Pierre Corbeil
A dentist from Quebec's north who traded his drill for the gavel, serving as both a provincial cabinet minister and the mayor of Val-d'Or.
Born 1955 (age 71)·Canadian politician and dentist·Birthday: June 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pierre Corbeil built a life of public service in the rugged Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, balancing two demanding professions. For years, he ran a dental practice, establishing deep roots in his community. His political career began at the provincial level when he was elected as the Liberal MNA for Abitibi-Est in 2007. In Premier Jean Charest's government, he was entrusted with significant portfolios, first as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and later as Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, where he navigated complex files involving forestry and Indigenous relations. After his provincial tenure, he turned his focus hyper-locally, winning the mayoralty of Val-d'Or in 2013. For eight years, he steered the mining city through local challenges, demonstrating a commitment to hands-on governance that directly impacted the daily lives of his neighbors, proving that a political career can effectively span both the national assembly and the city council chamber.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pierre was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pierre Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Pierre's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Mayor of Val-d'Or, Quebec, from 2013 until his retirement in 2021.
- Elected as the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Abitibi-Est, representing the Quebec Liberal Party.
- Held cabinet positions as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife under Premier Jean Charest.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed dentist and maintained his practice alongside his political work for many years.
His electoral district, Abitibi-Est, is one of the largest and most sparsely populated in Quebec.
He was first elected to the National Assembly in a 2007 by-election.
“My work, in the clinic or the legislature, is about listening to the needs of the north.”
