Lucien Lamoureux
Encyclopedia
Lucien Lamoureux, PC
, OC
(August 3, 1920 – July 16, 1998) was a Canadian
politician and Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
from 1966 to 1974. He is the second longest-serving occupant of that office.
After graduating with a law degree from Osgoode Hall
in 1945, Lamoureux worked as a political aide to Lionel Chevrier
, a Canadian Cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King
. In 1954, he left Chevrier's office to establish a law practice in Cornwall, Ontario
.
Lamoureux was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1962 election
as a Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP). In 1963, he became Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and decided to stop attending meetings of the Liberal caucus
in order to maintain impartiality. Following the 1965 election
, Prime Minister Lester Pearson nominated him to the position of Speaker of the House of Commons.
Lamoureux served as speaker during two minority government
s, 1965-1968 and 1972-1974, experiences that required him to maintain authority and neutrality in a situation where no party had control of the House.
In the 1968 election
, he decided to follow the custom of the Speaker of the British House of Commons
and stand for election as an Independent. Both the Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party
agreed not to run candidates against him. The New Democratic Party
, however, declined to withdraw their candidate. Lamoureux was re-elected and continued to serve as Speaker.
In the 1972 election
, Lamoureux again ran as an Independent, this time both the Tories and the NDP ran candidates against him. Lamoureux won re-election by a margin of 5,000 votes. Without all party agreement to not run against sitting Speakers in general elections, however, Lamoureux's wish for Canada to follow the British precedent was doomed, and future Speakers would not repeat his attempt to run as an Independent. As the election produced a minority government for the Liberals who had only two more seats than the Conservatives, the closeness of it was perhaps the reason why the opposition parties would choose not to follow such a precedent.
In April 1974, Lamoureux became the longest serving Speaker in the history of the Canadian House of Commons, surpassing the record set by Rodolphe Lemieux
. In September 1974, Lamoureux announced that he would not run in the 1974 election
, and retired from Parliament. He was appointed Canadian Ambassador to Belgium
following the election. Lamoureux died in 1998.
In 1998, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
.
On October 12, 2009, Peter Milliken
surpassed Lamoureux's record to become the longest-serving occupant of the Speaker's Chair.
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,...
, OC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(August 3, 1920 – July 16, 1998) 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 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 1966 to 1974. He is the second longest-serving occupant of that office.
After graduating with a law degree from Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
in 1945, Lamoureux worked as a political aide to Lionel Chevrier
Lionel Chevrier
Lionel Chevier, was a Canadian Member of Parliament and cabinet minister.Born in Cornwall, Ontario, the son of former Cornwall mayor Joseph E. Chevrier, he was educated in Cornwall, at the University of Ottawa, the University of Montreal and Osgoode Hall. Chevrier was called to the bar in 1928...
, a Canadian Cabinet minister in the government of 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...
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
. In 1954, he left Chevrier's office to establish a law practice in Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
.
Lamoureux 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 1962 election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th 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...
Member 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,...
(MP). In 1963, he became Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and decided to stop attending meetings of the Liberal caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
in order to maintain impartiality. Following the 1965 election
Canadian federal election, 1965
The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the House...
, Prime Minister Lester Pearson nominated him to the position of Speaker of the House of Commons.
Lamoureux served as speaker during two minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
s, 1965-1968 and 1972-1974, experiences that required him to maintain authority and neutrality in a situation where no party had control of the House.
In the 1968 election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
, he decided to follow the custom of the Speaker of the British House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
and stand for election as an Independent. Both the Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
agreed not to run candidates against him. The New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
, however, declined to withdraw their candidate. Lamoureux was re-elected and continued to serve as Speaker.
In the 1972 election
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
, Lamoureux again ran as an Independent, this time both the Tories and the NDP ran candidates against him. Lamoureux won re-election by a margin of 5,000 votes. Without all party agreement to not run against sitting Speakers in general elections, however, Lamoureux's wish for Canada to follow the British precedent was doomed, and future Speakers would not repeat his attempt to run as an Independent. As the election produced a minority government for the Liberals who had only two more seats than the Conservatives, the closeness of it was perhaps the reason why the opposition parties would choose not to follow such a precedent.
In April 1974, Lamoureux became the longest serving Speaker in the history of the Canadian House of Commons, surpassing the record set by Rodolphe Lemieux
Rodolphe Lemieux
Rodolphe Lemieux, PC, FRSC was a Canadian parliamentarian and long time Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons ....
. In September 1974, Lamoureux announced that he would not run in the 1974 election
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
, and retired from Parliament. He was appointed Canadian Ambassador to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
following the election. Lamoureux died in 1998.
In 1998, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
On October 12, 2009, Peter Milliken
Peter Milliken
Peter Andrew Stewart Milliken, UE is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until his retirement in 2011 and served as Speaker of the House for 10 years beginning in 2001. Milliken represented the Ontario riding of Kingston and the Islands as a...
surpassed Lamoureux's record to become the longest-serving occupant of the Speaker's Chair.