PORTRAIT. Did you know that the idea of becoming a monk has already crossed the mind of the mayor of Saint-Benjamin? Did you know that Mr. Beaulieu would like to sail around the world with his family?
Martin Beaulieu was born on November 12, 1979, in Saint-Hubert (on the south shore of Montreal), and has two brothers. His father, a mechanic, owned a garage and his mother took care of the accounts in the family business. As a child, he experienced bullying at school. “One day, my father told me you should take judo lessons with your uncle. It might help you,” he says.
His partner, Geneviève St-André, an artist and writer, and he met when they were teenagers. They married in 2004 and have three children, a girl and two boys.
School career
He studied administration at Cégep Édouard-Montpetit in Longueuil. Later, in 2014, Mr. Beaulieu took courses in psychospiritual accompaniment at the Center Le Pèlerin, in Montreal. This training was offered in partnership with the Dominican Pastoral Institute.
Professionnal career
Mr. Beaulieu began his professional life as a consultant in animal agricultural technology. Among his tasks, he represented business development for companies in the field of agriculture. His job has taken him to travel all over the world. He is the founder and former owner of the Saint-Georges Judo Club. Today, Mr. Beaulieu is general manager of the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Beauce-Sud.
Moving to Beauce
It was in 2015 that he and his wife settled in Beauce. “We wanted to go to the east of the province. We opened a map and saw Highway 73,” he recalls. He saw Saint-Georges as well as the Chaudière River and he found the place magnificent.
Noting that there was no judo club, Mr. Beaulieu therefore decided to open one. It started from scratch and in no time many people signed up. This sport allowed him to develop his self-confidence.
In 2020, he and his family moved to Saint-Benjamin. The following year, citizens suggested that he submit his candidacy for the post of mayor. He ran for municipal elections and won the seat of first magistrate of the municipality.
Spirituality
Behind this committed mayor, a strong spirituality is well anchored in his everyday life. “My real passion, which unites the other passions, is people,” he says. It was in contact with his children that he developed his spirituality. Personalities like Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama challenge him. Mr. Beaulieu likes to pray and meditate no matter where he is. “The idea of becoming a monk has already crossed my mind,” he reveals. According to him, the human without spirituality becomes like a robot.
The future
He would have loved to practice horse riding in his life because horses are a real passion for him. Maybe when he retires he will have time to do it? For the moment, Martin Beaulieu is trying a new activity: sailing. This nomad would like to sail around the world with his wife and children.
Martin Beaulieu: Mayor of Saint-Benjamin – L’Éclaireur Progrès