Gilbert Layton
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Layton was a businessman and politician in Quebec
, Canada
.
activist who led a campaign for disability pension
s in the 1930s. Gilbert married Norah Lestelle England (daughter of Arthur John England and Florence Louise Grimmett) on February 18, 1921.
in the government of Maurice Duplessis
until resigning in 1939 to protest the Quebec government's opposition to conscription
in World War II
. He ran for re-election to the legislature as an independent candidate that year and was defeated.
, he ran as an Independent Progressive Conservative for the Mount Royal
seat in the Canadian House of Commons
, but was defeated. He placed fourth behind the Liberal victor, the official Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
candidate and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF) candidate.
, served as a federal Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in the 1980s. His grandson, Jack Layton
, was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party
from 2003 to 2011, and was Leader of the Official Opposition
for a short time in 2011 until he died in office. His great-grandson is Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton
.
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...
.
Background
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Layton, the son of Philip Edward David Layton and Alice Marion Gilbert, was a merchant and business executive in the family firm of Layton Brothers (founded 1887, now as Layton Audio) from 1918 to 1932. His father was a blindBlindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
activist who led a campaign for disability pension
Disability pension
A disability pension is a form of pension given to those people who are permanently or temporarily unable to work due to a disability. It is distinct from welfare.- North America :...
s in the 1930s. Gilbert married Norah Lestelle England (daughter of Arthur John England and Florence Louise Grimmett) on February 18, 1921.
Member of the legislature
Gilbert Layton was elected to Quebec's legislative assembly in the riding of Montreal-Saint-Georges in 1936 as a member of the Union Nationale, a conservative party. He served as minister without portfolioMinister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
in the government of Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
until resigning in 1939 to protest the Quebec government's 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 World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He ran for re-election to the legislature as an independent candidate that year and was defeated.
Federal politics
In the 1945 federal electionCanadian 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...
, he ran as an Independent Progressive Conservative for the Mount Royal
Mount Royal (electoral district)
Mount Royal is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1925. Its population in 2006 was 98,888....
seat 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...
, but was defeated. He placed fourth behind the Liberal victor, the official Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
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....
candidate and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
(CCF) candidate.
Descendents
Gilbert Layton's son, Robert LaytonRobert Layton
Robert Edward John "Bob" Layton, PC was a Canadian politician.-Early career:Robert Layton was born in Montreal, the son of Norah Lestelle and former Quebec cabinet minister Gilbert Layton. He graduated from McGill University in 1947...
, served as a federal Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in the 1980s. His grandson, Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
, was the leader of the federal 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...
from 2003 to 2011, and was Leader of the Official Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...
for a short time in 2011 until he died in office. His great-grandson is Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton
Mike Layton
Michael Layton is a Canadian politician, who was elected to Toronto City Council in the 2010 city council election to succeed Joe Pantalone in Ward 19.-Background:...
.
External links
- Biography at the official National Assembly of QuebecNational Assembly of QuebecThe 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...
website