Who is Tom Mulcair? 5 questions Canadians asked Google

TomMulcair and the NDP are on the up and up. Well, if you believe the polls, that is.But unlike his main opponents, Conservative LeaderStephen Harper and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, his personal story is somewhat of a mystery tomost Canadians.

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Google Canada has released the five most-searched questions about each of the main party leaders, based on search data from the six months leading up to the election call earlier this month.

Starting today with Mulcair, CBC News is taking a deep dive to bring you all the answers. We'll look at other leaders in the coming days.

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1. Who is TomMulcair?

While the NDP might have surged in the polls, it seems many Canadians still aren't exactly sure whoMulcair really is. If you live outside Quebec or haven't followed question period for the past two years you might be forgiven for not knowing much about him. The first most Googled question about Mulcair is, "Who is Tom Mulcair?"

Well, to start, he was first elected to Quebec's National Assembly as a Liberal in 1994, and later served for three years in the cabinet of former premier Jean Charest, before leaving cabinet and provincial politics in a dispute over development in a provincial park. He made the leap to federal politics and to the surprise of some, chose Jack Layton's NDP party, winning a 2007 byelection.

Mulcairwas a key architect of the Orange Wave that washed over Quebec in the last federal election and upended Canadian politics, sending 59 New Democrat MPsto Ottawa and breaking the stranglehold the sovereigntist Bloc Qubcoishadheld on Quebec for the better part of two decades.

After Layton's untimely death,Mulcairclinched the title of leader of the Opposition afterbeating nineother candidates for the job.

As for his family life,Mulcair is married to psychologistCatherine Pinhasand they havetwo sons.

If elected,he would be the first Canadian prime minister with dual citizenship (he has a French passport) since former Liberal prime minister John Turner but has promised to renounce his French citizenship in that event. He faced criticism and accusations of divided loyalties in the past, but has defended his Frenchcitizenship, pointing out that many Canadians are dual citizens.

Oh, and sticking with the other side of the Atlantic, he once offered praise for the late Conservative British prime ministerMargaret Thatcherand the Iron Lady's stewardship of the British economy.

2. Why is Harper not attackingMulcair?

The second-most Googled question is, "Why is Harper not attackingMulcair?"

It's nosecret the Conservatives have made Trudeauand the Liberal Party target No. 1. Only days after Trudeau was elected leader of the party, the Tories boughtnational air time for a series of attack ads that brandedTrudeau"in over his head," paired with images of him engaged in a mock striptease at a charity event.

But, until recently at least,Mulcairhas been left relatively unscathed. The most the Conservatives have been able to muster is branding the NDP leader as a "career politician," without mentioning that, in fact, their leader is somewhatof a lifelong politician himself.

(Harper first ran for the House of Commons under the name "Steve"Harperin 1988, losing to a Progressive Conservative. He won in a rematch in 1993, sat out the 1997 and 2000 elections, and returned to the House of Commons in 2002.)

As to why they've avoided attacking Mulcair a divided left-of-centre vote could split the vote in the Conservatives'favour. So abuoyantMulcaircould help the Tories, unless, of course, it looks like the NDPmightactually win the election.

3.Is Tom Mulcair proposing to scrap Bill C-51?

"Is Tom Mulcair proposing to scrap Bill C-51?" the anti-terror bill, is the third-most asked Google question?

Yes. The NDP went out on a limb back in Februarythis year when polls showed support for anti-terrorlegislation topping 82 per cent and announced that his partywould vote against the government's anti-terror legislation.

Public support for the bill which gives sweeping new powers to CSISand ramps up information sharing between government departments began to drop and the NDP's poll numbers began to move up in lockstep.

Mulcair says Canada can protect safety and rights

10 years ago

Duration 1:06

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair says the government can protect Canadians' rights while ensuring their safety, adding the RCMP, CSIS need the resources to do so.

Trudeau and the Liberal Party have been dogged by criticism for supporting the legislation. Trudeauindicated in Marchthathis position on Bill C-51 was meantto counter potential Tory claims about his stance on terrorism.

Trudeau has said he would amend parts of the law should the Liberals win power, saying only the Liberal Party wouldstrike the right balance between keepingCanadians secure and protecting their rights and freedoms.

4.Is Mulcair a French name?

According to Google, the fourth most-searched question about the NDP leader is, "Is Mulcair a French name?"

No, it's not. It's a name of Gaelic origin.Mulcair was born in a bilingual and bicultural household, after all.

His father,Harry, was an insurance man of Irishdescent, and his mother, JeanneHurtubise, a teacher, was ofFrench-Canadian heritage. Mulcair hails from a large familyhe isthe second oldest of 10(yes, 10!) kids.

5. What is Mulcair's religion?

"What is Thomas Mulcair's religion?" Google says that's the fifth most-searched question about Mulcair.

The NDP leader was raised Roman Catholic. In his recent autobiography,Strength of Conviction,he writes about growing up Catholic in Quebec in the 1960s. "We used to say the rosary together as a family before going to bed at night."

He also revealshis deep admiration for one priest at his local high school, Father Cox.

"His homilies were calls to action. Father Cox challenged us. He inspired us. Sometimes, he droveus nuts."

But it seems Mulcair, and his pious parents, like many other Quebecers of the era, had a falling out. Mass, which was once a daily commitment, became an optional affair, Mulcair writes.