dubourg will receive the African Canadian Achievement Award (ACAA) for Excellence in Politics on Feb. 20 at St. Jane Mallett Theatre.
Dubourg will be joined by 13 high-achieving African Canadians at the ceremony inside the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E.
This is an addition to his numerous awards including the Governor General’s Medal, the Innovation and Excellence Prize from Revenue Canada in 1992 and the Black History Month Award in 2006 for his work in the Black community.
He is known as an outspoken politician, be it on racism and injustice to Haitians living in the Dominican Republic to speaking in Parliament.
Liberal MP for the Montreal riding of Bourassa, the chartered accountant and parliamentary secretary to the minister of national revenue says his motto is Discipline and Perseverance and added his mother is the foundation of his achievements and success.
“I have the privilege to serve the citizens of the riding who have opened doors for me when I arrived in Haiti in 1974,” Dubourg said. “I devoted body and soul to help improve the quality of life for Bourassa (which) I proudly represent Ottawa.”
The father of two sons, Edwin-Simon and David, was the first Haitian native to be elected for the Quebec Liberal Party and for the federal Liberal Party.
He was elected to Parliament in November 2013 and served as critic for National Revenue and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
Previously, he was elected to the National Assembly of Quebec for Viau in 2007, then served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of employment and social solidarity and for two ministers of finance, and was re-elected as an MNA in 2008 and 2012.
He began his professional career in 1985 as auditor in one of the largest Canadian accounting firms, after which he embarked on a 20-year career in the federal public service, notably as leader of the team assembled to help uncover the underground economy.
“We are talking about data sharing and as you probably know, investigative journalists have found out that Canadians were investing money abroad or were not complying.”
This was followed by his appointment as adviser to the Canadian Revenue Agency Assistant Commissioner.
While pursuing his public service career, Dubourg taught at the college and post-secondary levels and acted as a consultant internationally in accounting and finance.