He had worked in the National Assembly since 1974 and served as its secretary general from 1984 to 2001.
He is the author of two important publications on Quebec parliamentary procedure, Recueil des décisions concernant la procédure parlementaire and La Procédure parlementaire du Québec.
On May 18, 2007, he was announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the next Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, replacing outgoing Lieutenant Governor Lise Thibault.[3] He was sworn in on June 7, 2007.[4]
Arms
Coat of arms of Pierre Duchesne
Notes
The arms of Pierre Duchesne consist of:
Adopted
March 20, 2009
Crest
A crane Or beaked and membered Gules, its dexter foot holding a paint brush Azure bristled Or
Supporters
Two bloodhounds proper standing on a rocky mount Or
Motto
CONFIDE TIBI ET PERSEVERA(Have confidence in yourself and persevere)
Symbolism
The shield shows an oak tree which refers to Duchesne's surname meaning "of the oak"; with the three roots symbolizing his children and the seven acorns symbolizing future descendants. The crane (grue) represents L'Isle-aux-Grues, Quebec, symbolizing Duchesne's attachment to that location and to Quebec as a whole, and holds a paint brush symbolizing Duchesne's support for the arts. The horizontal blue band represents the rule of law, alluding to Duchesne's previous roles as a notary and as Secretary General of the National Assembly, and the indented lines on the shield and rocky terrain of the supporters represent the Charlevoix region.[5]
