Sam Hamad (born June 17, 1958) is a Canadianpolitician. He is the former member of National Assembly (MNA) for the riding of Louis-Hebert in the Quebec City region. Member of the Quebec Liberal Party, he has held various cabinet posts during his 14 years in the National Assembly. He was the Minister of Natural Resources, Minister for Transports and he was also the Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region.
He was also involved in the community, being the vice-president of Centraide-Quebec a board member of the Laval Hospital Foundation. He was also part of several associations promoting development in the region including the GATIQ which promoted advance technologies and innovations for the region.[citation needed]
Before making his foray into politics, Hamad was Vice-President of Groupe Roche, an influential engineering firm, from 1998 to 2003.[citation needed]
Politics
Hamed entered politics in 2003, where he became the MNA for Louis-Hebert as the Liberals led by Jean Charest defeated the Parti Québécois. He would be named Minister of Wildlife, Natural Resources and Parks and the Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale (Quebec) region. He was removed from Cabinet in 2005 after he was criticized in regard to a project which would have added a new thermo plant in the Suroit region.
Hamad was narrowly re-elected in 2007. Initially, it was thought that the Action démocratique du Québec won the seat but late ballots pushed Hamad to a late-victory and no recounts were made. As he was only one of two Liberal MNAs elected in the Quebec City region (the other being Philippe Couillard), Hamad was named the Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity until where he was named Minister of Transports, swapping portfolios with Julie Boulet. Briefly in 2010, he also held the Labour portfolio after David Whissell resigned his position following conflict of interest allegations.
He returned to the Labour portfolio on April 23, 2014.
He announced his resignation as an MNA on April 27, 2017.[1]