Jean-Serge Brisson

Main article: Libertarian Party of Canada

Brisson was elected as the leader of the party in 1999 and served until May 18, 2008. Brisson credits himself with organizing the party to be able to re-register itself as an official party with Elections Canada and for running more candidates. ^[5]

City Councillor

Following three unsuccessful attempts (including a narrow miss in 2000), Brisson was elected to the municipal council of Russell Township in November 2003 with 1,639 votes. As Councillor he opposed municipal legislation requiring all employees of local government to be proficient in both French and English. He was defeated in his bid for re-election on November 13, 2006 in the 2006 municipal election.

In the 2010 municipal election on October 25, 2010, he unsuccessfully sought election to city council again. With 1,045 votes, he placed ninth out of the nine candidates seeking the four council sets.

Opposition to PST collection

In the early 1990s, Brisson publicly opposed the requirement for small businesses to collect the Ontario Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on behalf of the government. He argued that obligating business owners to collect taxes without compensation was unfair and likened the practice to forced labour. ^[6]

Brisson stated that if businesses were required to act as tax collectors, they should receive payment equivalent to government employees performing similar duties. His protest led to conflict with provincial tax authorities, and he later chronicled his experience in his 2014 book, Tea Party of One: All Governments Invited. ^[7]

Electoral record (provincial and federal)

• 1988 Canadian federal election, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, 335 votes (winner: Don Boudria, Liberal)
• 1990 Ontario general election, Prescott and Russell, 618 votes (winner: Jean Poirier, Liberal)
• 1993 Canadian federal election, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, 244 votes (winner: Don Boudria, Liberal)
• 1995 Ontario general election, Prescott and Russell, 626 votes (winner: Jean-Marc Lalonde, Liberal)
• 2007 Ontario general election, Ottawa South, 384 votes (winner: Dalton McGuinty, Liberal)
• 2008 Canadian federal election, Ottawa South, 244 votes (winner: David McGuinty, Liberal)
• 2011 Canadian federal election, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, 194 votes (winner: Pierre Lemieux, Conservative)
• 2011 Ontario general election, Ottawa South, 252 votes (winner: Dalton McGuinty, Liberal)
• 2013 Ontario by-election, Ottawa South, 208 votes (winner: John Fraser, Liberal)
• 2014 Ontario general election, Ottawa South, 273 votes (winner: John Fraser, Liberal)
• 2015 Canadian federal election, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, 377 votes (winner: Francis Drouin, Liberal)
• 2018 Ontario general election, Carleton, 386 votes (winner: Goldie Ghamari, Progressive Conservative)
• 2020 Ontario by-election, Orléans, 177 votes (winner: Stephen Blais, Liberal) ^{[8] [9]}

Jean-Serge Brisson
Jean-Serge Brisson in 2025, with his English-language book Tea Party of One: All Governments Invited which was published in 2014.
14th leader of the Libertarian Party of Canada
In office 1999 –May 18, 2008

Rang	Councillors Candidate	Vote	%
1.	Érik Bazinet	2634	15
2.	Pierre Leroux	2547	14
3.	Craig Cullen	2322	13
4.	Jamie Laurin	2305	13
5.	Jim Cooper	2242	13
6.	Donald Saint-Pierre	1749	10
7.	Raymond Saint-Pierre	1278	7
8.	Jacques Aubé	1107	6
9.	Jean-Serge Brisson	1045	6

Personal life

Jean-Serge Brisson with his nephew Marc-Antoine Gagnier for his sign to support him during the 2018 municipal election campaign

Brisson is a francophone and advocate for francophone rights. ^{[10] [11]} In 2012, his radiator repair shop came under fire for having a sign with its services listed only in French. ^[12]

Brisson's nephew, Marc-Antoine Gagnier, was the author, radio host and politic's candidate in three times. ^{[13] [14]}

References

1. "Ottawa Life 2019 Election Outlook: Ottawa South". Ottawa Life Magazine. 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
2. "Ottawa Life 2019 Election Outlook: Ottawa South". Ottawa Life Magazine. 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
3. "The Glengarry News archives" (PDF). 12 January 1994. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
4. Harada, Susan (2004). "The "Others": A Quest for Credibility". In Dornan, Chris; Pammett, Jon H. (eds.). The Canadian General Election of 2004. Dundurn Press. p. 192. ISBN   1-55002-516-3 – via Google Books.
5. Jean-Serge Brisson, Tea Party of One: All Governments Invited (Renfrew: General Store Publishing House).
6. MacNaull, Steve (10 September 2014). "Refusing to be a tax collector". Kelowna Daily Courier. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
7. Brisson, Jean-Serge (2010). Tea Party of One: All Governments Invited. Freedom Press Canada.
8. "VOTE TOTALS FROM OFFICIAL TABULATION / RAPPORT DU TOTALS DES VOTES DE LA TABULATION OFFICIELLE" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
9. "In Orléans, everyone's movin' on up". CBC News. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
10. Orfali, Philippe (2018-11-29). "Le mouvement anti-francophone est bien vivant en Ontario". Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Retrieved 2020-06-14.
11. White, Erik (2018-11-28). "Ontario Francophone services debate sees return of 'anti-French, anti-minority' groups". CBC News. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
12. Selick, Karen (2012-06-20). "The language police come to Ontario". National Post. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
13. https://www.facebook.com/Pageofficielle.MarcAntoine/photos/pb.100063403512883.-2207520000/697948013900476/?type=3 ^{[ user-generated source ]}
14. Nkufulu, Olivia (2025-03-19). "Le parcours du politicien et auteur Jean-Serge Brisson". CFRG FM 93.1 (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-19.