René Arseneault

René Arseneault (; born July 1, 1966) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who represented the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche in the House of Commons from 2015 to 2025. A member of the Liberal Party, he did not seek reelection after three terms in office.

Background

Arseneault earned an undergraduate degree in economics and political science, followed by a law degree from the Université de Moncton. He established a law practice with his wife Michèle Pelletier in 1996.

On becoming a lawyer, he succeeded in overturning a requirement to swear an oath to the monarch and became the first lawyer in New Brunswick to join the bar without swearing the oath.

Political career Arsenault was elected as a Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche in the 2015 federal election.

Arsenault was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Official Languages) on December 12, 2019.

On August 16, 2024, Arseneault announced that he would not be running in the 2025 election.

Foreign policy In February 2016, Arseneault broke ranks from many of his fellow Liberals when he voted against a Conservative Party motion rejecting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Arseneault addressed his vote by later stating that "he did not have a clear conscience with the motion as proposed," further adding that it would have been different if the motion were one which condemned organizations that promoted antisemitism. He disagreed with the motion's claim that the movement was "demonizing Israel" and rather described the movement as "encouraging boycotts of certain Israeli products made in the occupied territories." Arseneault added that this condemnation, in his opinion, violated Canadian freedom of expression. The motion was also voted against by two other Liberals as well as the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois.

Electoral record