# Alain Rayes

Alain Rayes MP (born December 11, 1971) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Richmond—Arthabaska in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 Canadian federal election, and reelected in the 2019 and 2021 elections. He left the Conservative Party of Canada after Pierre Poilievre's leadership victory in 2022 and now sits as an Independent MP. From 2017 to 2019 and 2021 to 2022, Rayes served as Quebec lieutenant under Conservative leaders Andrew Scheer and Erin O'Toole.
Before federal politics, Rayes served for six years as the mayor of Victoriaville.

## Biography

Alain Rayes is a native of Victoriaville, He is the eldest of four children of a family originally from Egypt. He earned a bachelor of mathematics, specialising in teaching computer science, and later a masters in educational administration. He began his career as a teacher before obtaining management positions, including Director of the Polyvalente Le Boisé Victoriaville.

## Provincial and municipal politics

Rayes began his political career as a candidate for the ADQ alongside Mario Dumont, finishing second in Arthabaska during the 2003 Quebec general election. He transitioned to municipal politics and was elected mayor of Victoriaville in Quebec's 2009 municipal elections, and was reelected in 2013 by acclamation.
Under Rayes' mayoralty in Victoriaville, activities included the construction of the cultural venue "Le Carré 150" Pool Édouard-Dubord, of Yvon-Paré Stadium, Gateway Beaudet reservoir, the park's entertainment site at the youth baseball place of Victoriaville Stadium, Sani-Marc sports Complex and the sport Complex Promutuel.

## Federal politics

After six years as mayor, Rayes decided to enter federal politics and was elected in October 2015 as the Conservative member for Richmond-Arthabaska. Upon his election as MP, he was appointed deputy spokesman for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Within this portfolio, Rayes was in charge of the marijuana legalization issue. His public interventions were on the issue of electoral reform as he was identified with Gérard Deltell, among the official spokesmen of the party on this issue. Then in July 2016, Rona Ambrose, the interim leader of the Conservative Party, assigned him as deputy spokesman for Foreign Affairs before becoming spokesman partner on infrastructure, communities and Urban Affairs in September and entering the shadow cabinet.
After Andrew Scheer won the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, Rayes served as his Quebec lieutenant from 2017 to 2019. On September 2, 2020, Rayes was succeeded by Richard Martel as the party's Quebec lieutenant. Rayes returned to the role on November 8, 2021, and served until resigning on February 6, 2022 in order to play a role in the Conservative leadership election.
On September 13, 2022, Rayes left the Conservative caucus following Pierre Poilievre's victory in the leadership race on September 10, 2022. Rayes said that his values were incompatible with the new leadership and that he self-identified as a "Progressive Conservative". He will continue to sit as an independent in the House. On September 14, 2022, Rayes told the National Post that he suspected that Poilievre's leadership team tried to intimidate Rayes by sending text messages to Conservative members of Richmond-Arthabaska in order to pressure Rayes into resigning his seat. Within the same day, the party admitted and apologized to the members of the riding by sending a tweet but not directly apologizing to Rayes. The next day, Rayes released a statement on Twitter noting the apology was not directed personally towards him but "will let the population judge their message" and wants to move on from leaving the party. In Léa Clermont-Dion's documentary, "La peur au ventre," he also revealed that another reason that factor in leaving the party which is the growing influence of anti-abortion activists within the party. Rayes states that the Conservative party leader plays lip service to them despite publicly opposing any attempt to restrict abortion.
A year later, Rayes announced that he was not running in the upcoming election and would leave politics.

## Electoral record
### Federal

2021 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alain Rayes | 28,513 | 49.9 | +4.6 |
| | Bloc Québécois | Diego Scalzo | 14,150 | 24.8 | -3.4 |
| | Liberal | Alexandre Desmarais | 8,543 | 14.9 | -0.2 |
| | New Democratic | Nataël Bureau | 2,550 | 4.5 | -0.4 |
| | People's | Nadine Fougeron | 2,058 | 3.6 | +2.4 |
| | Free | Louis Richard | 897 | 1.6 | N/A |
| | Rhinoceros | Marjolaine Delisle | 448 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 57,159 | 98.1 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 1,125 | 1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,284 | 66.3 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 87,942 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +4.0 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Richmond—Arthabaska :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Alain Rayes | 26,553 | 45.3 | +13.70 | $62,920.65 |
| | Bloc Québécois | Olivier Nolin | 16,539 | 28.2 | +11.00 | none listed |
| | Liberal | Marc Patry | 8,868 | 15.1 | -9.60 | $14,690.80 |
| | Green | Laura Horth-Lepage | 3,133 | 5.3 | +3.60 | none listed |
| | New Democratic | Olivier Guérin | 2,864 | 4.9 | -19.30 | $0.33 |
| | People's | Jean Landry | 681 | 1.2 | - | $462.33 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 58,638 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 1,077 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,715 | 68.8 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 86,741 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +1.35 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2015 Canadian federal election: Richmond—Arthabaska :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Alain Rayes | 18,505 | 31.6 | +6.9 | – |
| | Liberal | Marc Desmarais | 14,463 | 24.7 | +17.7 | – |
| | New Democratic | Myriam Beaulieu | 14,213 | 24.2 | -8.3 | – |
| | Bloc Québécois | Olivier Nolin | 10,068 | 17.2 | -16.6 | – |
| | Green | Laurier Busque | 984 | 1.7 | -0.4 | – |
| | Rhinoceros | Antoine Dubois | 384 | 0.7 | – | – |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | – | 100.0 | | $223,651.10 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | – | – | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | – | – | – |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 85,118 |
| | Conservative gain from Bloc Québécois | Conservative gain from Bloc Québécois | Swing | Swing | -5.40 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||

### Provincial

2003 Quebec general election: Arthabaska :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Claude Bachand | 12,663 | 36.77 |
| | Action démocratique | Alain Rayes | 11,389 | 33.07 |
| | Parti Québécois | Danièle Caron | 9,657 | 28.04 |
| | Green | François Houle | 379 | 1.10 |
| | Bloc Pot | Karine Cyr | 353 | 1.02 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 34,441 | 99.15 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 269 | 0.85 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,737 | 73.58 |
| Electors on the lists | Electors on the lists | Electors on the lists | 47,185 | – |

### Municipal

2013 Victoriaville mayoral election :
| Candidate | Vote | % |
| Alain Rayes (X) | Acclaimed | Acclaimed |
2009 Victoriaville mayoral election :
| Candidate | Vote | % |
| Alain Rayes | 10,807 | 62.8 |
| Éric Lefebvre | 5,722 | 33.2 |
| Martin Talbot | 524 | 3.0 |
| René Martineau | 161 | 0.9 |