Noël Dorion
Encyclopedia
Noël Dorion, PC
(July 24, 1904 - March 9, 1980) was a law professor, lawyer and Canadian
politician.
Dorion was called to the bar in 1927, and was the founding president of the Jeune Barreau de Québec in 1934. He was the crown attorney
who prosecuted Wilbert Coffin
in 1954. The Coffin Affair
, as it became known, was a contributing factor in the decision to abolish the death penalty in Canada as it became a widespread belief that Coffin was wrongly convicted and executed.
Dorion entered politics in the 1945 federal election
, running as an Independent
in Quebec East
, but was unsuccessful. Dorion finished in second place behind Louis St. Laurent
, and was the unofficial Conservative standard-bearer as the riding had no official Tory candidate. He ran as an independent along with his brother Frédéric Dorion
, an incumbent MP, due to his opposition to conscription
in the Conscription Crisis of 1944
.
In the 1958 election
he was elected as the Progressive Conservative
(PC) Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bellechasse
riding as part of PC leader John Diefenbaker
's landslide victory.
Dorion was appointed to the Canadian Cabinet in 1960 as Secretary of State for Canada
, and was reassigned to the position of President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
in 1961. He held this position until his defeat in the 1962 federal election
. Dorion returned to his law practice, and remained an active lawyer until his death.
His brothers Frédéric Dorion
and Charles Napoléon Dorion were also MPs at various times.
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,...
(July 24, 1904 - March 9, 1980) was a law professor, lawyer and 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.
Dorion was called to the bar in 1927, and was the founding president of the Jeune Barreau de Québec in 1934. He was the crown attorney
Crown attorney
Crown Attorneys or Crown Counsel are the prosecutors in the legal system of Canada.Crown Attorneys represent the Crown and act as prosecutor in proceedings under the Criminal Code of Canada...
who prosecuted Wilbert Coffin
Wilbert Coffin
Wilbert Coffin was a Canadian prospector who was convicted of murder and executed in Canada. Montreal journalist, editor, author and politician Jacques Hebert raised doubt in Coffin's guilt in J'accuse les assassins de Coffin, published in 1963. The book led to a royal commission which upheld the...
in 1954. The Coffin Affair
Coffin affair
The Coffin affair was an event in Canadian history in which a man named Wilbert Coffin was hanged for the murder of three men. The affair started in June 1953 in Gaspésie when three men from Pennsylvania were reported missing...
, as it became known, was a contributing factor in the decision to abolish the death penalty in Canada as it became a widespread belief that Coffin was wrongly convicted and executed.
Dorion entered politics in the 1945 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...
, running as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
in Quebec East
Quebec East
Quebec East was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 2004....
, but was unsuccessful. Dorion finished in second place behind 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....
, and was the unofficial Conservative standard-bearer as the riding had no official Tory candidate. He ran as an independent along with his brother Frédéric Dorion
Frédéric Dorion
Frédéric Dorion was a Quebec politician and chief justice. He led a group of Independent MPs in the Canadian House of Commons who were opposed to the implementation of conscription during World War II....
, an incumbent MP, due to his opposition to conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
in the Conscription Crisis of 1944
Conscription Crisis of 1944
The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging....
.
In the 1958 election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
he was elected as the Progressive Conservative
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....
(PC) 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) for Bellechasse
Bellechasse (electoral district)
Bellechasse was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 until the 1997 election, when it became Bellechasse—Etchemins—Montmagny—L'Islet. After redistribution prior to the 2004 election, that riding became...
riding as part of PC leader John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
's landslide victory.
Dorion was appointed to the Canadian Cabinet in 1960 as Secretary of State for Canada
Secretary of State for Canada
The position of Secretary of State for Canada was a Canadian Cabinet position with a corresponding department. It was established in 1867 as the official channel of communication between the Dominion of Canada and the Imperial government in London...
, and was reassigned to the position of President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
In the Canadian cabinet, the President of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada is nominally in charge of the Privy Council Office. The President of the Privy Council also has the largely ceremonial duty of presiding over meetings of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, a body which only convenes...
in 1961. He held this position until his defeat in the 1962 federal 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...
. Dorion returned to his law practice, and remained an active lawyer until his death.
His brothers Frédéric Dorion
Frédéric Dorion
Frédéric Dorion was a Quebec politician and chief justice. He led a group of Independent MPs in the Canadian House of Commons who were opposed to the implementation of conscription during World War II....
and Charles Napoléon Dorion were also MPs at various times.