André Rousseau
Encyclopedia
André Rousseau, was an entrepreneur and politician in Quebec. He was the first to occupy the position of Minister of Industry and Commerce from July 5, 1960 to December 5, 1962 under the first Government of Jean Lesage
. In 1950, Mr. Rousseau also founded Rousseau Metal inc.
, a Quebec company that is specialized in the manufacturing of storage systems.
Quebec
, on the South Shore (Montreal)
. He was the seventh child in a family of 14 (12 boys and 2 girls). He studied at the Soeurs de la Providence and at the Notre-Dame-du-Saint-Rosaire school in Montreal
, the Sacre-Cœur college in Montmagny
and the Seminaire de Québec. His first wife was Cécile Collin, deceased in 1957, with whom he had 6 daughters and one adopted son. In 1959, he married Simone Ouellet who already had 4 children. Mr. Rousseau was known as a very friendly, generous and family oriented man.
At the young age of 16, André Rousseau began work in one of his father’s companies. His father, Lacasse, has been recognized as a pioneer in the development of electricity in the Montmagny—L'Islet
region. From 1935 to 1940, André Rousseau worked at Dufresne Engineering and was in charge of overseeing the electrification project during the construction of the Wellington tunnel that passed under the Lachine Canal
and the Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge
in Montreal. From 1940 to 1950, he was Vice President
of Electrical Manufacturing Limited in Montmagny, a company also founded by his father, (which later became Montel).
In 1950, after relocating to Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, André Rousseau rounded Rousseau Metal inc., and later Moto-Kometik in the 1970s. He was President of Rousseau Metal inc., until his retirement in 1985 and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Mr. Simon-Pierre Paré. From 1950 to 1960 Mr. Rousseau also was a Director
of Paul Dumont Ltd. in Saint-Romuald, Quebec
and of Artistic Decalcomania in Montreal. Mr. Rousseau was a great defender of private enterprise and assisted in the financial rescue of many enterprises in Quebec headed for Bankruptcy
, including Moto-Kometik which was consolidated with Rousseau Metal Inc.
and held the position as Secretary of the Quebec Liberal Party in 1956 and as President in 1957 and 1958. He was consulted by Lapalme in the weeks preceding the Liberal convention of May 1958. In June 1960 at the National Assembly of Quebec
, he was elected to serve as a Member of Parliament for the Quebec Liberal Party in the county of Montmagny-L'Islet. In July, he was named Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Jean Lesage. During his mandate
as Minister, he accomplished many projects. Among these were the creation of an Economic Research Office and a Statistics Office; the funding
for creating the Centre de l’organisation scientifique de l’entreprise (Cose); the creation of the Loi des fonds industriels municipaux; the division of Quebec into regions (see List of regions of Quebec) and the installation of delegates of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce into each of these regions; and finally, the creation of Economic Boards, now known as the Conseil regional de développement (CRD’s). On an international
level, he succeeded in giving weight to economic teams of the first delegations outside of Quebec in New York, London and Paris.
Although Mr. Rousseau was personally opposed to the nationalization of private electricity companies, he remained faithful to the government, and sought a second mandate at the Quebec general election, 1962
. Although defeated on election night, by Fernand Lizotte of the Union Nationale (Quebec), Mr. Rousseau remained very active in the political arena. From 1963 to 1968, he was the Representative of the Quebec Government on the Board of Directors
and as an executive for Expo 67
in Montreal. In 1970, he became the first president of the Bouchard Foundation and from 1972 to 1980, the President of the Societe du Parc Industriel du centre-du-Quebec de Becancour, Quebec
. He reentered politics during the Quebec general election, 1976
as a candidate for the Union Nationale in Montmagny-L’Islet but was defeated by the liberal Julien Giasson.
He was also president of the Commission industrielle et touristique de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, and from 1990 to 1993, president of the fund-raising campaign for the l’Institut Québécois de recherche sur la culture, enabling the publication of the impressive “Histoire de la Cote-du-Sud”, an essential work for anyone interested in the history of Montmagny and surrounding areas. It should also be noted that he was a member of many other different organizations such as: The Association professionnelle des industriels, the Centre des dirigeants d'entreprise, the Association des manufacturiers Canadiens, the Club de la garnison, Knights of Columbus
, the Richelieu Club, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli and the Association des Amis de Saint-Benoit-du-Lac.
Jean Lesage
Jean Lesage, PC, CC, CD was a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 19th Premier of Quebec from 22 June 1960, to 16 August 1966...
. In 1950, Mr. Rousseau also founded Rousseau Metal inc.
Rousseau Metal inc.
Rousseau Metal Inc. is a company operating in metal stamping and sheet metal transformation. It was founded in 1950 by André Rousseau in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec, situated on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Canada. Mr. Rousseau was President of Rousseau Metal inc., until his...
, a Quebec company that is specialized in the manufacturing of storage systems.
Biography
The son of Lacasse Rousseau and Gabrielle Fafard, André Rousseau was born on January 12, 1911 in Saint-LambertSaint-Lambert
-People:Saint-Lambert may refer to:*Saint Lambert of Maastricht - Bishop in the 7th century and Christian saint*Jean François de Saint-Lambert - a French poet-Canada:*Saint-Lambert, Quebec*Saint-Lambert...
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....
, on the South Shore (Montreal)
South Shore (Montreal)
The South Shore is the general term for the suburbs of Montreal, Quebec located on the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River opposite the Island of Montreal. The South Shore is located within the Quebec administrative region of Montérégie....
. He was the seventh child in a family of 14 (12 boys and 2 girls). He studied at the Soeurs de la Providence and at the Notre-Dame-du-Saint-Rosaire school in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, the Sacre-Cœur college in Montmagny
Montmagny
Montmagny may refer to:* Montmagny, Quebec, Canada* Montmagny Regional County Municipality, Quebec* Montmagny now part of Montmagny-L'Islet* Montmagny, Val-d'Oise, a commune in France* Montmagny, Switzerland, a commune...
and the Seminaire de Québec. His first wife was Cécile Collin, deceased in 1957, with whom he had 6 daughters and one adopted son. In 1959, he married Simone Ouellet who already had 4 children. Mr. Rousseau was known as a very friendly, generous and family oriented man.
At the young age of 16, André Rousseau began work in one of his father’s companies. His father, Lacasse, has been recognized as a pioneer in the development of electricity in the Montmagny—L'Islet
Montmagny—L'Islet
Montmagny—L'Islet was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1968.This riding was created in 1933 from L'Islet and Montmagny ridings.It initially consisted of:...
region. From 1935 to 1940, André Rousseau worked at Dufresne Engineering and was in charge of overseeing the electrification project during the construction of the Wellington tunnel that passed under the Lachine Canal
Lachine Canal
The Lachine Canal is a canal passing through the southwestern part of the Island of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, running 14.5 kilometres from the Old Port of Montreal to Lake Saint-Louis, through the boroughs of Lachine, Lasalle and Sud-Ouest.The canal gets its name from the French word for China...
and the Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge
Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge
The Le Gardeur Bridge is a beam bridge that connects the east end of the island of Montreal to Charlemagne, Quebec....
in Montreal. From 1940 to 1950, he was Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of Electrical Manufacturing Limited in Montmagny, a company also founded by his father, (which later became Montel).
In 1950, after relocating to Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, André Rousseau rounded Rousseau Metal inc., and later Moto-Kometik in the 1970s. He was President of Rousseau Metal inc., until his retirement in 1985 and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Mr. Simon-Pierre Paré. From 1950 to 1960 Mr. Rousseau also was a Director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Paul Dumont Ltd. in Saint-Romuald, Quebec
Saint-Romuald, Quebec
Saint-Romuald is a district of Lévis, Quebec, Canada, located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from Quebec City. The district was formerly a town , but was amalgamated with Lévis on January 1, 2002....
and of Artistic Decalcomania in Montreal. Mr. Rousseau was a great defender of private enterprise and assisted in the financial rescue of many enterprises in Quebec headed for Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, including Moto-Kometik which was consolidated with Rousseau Metal Inc.
Political and Public Activities
Mr. Rousseau was a faithful friend to Georges-Émile LapalmeGeorges-Émile Lapalme
Georges-Émile Lapalme was a politician in Quebec, Canada, member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.-Background:...
and held the position as Secretary of the Quebec Liberal Party in 1956 and as President in 1957 and 1958. He was consulted by Lapalme in the weeks preceding the Liberal convention of May 1958. In June 1960 at the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
, he was elected to serve as a Member of Parliament for the Quebec Liberal Party in the county of Montmagny-L'Islet. In July, he was named Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Jean Lesage. During his mandate
Mandate (politics)
In politics, a mandate is the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative.The concept of a government having a legitimate mandate to govern via the fair winning of a democratic election is a central idea of democracy...
as Minister, he accomplished many projects. Among these were the creation of an Economic Research Office and a Statistics Office; the funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
for creating the Centre de l’organisation scientifique de l’entreprise (Cose); the creation of the Loi des fonds industriels municipaux; the division of Quebec into regions (see List of regions of Quebec) and the installation of delegates of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce into each of these regions; and finally, the creation of Economic Boards, now known as the Conseil regional de développement (CRD’s). On an international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
level, he succeeded in giving weight to economic teams of the first delegations outside of Quebec in New York, London and Paris.
Although Mr. Rousseau was personally opposed to the nationalization of private electricity companies, he remained faithful to the government, and sought a second mandate at the Quebec general election, 1962
Quebec general election, 1962
The Quebec general election of 1962 was held on November 14, 1962, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage, won re-election, defeating the Union Nationale led by Daniel Johnson, Sr..In an unusual move,...
. Although defeated on election night, by Fernand Lizotte of the Union Nationale (Quebec), Mr. Rousseau remained very active in the political arena. From 1963 to 1968, he was the Representative of the Quebec Government on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
and as an executive for Expo 67
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
in Montreal. In 1970, he became the first president of the Bouchard Foundation and from 1972 to 1980, the President of the Societe du Parc Industriel du centre-du-Quebec de Becancour, Quebec
Bécancour, Quebec
Bécancour is a town in the Centre-du-Québec region of Québec, Canada; it is the seat of the Bécancour Regional County Municipality. It is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River at the confluence of the Bécancour River, opposite Trois-Rivières.Wôlinak, an Abenaki Indian reserve, is...
. He reentered politics during the Quebec general election, 1976
Quebec general election, 1976
The Quebec general election of 1976 was held on November 15, 1976 to elect members to National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled only by the 1960 general election, and caused major repercussions in the rest of Canada...
as a candidate for the Union Nationale in Montmagny-L’Islet but was defeated by the liberal Julien Giasson.
He was also president of the Commission industrielle et touristique de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, and from 1990 to 1993, president of the fund-raising campaign for the l’Institut Québécois de recherche sur la culture, enabling the publication of the impressive “Histoire de la Cote-du-Sud”, an essential work for anyone interested in the history of Montmagny and surrounding areas. It should also be noted that he was a member of many other different organizations such as: The Association professionnelle des industriels, the Centre des dirigeants d'entreprise, the Association des manufacturiers Canadiens, the Club de la garnison, Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
, the Richelieu Club, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli and the Association des Amis de Saint-Benoit-du-Lac.