Réginald Bélair

Réginald Bélair (April 6, 1949 – March 3, 2020) was a Canadian politician.

Réginald Bélair
Member of Parliament for Timmins-James Bay
In office June 2, 1997 – June 28, 2004
Preceded by	None (riding created)
Succeeded by	Charlie Angus
Member of Parliament for Cochrane—Superior
In office November 21, 1988 – June 2, 1997
Preceded by	Keith Penner
Succeeded by	None (riding dissolved)
Personal details
Born	April 6, 1949 Hearst, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 3, 2020(2020-03-03) (aged 70) Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal

Bélair was a Liberal member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 2004, representing the riding of Cochrane—Superior^[1] until 1997 and subsequently Timmins-James Bay. Bélair also worked as an administrator, a manager, and a political assistant. In the House of Commons, Bélair was a Deputy Chairman of Committees of the Whole, and was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works (Public Works and Government Services) and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Supply and Services (Public Works and Government Services).

Bélair was born in Hearst, Ontario. He served as a municipal councillor in Kapuskasing for three years.

Retirement

In the 2004 federal election, electoral redistribution put Bélair's home area of Kapuskasing outside of Timmins—James Bay and into the newly named riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, an extension of the Algoma—Manitoulin riding held by Liberal colleague Brent St. Denis. Bélair at first announced that he might seek the Liberal nomination in Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, then announced his retirement instead.

He died from cancer at a hospital in Kapuskasing on March 3, 2020, at the age of seventy.^[2]