Politics
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in a by-election held in December 1984, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Gaston Patenaude by fewer than 2,000 votes in Prescott and Russell, the easternmost riding in Ontario. The by-election was called after the previous Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), Don Boudria, left provincial politics to run for the Canadian House of Commons.
Poirier was re-elected with a significantly increased majority in the 1985 provincial election. The Liberals formed a minority government after this election, and Poirier served as a parliamentary assistant from 1985 to 1987. He was re-elected by a landslide in the 1987 provincial election, and served as Deputy Speaker of the assembly from 1987 to 1990.
During this term, Poirier, a former translator, shepherded the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario Act, 1989, and is recognized for this pivotal role as an honorary member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario.
The Liberals were upset by the New Democratic Party in the 1990 provincial election, although Poirier was re-elected by a significant margin. He served as his party's critic for Correctional Services and Intergovernmental Affairs while in opposition.
In 1994, Poirier was one of only three Liberal MPPs, along with Tim Murphy and Dianne Poole, to vote in favour of Bill 167, a government bill which would have extended spousal benefits to same-sex couples. He did not run for re-election in the 1995 provincial election.
Poirier was a member of the Chargé de mission pour la région Amérique committee from 1989 to 1995, was the Ontario president of l'Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de langue française (AIPLF) from 1986 to 1995, and was a member of l'Association parlementaire Ontario-Québec from 1990 to 1995.
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