Ray Perrault

Raymond Joseph Perrault, PC (February 6, 1926 – November 24, 2008) was a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and of the Canadian Senate.

Perrault was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, he became a communications consultant. He entered politics in his thirties, becoming leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party in 1959. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1960 provincial election in which the Liberals won fours seats in the legislature (an increase from two in the previous election), and won 20.9% of the popular vote.

In the 1963 election, the Liberals gained one more Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), for a total of five, while their share of the popular vote fell to 19.98%. In Perrault's final election as leader in 1966, the party won an additional seat, and a modest increase in the vote to 20.24%.

He remained an MLA until he resigned in 1968 to entered federal politics in the 1968 federal election. He won a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), defeating New Democratic Party leader Tommy Douglas. He was defeated in the next election in 1972.

Perrault was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in October 1973. A year later, he joined the cabinet as Leader of the Government in the Senate.

When the Liberals lost power in the 1979 election, Perrault became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. He resumed his position as government leader when the Liberals returned to power in the 1980 election. In 1982, he was reassigned to the position of Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport, and served in that position until leaving cabinet in August 1983.

He remained in the Senate until his retirement in 2001.

He died on November 24, 2008 at the age of 82, leaving behind his wife Barbara and their three children.