Ricardo López (politician)

Ricardo López Bello (February 13, 1937 – January 27, 2024) was a Canadian politician who was a member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was a businessman by trade.

López was born in Cabrui, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain and represented the Quebec riding of Châteauguay. He was first elected in the 1984 federal election and re-elected in 1988, therefore becoming a member in the 33rd and 34th Canadian Parliaments. He was a member of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party. He did not serve in the cabinet under PC prime ministers Brian Mulroney or Kim Campbell. His main claim to fame in the House of Commons was that when he rose to address the assembly, both English and French interpreters would immediately start to try to decipher his speech due to his thick accent.

López left federal politics after he lost his seat in 1993 to Maurice Godin of the Bloc Québécois. He was also defeated at the same riding in the 2000 federal election, this time a candidate for the Canadian Alliance.

López died on January 27, 2024, at the age of 86.[1]

Electoral history

1984 Canadian federal election: Châteauguay
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Ricardo López 21,318
Liberal Ian Watson 17,313
New Democratic Robert Vigneault 5,083
Parti nationaliste Jean-Guy Lafrenaye 1,630
Libertarian Guy Pelletier 284
Commonwealth of Canada Gilles A. Grisé 124
1988 Canadian federal election: Châteauguay
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Ricardo López 22,439
Liberal Jean-Marc Fournier 16,422
New Democratic Pierre Hétu 8,282
Not affiliated André Turcot 1,724
Rhinoceros Hubert Le Tube Simon 1,250
1993 Canadian federal election: Châteauguay
Party Candidate Votes
Bloc Québécois Maurice Godin 34,271
Liberal Kimon Valaskakis 18,012
Progressive Conservative Ricardo López 5,749
New Democratic Luc Proulx 850
Commonwealth of Canada Stéphane Beauregard 317
2000 Canadian federal election: Châteauguay
Party Candidate Votes
Bloc Québécois Robert Lanctôt 26,284
Liberal Carole Marcil 22,972
Alliance Ricardo López 3,120
Progressive Conservative Réjeanne Rioux 2,041
Natural Law Margaret Larrass 743
New Democratic Robert Lindblad 622

References

  1. ^ "Ricardo Lopez". InMemoriam.ca. Retrieved 22 March 2024.