Albert Prefontaine
Encyclopedia
Albert Préfontaine was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served as leader of the Manitoba Conservatives
in the late 1910s, and was subsequently a member of the United Farmers of Manitoba
.
Born in St. Ephrem, Canada East
(now Quebec
), Préfontaine was educated in Greenfield, Massachusetts
. He subsequently moved to Manitoba, where he worked as a farmer and store manager and served as Reeve of the Municipality of De Salaberry
from 1892 to 1896.
Préfontaine was first elected to the provincial parliament in 1903, running for Rodmond P. Roblin's governing Conservatives in the francophone riding of Carillon
. He was re-elected in 1907 and 1910.
In 1914, Préfontaine lost his seat to Liberal
Thomas Molloy
by seven votes. He was re-elected the following year, despite the disastrous showing of the Conservatives in the rest of the province. His victory may be credited to the fact that the provincial Conservatives were seen as more supportive of francophone rights than were Tobias C. Norris's Liberals (indeed, Norris' government withdrew state funding for French-language education soon after the election).
Conservative leader James Aikins
lost his seat in the 1915 election
, and Préfontaine was chosen to lead the small opposition caucus in parliament (he was officially sworn in as leader of the opposition
in January 1916). He declined to be a candidate in the party's official leadership convention, held on November 6, 1919.
Although it had been in government from 1900 to 1915, the Conservative Party of Manitoba was marginalized by developments in the later half of the 1910s. Increasingly radicalized farmer and labour groups were forming political organizations of their own, and the old divisions between Grit and Tory no longer seemed as relevant. The Conservatives again fared poorly in the election of 1920
, and Préfontaine was personally defeated by Farmer
candidate Maurice Duprey.
After this loss, Préfontaine detached himself from the Conservative Party. He ran as an Independent in the federal election of 1921
(losing to Progressive
candidate Arthur Beaubien), and subsequently left the Conservatives to join the United Farmers of Manitoba
. Running as an official UFM candidate, he was re-elected Carillon
in 1922
.
On December 3, 1923, Premier John Bracken
appointed Préfontaine to the high-level cabinet positions of Provincial Secretary
, Provincial Lands Commissioner and Railway Commissioner. Préfontaine also became Minister of Agriculture in 1925. In the 1927 election
, he defeated his old nemesis Thomas Molloy by a landslide.
Préfontaine stood down as Provincial Secretary
, Provincial Lands Commissioner and Minister of Agriculture in 1928, though he retained the Railway Commissioner's position until 1932. He was re-elected in that year's general election
, and continued to serve the Franco-Manitoban community as a Minister without Portfolio
until his death in 1935.
Préfontaine's career reveals the continued importance of the francophone community to Manitoba politics, even after immigration from Ontario and Eastern Europe had significantly reduced their relative strength. His decision to join the UFM was indicative of a larger cultural change, as Franco-Manitobans became an important part of the Progressive Party of Manitoba
during its long period in government. The resort community of Albert Beach, Manitoba (French: "Plage Albert") was named after him.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as leader of the Manitoba Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
in the late 1910s, and was subsequently a member of the United Farmers of Manitoba
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
.
Born in St. Ephrem, Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
(now Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
), Préfontaine was educated in Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
. He subsequently moved to Manitoba, where he worked as a farmer and store manager and served as Reeve of the Municipality of De Salaberry
De Salaberry, Manitoba
De Salaberry is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. The administratively separate village of St-Pierre-Jolys lies within the geographical borders of the municipality.-External links:*...
from 1892 to 1896.
Préfontaine was first elected to the provincial parliament in 1903, running for Rodmond P. Roblin's governing Conservatives in the francophone riding of Carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
. He was re-elected in 1907 and 1910.
In 1914, Préfontaine lost his seat to Liberal
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
Thomas Molloy
Thomas B. Molloy
Thomas Boniface Molloy was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1914 to 1915, as a member of the Liberal Party....
by seven votes. He was re-elected the following year, despite the disastrous showing of the Conservatives in the rest of the province. His victory may be credited to the fact that the provincial Conservatives were seen as more supportive of francophone rights than were Tobias C. Norris's Liberals (indeed, Norris' government withdrew state funding for French-language education soon after the election).
Conservative leader James Aikins
James Albert Manning Aikins
Sir James Albert Manning Aikins was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was the leader of the Manitoba Conservative Party in the provincial election of 1915, and later served as the province's ninth Lieutenant Governor.Aikins was born in Grahamsville, Peel County, Canada West and educated at...
lost his seat in the 1915 election
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
, and Préfontaine was chosen to lead the small opposition caucus in parliament (he was officially sworn in as leader of the opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Manitoba)
A list of parliamentary opposition leaders in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, Canada, from 1870 to the present.William Alexander Macdonald was the first officially recognized Leader of the Opposition in Manitoba although Rodmond Roblin is considered to have been the de facto opposition leader...
in January 1916). He declined to be a candidate in the party's official leadership convention, held on November 6, 1919.
Although it had been in government from 1900 to 1915, the Conservative Party of Manitoba was marginalized by developments in the later half of the 1910s. Increasingly radicalized farmer and labour groups were forming political organizations of their own, and the old divisions between Grit and Tory no longer seemed as relevant. The Conservatives again fared poorly in the election of 1920
Manitoba general election, 1920
Manitoba's general election of 29 June 1920 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.-Background:...
, and Préfontaine was personally defeated by Farmer
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
candidate Maurice Duprey.
After this loss, Préfontaine detached himself from the Conservative Party. He ran as an Independent in the federal election of 1921
Canadian federal election, 1921
The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...
(losing to Progressive
Progressive Party of Canada
The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. It was linked with the provincial United Farmers parties in several provinces and, in Manitoba, ran candidates and formed governments as the Progressive Party of Manitoba...
candidate Arthur Beaubien), and subsequently left the Conservatives to join the United Farmers of Manitoba
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
. Running as an official UFM candidate, he was re-elected Carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
in 1922
Manitoba general election, 1922
Manitoba's general election of July 18, 1922 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.As in the previous election of 1920, the city of Winnipeg elected ten members by the single transferable ballot...
.
On December 3, 1923, Premier John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
appointed Préfontaine to the high-level cabinet positions of Provincial Secretary
Provincial Secretary (Manitoba)
The position of Provincial Secretary was particularly important in Manitoba from 1870 to 1874, as that province's institutions were being established. The province had no Premier during this period, and its Lieutenant-Governor acted as the de facto leaders of government...
, Provincial Lands Commissioner and Railway Commissioner. Préfontaine also became Minister of Agriculture in 1925. In the 1927 election
Manitoba general election, 1927
Manitoba's general election of 28 June 1927 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the first election in Manitoba history to elect members through a single transferable ballot in all constituencies...
, he defeated his old nemesis Thomas Molloy by a landslide.
Préfontaine stood down as Provincial Secretary
Provincial Secretary
The Provincial Secretary was a senior position in the executive councils of British North America's colonial governments, and was retained by the Canadian provincial governments for at least a century after Canadian Confederation was proclaimed in 1867...
, Provincial Lands Commissioner and Minister of Agriculture in 1928, though he retained the Railway Commissioner's position until 1932. He was re-elected in that year's general election
Manitoba general election, 1932
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1932 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the second election in Manitoba where the single transferable ballot was used in all electoral divisions...
, and continued to serve the Franco-Manitoban community as a Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
until his death in 1935.
Préfontaine's career reveals the continued importance of the francophone community to Manitoba politics, even after immigration from Ontario and Eastern Europe had significantly reduced their relative strength. His decision to join the UFM was indicative of a larger cultural change, as Franco-Manitobans became an important part of the Progressive Party of Manitoba
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
during its long period in government. The resort community of Albert Beach, Manitoba (French: "Plage Albert") was named after him.