Fernand Roberge
Canadian politician and hotelier (1940–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fernand Roberge (July 19, 1940 – February 22, 2026) was a Canadian a hotelier and politician who served as a senator.
Fernand Roberge | |
|---|---|
| Senator from Quebec (Saurel) | |
| In office 1993–2000 | |
| Preceded by | Fernand Leblanc |
| Succeeded by | Jean Lapointe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 19, 1940 Laurierville, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | February 22, 2026 (aged 85) |
| Party | Progressive Conservative |
| Profession | Hotelier |
In 1977, Roberge became the first French Canadian to be chief executive officer of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal and held the post for over 12 years. He was also part-owner of the hotel until selling his interest in 1991 to the Rolaco Group of New York.[1]
He was appointed to the upper house by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in May 1993, a month before the Progressive Conservative leader retired from office. Mulroney and Roberge were long time friends.[2] Mulroney had previously appointed Roberge to the board of Air Canada in 1985.[3]
Roberge had been one of the members of the "Ritz Gang" which helped Mulroney plot the downfall of then-Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark in 1983 precipitating the 1983 Progressive Conservative leadership convention won by Mulroney.[4]
In the lead up to the 1984 federal election, Roberge was a member of the Progressive Conservative party's candidate selection committee for Quebec.[5] After the election, he was appointed chairman of the Mulroney government's patronage advisory committee for Quebec.[6]
Shortly before the 1993 Progressive Conservative leadership convention, Roberge endorsed Kim Campbell for leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.[7]
In 1998, Roberge was named one of the 10 senators with the worst attendance record in the chamber.[8] He resigned from the body in July 2000 at the age of 60 in order to spend more time on his business affairs[9] saying in the statement that, "I want to concentrate all my energies on various business projects and this involvement becomes increasingly incompatible with Senate duties in Ottawa."[10]
In 2007, he was appointed chairman of the Ritz-Carlton advisory committee.[11]
From the early 1990s Roberge was also President and Chief Executive Officer of Stratcorp Inc., a management consulting society where he assists with special projects involving international strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions and was a special advisor to the firm of Jones Lang LaSalle.[12]
Roberge died on February 22, 2026, at the age of 85.[13]