Victor Quelch
Encyclopedia
Captain Victor Quelch was a farmer, a soldier in the Canadian Army, and was also a long serving Canadian federal politician.
in World War I
from 1914 to 1918, during his distinguished military career he achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the prestigious Military Cross
for bravery.
as a candidate from the Social Credit Party of Canada
in the Acadia
district in Alberta
. In that election he defeated incumbent Robert Gardiner
and two other candidates in a landslide victory. Quelch stood for re-election for a second term in office in the 1940 Canadian federal election
. He just barely retained his seat winning by a plurality of 27 votes, one of the closest contests in that election defeating Liberal
candidate Arthur Day
, whom he had previously faced in 1935.
Quelch was re-elected to his 3rd term in the 1945 Canadian federal election
by a much more comfortable margin, and was re-elected to a 4th term in the 1949 Canadian federal election
. In 1950 Quelch was appointed by Liberal Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent
to serve as one of six members from all parties as a Parliamentary adviser to the Canadian staff to the United Nations Assembly.
He was re-elected to his 5th term in office in the 1953 Canadian federal election
. In that election he once again faced and defeated Liberal candidate Arthur Day for the 3rd time in another close election. Quelch would run for his final term in office in the 1957 Canadian federal election
he won in a landslide and retired from federal politics a year later when the government dissolved in 1958. Over his 23 years of service in the Canadian House of Commons
he served as critic for finance, agriculture and fisheries.
Quelch died in September 1975, but an oversight occurred and no tribute was paid to him as was custom with deceased former members from the Canadian House of Commons. Twenty-four years later, Member of Parliament David Chatters
paid tribute to the memory of Victor Quelch during the Statements by Members period on December 15, 1999. Victor Quelch's great-granddaughter was working for Mr. Chatters at the time and she wrote the tribute read by Mr. Chatters.
Military service
Quelch served in the Canadian Expeditionary ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
from 1914 to 1918, during his distinguished military career he achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the prestigious Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for bravery.
Political career
Quelch first ran for public office in the 1935 Canadian federal electionCanadian 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...
as a candidate from the Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
in the Acadia
Acadia (electoral district)
Acadia was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1968.-History:Acadia was created in 1924 from Battle River and Bow River ridings...
district in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. In that election he defeated incumbent Robert Gardiner
Robert Gardiner (Canadian politician)
Robert Gardiner was a farmer and federal Member of Parliament from Canada.Gardiner first ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons for the Progressive Party of Canada in a by-election on June 27, 1921...
and two other candidates in a landslide victory. Quelch stood for re-election for a second term in office 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...
. He just barely retained his seat winning by a plurality of 27 votes, one of the closest contests in that election defeating 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 Arthur Day
Arthur Day
Arthur Percival Day, born 10 April 1885, at Blackheath, Kent, and died 22 January 1969, at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, was a cricketer who played for Kent during the period of the county's greatest success in the County Championship.-Career:...
, whom he had previously faced in 1935.
Quelch was re-elected to his 3rd term 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...
by a much more comfortable margin, and was re-elected to a 4th term 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...
. In 1950 Quelch was appointed by Liberal Prime Minister 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....
to serve as one of six members from all parties as a Parliamentary adviser to the Canadian staff to the United Nations Assembly.
He was re-elected to his 5th term in office in 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...
. In that election he once again faced and defeated Liberal candidate Arthur Day for the 3rd time in another close election. Quelch would run for his final term in office 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 won in a landslide and retired from federal politics a year later when the government dissolved in 1958. Over his 23 years of service in 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...
he served as critic for finance, agriculture and fisheries.
Quelch died in September 1975, but an oversight occurred and no tribute was paid to him as was custom with deceased former members from the Canadian House of Commons. Twenty-four years later, Member of Parliament David Chatters
David Chatters
David Cameron Chatters is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 2006 representing the riding of Athabasca until the 2004 election when he switched to the riding of Westlock—St...
paid tribute to the memory of Victor Quelch during the Statements by Members period on December 15, 1999. Victor Quelch's great-granddaughter was working for Mr. Chatters at the time and she wrote the tribute read by Mr. Chatters.