Joseph Miville Dechene
Encyclopedia
Joseph Miville Dechêne was Canadian farmer and politician who served in all three levels of government during his career. He served as a councilor of the town of Bonnyville
from 1928 to 1934. He also served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1921 to 1926 and again from 1930 to 1935 sitting with the Liberals in opposition. He later sat as a member of the Canadian House of Commons
sitting with the Liberal caucus from 1940 to 1958.
, Quebec
.
Dechene began his political career as a Councilor in the small town of Bonnyville, Alberta
. He served that position from 1928 to 1934.
. He ran as a candidate of the Liberal
party, winning the Beaver River
electoral district by a comfortable margin to hold it for the Liberals.
Dechene would stand for re-election in the 1926 Alberta general election
but loose almost half of his popular vote from the previous election and suffer defeat to United Farmers
candidate John Delisle
.
Dechene would not be deterred by defeat and ran for a seat in the 1930 Alberta general election
. This time he would run in the neighboring St. Paul
electoral district. He would defeat incumbent Laudas Joly
to win his second term in provincial office by just 18 votes.
Dechene ran for his third term in the 1935 Alberta general election
. He faced Joly once again as well as Social Credit
candidate Joseph Beaudry. The race was hotly contested with Beaudry defeating Dechene in the second count.
in the 1940 Canadian federal election
as a Liberal
candidate in the electoral district of Athabaska
. He faced a hotly contested race against two incumbents. Dechene won the election by 1,100 votes over Hayhurst who transferred from the Vegreville
electoral district while Rowe finished a distant third place.
Dechene ran for his second term in office in the 1945 Canadian federal election
. The election was a closely contested five way race. Dechene hung onto his seat with 35% of the popular vote.
Dechene ran for his third term in office in the 1949 Canadian federal election
. He faced four other candidates including former Member of Parliament Orvis Kennedy
. He would win the race increasing his plurality by taking 45% of the popular vote.
The 1953 Canadian federal election
saw Dechene run for his fourth term in office. He won the four way race with his largest plurality of his federal career taking almost 50% of the popular vote.
Dechene ran for his fifth and final term in the 1957 Canadian federal election
. He barely held his seat almost losing to Social Credit candidate Archie McPhail. Dechene retired from federal politics at dissolution of the Commons a year later in 1958.
Bonnyville, Alberta
Bonnyville, Alberta is a town situated in east-central Alberta between the City of Cold Lake and the Town of St. Paul. It is the seat of the Municipal District of Bonnyville No...
from 1928 to 1934. He also served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1921 to 1926 and again from 1930 to 1935 sitting with the Liberals in opposition. He later sat as a member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
sitting with the Liberal caucus from 1940 to 1958.
Early life
Joseph Miville Dechene was born on October 22, 1879 in ChambordChambord, Quebec
Chambord is a municipality in Quebec in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region and regional county municipality of Le Domaine-du-Roy. The Chambord meteorite was found near here in 1904....
, 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....
.
Dechene began his political career as a Councilor in the small town of Bonnyville, Alberta
Bonnyville, Alberta
Bonnyville, Alberta is a town situated in east-central Alberta between the City of Cold Lake and the Town of St. Paul. It is the seat of the Municipal District of Bonnyville No...
. He served that position from 1928 to 1934.
Provincial politics
Dechene ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1921 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
. He ran as a candidate of the Liberal
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
party, winning the Beaver River
Beaver River (provincial electoral district)
-1944 general election:- External links :*...
electoral district by a comfortable margin to hold it for the Liberals.
Dechene would stand for re-election in the 1926 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1926
The Alberta general election of 1926 was the sixth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 28, 1926 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The writs of election were issued on May 10, 1926 allowing for an election period of 40 days.After Herbert...
but loose almost half of his popular vote from the previous election and suffer defeat to United Farmers
United Farmers of Alberta
The United Farmers of Alberta is an association of Alberta farmers that has served many different roles throughout its history as a lobby group, a political party, and as a farm-supply retail chain. Since 1934 it has primarily been an agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary...
candidate John Delisle
John Delisle
John Amos Delisle is a former provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1926 to 1930 sitting with the United Farmers caucus in government.-Political career:...
.
Dechene would not be deterred by defeat and ran for a seat in the 1930 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1930
The Alberta general election of 1930 was the seventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1930 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. This time he would run in the neighboring St. Paul
St. Paul (provincial electoral district)
St. Paul was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
electoral district. He would defeat incumbent Laudas Joly
Laudas Joly
Laudas Joly was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta twice...
to win his second term in provincial office by just 18 votes.
Dechene ran for his third term in the 1935 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He faced Joly once again as well as Social Credit
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
candidate Joseph Beaudry. The race was hotly contested with Beaudry defeating Dechene in the second count.
Federal politics
Dechene ran for a seat to the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1940 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1940
The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
candidate in the electoral district of Athabaska
Athabaska (electoral district)
Athabaska was a federal electoral district Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1968.This riding was created as "Athabaska" in 1924 from parts of Battle River, Edmonton East and Edmonton West ridings...
. He faced a hotly contested race against two incumbents. Dechene won the election by 1,100 votes over Hayhurst who transferred from the Vegreville
Vegreville (electoral district)
Vegreville was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1997.This riding was created in 1924 from parts of Strathcona and Victoria ridings....
electoral district while Rowe finished a distant third place.
Dechene ran for his second term in office in the 1945 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
. The election was a closely contested five way race. Dechene hung onto his seat with 35% of the popular vote.
Dechene ran for his third term in office in the 1949 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
. He faced four other candidates including former Member of Parliament Orvis Kennedy
Orvis A. Kennedy
Orvis A. Kennedy was an executive, manager, organizer, salesman and a Canadian federal politician....
. He would win the race increasing his plurality by taking 45% of the popular vote.
The 1953 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
saw Dechene run for his fourth term in office. He won the four way race with his largest plurality of his federal career taking almost 50% of the popular vote.
Dechene ran for his fifth and final term in the 1957 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
. He barely held his seat almost losing to Social Credit candidate Archie McPhail. Dechene retired from federal politics at dissolution of the Commons a year later in 1958.