Onésime Gagnon
Encyclopedia
Onésime Gagnon, PC
(1888–1961) was a Canadian
politician and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Québec
.
on October 23, 1888 and was the son of Onésime Gagnon and Julie Morin. He was a Rhodes scholar and was called to the Quebec Bar
in 1912. From 1942 to 1958, he was a Professor in the Faculty of Law at Université Laval
.
, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
for the riding of Dorchester
. A Conservative
, he was re-elected in 1935
. In 1935, he was a Minister without Portfolio in the cabinet of R. B. Bennett
.
with 28% of the delegates.
In 1936
, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
and became the Union Nationale
Member for the riding of Matane
. He was appointed Minister in the Cabinet
of Maurice Duplessis
, serving as Minister of Fisheries from 1936 to 1939 and as Treasurer from 1944 to 1958.
He was re-elected in 1939
, 1944
, 1948
, 1952
, and 1956
.
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,...
(1888–1961) was a Canadian
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...
politician and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Québec
Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec : Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec, or : Lieutenant-gouverneure du Québec) is the viceregal representative in Quebec of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions...
.
Background
He was born in Saint-Léon-de-Standon, QuebecSaint-Léon-de-Standon, Quebec
Saint-Léon-de-Standon is a village of 1,200 people in the Bellechasse Regional County Municipality, part of the Chaudière-Appalaches administrative region. The Etchemin River goes through the municipality.-See also:*St. Leon...
on October 23, 1888 and was the son of Onésime Gagnon and Julie Morin. He was a Rhodes scholar and was called to the Quebec Bar
Barreau du Quebec
The Bar of Quebec is the provincial law society for lawyers in Quebec, Canada...
in 1912. From 1942 to 1958, he was a Professor in the Faculty of Law at Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
.
Member of Parliament
In 1930Canadian federal election, 1930
The Canadian federal election of 1930 was held on July 28, 1930 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Canada...
, he was 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...
for the riding of Dorchester
Dorchester (electoral district)
Dorchester was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867 which preserved the existing electoral districts in Lower Canada at the time...
. A Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
, he was re-elected in 1935
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
. In 1935, he was a Minister without Portfolio in the cabinet of R. B. Bennett
R. B. Bennett
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC, KC was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930, to October 23, 1935, during the worst of the Great Depression years...
.
Provincial Politics
Gagnon was a leadership candidate at the Conservative Party of Quebec convention, held in Sherbrooke on October 4 and 5, 1933. He was defeated by Maurice DuplessisMaurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
with 28% of the delegates.
In 1936
Quebec general election, 1936
The Quebec general election of 1936 was held on August 17, 1936 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout.This marked the end of slightly more...
, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
and became the Union Nationale
Union Nationale (Canada)
The Union nationale was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that identified with conservative Québécois autonomist nationalism. It was created during the Great Depression and held power in Quebec from 1936 to 1939, and from 1944 to 1960 under the leadership of Premier Maurice Duplessis, and...
Member for the riding of Matane
Matane (provincial electoral district)
Matane is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that which elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was created in 1890 from parts of Rimouski. -Geography:...
. He was appointed Minister in the Cabinet
Executive Council of Quebec
The Executive Council of Quebec is the cabinet of the government of Quebec, Canada....
of Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
, serving as Minister of Fisheries from 1936 to 1939 and as Treasurer from 1944 to 1958.
He was re-elected in 1939
Quebec general election, 1939
The Quebec general election of 1939 was held on October 25, 1939 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
, 1944
Quebec general election, 1944
The Quebec general election of 1944 was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale, led by former premier Maurice Duplessis, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout...
, 1948
Quebec general election, 1948
The Quebec general election of 1948 was held on July 28, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout.This was the third time ...
, 1952
Quebec general election, 1952
The Quebec general election of 1952 was held on July 16, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.This was the...
, and 1956
Quebec general election, 1956
The Quebec general election of 1956 was held on June 20, 1956 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.This was the fifth and final...
.