Louis-René Beaudoin
Encyclopedia
Louis-René Beaudoin, PC
(May 5, 1912 – February 21, 1970) was Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
from 1953 to 1957.
Though trained as a lawyer, Beaudoin came from a working class
background and financed his education by working as a bus driver and labourer. He became a legal advisor to the Quebec Federation of Labour and volunteered for the Quebec Liberal Party prior to winning election to Parliament.
Beadouin was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1945 election
as a Liberal
from Quebec
. He became Deputy Speaker in 1952 and was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons on November 12, 1953.
Beaudoin's nomination was seconded by Leader of the Opposition
George Drew. His reputation as a competent Speaker grew until the Pipeline Debate
in 1956 in which the government invoked closure
repeatedly in an attempt to force legislation through the house and force a vote with a minimum of debate.
In the course of the debate, Beaudoin initially ruled that debate could occur on an appeal of a ruling by the Deputy Speaker. The next day, Beaudoin reversed his ruling and moved that the vote on the appeal proceed without debate. The Opposition was outraged and a number of Members of Parliament
(MPs) stormed the Chair, calling the Speaker a "traitor" and "coward".
The following Monday, George Drew introduced a motion of censure
against Beaudoin whom he accused of destroying the Speakership. The Liberal majority defeated the motion, but less than a month later, Mr. Drew called attention to a newspaper in which there was a letter by Beaudoin criticizing the behaviour of opposition members during the pipeline debate. Beaudoin argued it was a private letter, not intended to be published. The following day, however, he placed his resignation before the House. Prime Minister
Louis St. Laurent
was out of the country, but on returning, he persuaded Mr. Beaudoin to stay on until the end of the Parliament.
Beaudoin's reputation was destroyed. While he was re-elected to the House in the 1957 election
, he decided to retire in 1958. He moved to the United States
, enrolled in a doctoral program at Columbia University
, but failed to finish his thesis
. He spent the remainder of his life drifting from job to job even finding work serving beer in a tavern. He returned to Montreal, where he died aged 57 of a heart attack
in 1970, "virtually penniless and alone, in the back seat of a Montreal taxi."
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(May 5, 1912 – February 21, 1970) was Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
from 1953 to 1957.
Though trained as a lawyer, Beaudoin came from a working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
background and financed his education by working as a bus driver and labourer. He became a legal advisor to the Quebec Federation of Labour and volunteered for the Quebec Liberal Party prior to winning election to Parliament.
Beadouin was first elected to 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...
in the 1945 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...
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...
from 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....
. He became Deputy Speaker in 1952 and was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons on November 12, 1953.
Beaudoin's nomination was seconded by Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...
George Drew. His reputation as a competent Speaker grew until the Pipeline Debate
Pipeline Debate
The Pipeline Debate was a political event in the history of the Parliament of Canada.The debate surrounded the finances of the TransCanada pipeline, proper parliamentary procedure, and American economic influence on Canada. The controversy eventually contributed to the defeat of Louis St...
in 1956 in which the government invoked closure
Cloture
In parliamentary procedure, cloture is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. It is also called closure or, informally, a guillotine. The cloture procedure originated in the French National Assembly, from which the name is taken. Clôture is French for "ending" or "conclusion"...
repeatedly in an attempt to force legislation through the house and force a vote with a minimum of debate.
In the course of the debate, Beaudoin initially ruled that debate could occur on an appeal of a ruling by the Deputy Speaker. The next day, Beaudoin reversed his ruling and moved that the vote on the appeal proceed without debate. The Opposition was outraged and a number of Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs) stormed the Chair, calling the Speaker a "traitor" and "coward".
The following Monday, George Drew introduced a motion of censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
against Beaudoin whom he accused of destroying the Speakership. The Liberal majority defeated the motion, but less than a month later, Mr. Drew called attention to a newspaper in which there was a letter by Beaudoin criticizing the behaviour of opposition members during the pipeline debate. Beaudoin argued it was a private letter, not intended to be published. The following day, however, he placed his resignation before the House. Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Louis St. Laurent
Louis St. Laurent
Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....
was out of the country, but on returning, he persuaded Mr. Beaudoin to stay on until the end of the Parliament.
Beaudoin's reputation was destroyed. While he was re-elected to the House in the 1957 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 decided to retire in 1958. He moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, enrolled in a doctoral program at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, but failed to finish his thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. He spent the remainder of his life drifting from job to job even finding work serving beer in a tavern. He returned to Montreal, where he died aged 57 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1970, "virtually penniless and alone, in the back seat of a Montreal taxi."
External links
- Maloney, Mark. "A tragic, shocking fall from grace", Toronto Star, February 27, 2007.