Claude Wagner
Encyclopedia
Claude Wagner, PC
, QC
(April 4, 1925 - July 11, 1979) was a judge
and politician
in the Province of Quebec
, Canada
. In his career, Wagner was a Crown
prosecutor
, professor
of criminal law
and judge
. He earned a "law and order
" reputation when he served successively as Solicitor General
, Attorney General
, and Minister of Justice
from its creation in 1965 to 1966 in the government of Quebec Premier
Jean Lesage
.
After losing the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race to Robert Bourassa
in 1970, Wagner left politics to return to the bench. He then entered federal politics, and was elected as the Progressive Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Saint-Hyacinthe in the 1972 federal election
. He was re-elected in the 1974 election
, and stood as a candidate at the Progressive Conservative leadership convention of 1976
. Wagner attracted support amongst Tories who believed that having a leader from Quebec would enable the party to break the federal Liberal Party's
stranglehold on the province, and from right-wing Tories attracted by his law and order reputation. The man who had helped to persuade Wagner to join the Progressive Conservatives, Brian Mulroney
, turned against him so much that he opposed him for the party's leadership in 1976. He had three reasons to do so, according to a biographer, John Sawatsky: first, Wagner had lied that he had not received any kind of financial compensation for his decision to join the party (in fact, a trust fund had been established to protect him financially in case he lost the 1972 federal election); second, Wagner had failed to help the Progressive Conservatives to win considerably more votes in Québec; and third, Wagner's personality was much stiffer, more formal and less social than Mulroney's. Wagner led on the first three ballots, but lost to Joe Clark
by 65 votes out of 2,309 on the fourth ballot.
In 1978, he was elevated to the Canadian Senate
by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
and sat as a Progressive Conservative. One reason for his departure from the House of Commons was that he could not get well along with Joe Clark. He died of cancer the next year at the age of 54.
and Romanian background.
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,...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(April 4, 1925 - July 11, 1979) was a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the Province of 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....
, Canada
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...
. In his career, Wagner was a Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
, professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. He earned a "law and order
Law and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
" reputation when he served successively as Solicitor General
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
, Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, and Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Quebec)
The Minister of Justice is responsible for the administration of courts and prosecutors in Quebec, Canada. The Minister is automatically the Attorney General, and Registrar of Quebec....
from its creation in 1965 to 1966 in the government of Quebec Premier
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
Jean Lesage
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...
.
After losing the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race to Robert Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
in 1970, Wagner left politics to return to the bench. He then entered federal politics, and 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....
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,...
for Saint-Hyacinthe in the 1972 federal 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...
. He was re-elected 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 stood as a candidate at the Progressive Conservative leadership convention of 1976
Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 1976
The 1976 leadership election of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was held in Ottawa on February 22, 1976, to elect a leader to replace Robert Stanfield, who had resigned after losing the 1968, 1972, and 1974 elections. It unexpectedly elected a 36-year-old, little-known PC Member of...
. Wagner attracted support amongst Tories who believed that having a leader from Quebec would enable the party to break the federal Liberal Party's
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...
stranglehold on the province, and from right-wing Tories attracted by his law and order reputation. The man who had helped to persuade Wagner to join the Progressive Conservatives, Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, turned against him so much that he opposed him for the party's leadership in 1976. He had three reasons to do so, according to a biographer, John Sawatsky: first, Wagner had lied that he had not received any kind of financial compensation for his decision to join the party (in fact, a trust fund had been established to protect him financially in case he lost the 1972 federal election); second, Wagner had failed to help the Progressive Conservatives to win considerably more votes in Québec; and third, Wagner's personality was much stiffer, more formal and less social than Mulroney's. Wagner led on the first three ballots, but lost to Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
by 65 votes out of 2,309 on the fourth ballot.
In 1978, he was elevated to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
and sat as a Progressive Conservative. One reason for his departure from the House of Commons was that he could not get well along with Joe Clark. He died of cancer the next year at the age of 54.
Personal life
Wagner was born in Shawinigan and his parents were of BavarianBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and Romanian background.