Jean Côté
Encyclopedia
Jean Léon Côté was a prominent Canadian politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1909 until 1923 sitting with the provincial Liberal party in both government and opposition. He vacated his provincial seat when he was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1923. He served until his death in 1924 sitting with the federal Liberal caucus.
, Quebec
.
. He stood as the Liberal candidate in the electoral district of Athabasca
defeating incumbent Liberal candidate William Bredin
in a hotly contested race.
The 1913 boundary redistribution added a number of new electoral districts to the province. Côté ran for re-election in the new electoral district of Grouard
for the election held that year
. He won a comfortable margin of victory over the Conservative candidate to pickup the new seat for his party.
Côté ran for a third term in office in the 1917 Alberta general election
. He significantly increased his popular vote winning a landslide in the two way race. After the election Côté was appointed to a provincial cabinet post in 1918. He assumed the responsibility of the Provincial Secretary
position, and held it until his government was defeated in 1921.
Côté ran for a fourth term in office in the 1921 Alberta general election
. He held his seat in a very hotly contested race over United Farmers candidate H.G. Dimsdale. Côté managed to hang on despite most of the Liberal caucus getting swept out of office.
Côté was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Mackenzie King
on August 14, 1923 to represent Alberta
. He sat with the Liberal Party of Canada
caucus. Côté vacated his seat in the Legislature on November 10, 1923. He held his seat for a year until he died on September 23, 1924.
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1909 until 1923 sitting with the provincial Liberal party in both government and opposition. He vacated his provincial seat when he was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1923. He served until his death in 1924 sitting with the federal Liberal caucus.
Early life
Jean Léon Côté was born on May 26, 1867 in the village of Les ÉboulementsLes Éboulements, Quebec
Les Éboulements is a municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada.Its population centres include Les Éboulements , Éboulements-Est , Cap-aux-Oies, Sainte-Marie-de-Charlevoix, and Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive Les Éboulements is a municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec,...
, 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....
.
Political career
Côté ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1909 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1909
The Alberta general election was 1909 was the second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 22 March 1909 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He stood as the Liberal candidate in the electoral district of Athabasca
Athabasca (provincial electoral district)
Athabasca was a provincial electoral district covering north east Alberta, Canada.The riding, was created in 1905 when Alberta first became a province...
defeating incumbent Liberal candidate William Bredin
William Bredin
William Fletcher Bredin was a Canadian politician and pioneer. Born in Stormont County, Ontario, he came west to Red Deer Crossing in 1883, where he took over a claim from Esias Myers. He subsequently moved to Calgary, where he opened a store with R. Steen, engaged in freighting between Calgary...
in a hotly contested race.
The 1913 boundary redistribution added a number of new electoral districts to the province. Côté ran for re-election in the new electoral district of Grouard
Grouard (electoral district)
Grouard was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1971.-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
for the election held that year
Alberta general election, 1913
The Alberta general election of 1913 was the third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The writ was dropped on 25 March 1913 and election day was held 17 April 1913 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections in two northern districts took place on 30 July...
. He won a comfortable margin of victory over the Conservative candidate to pickup the new seat for his party.
Côté ran for a third term in office in the 1917 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He significantly increased his popular vote winning a landslide in the two way race. After the election Côté was appointed to a provincial cabinet post in 1918. He assumed the responsibility of the Provincial Secretary
Provincial Secretary
The Provincial Secretary was a senior position in the executive councils of British North America's colonial governments, and was retained by the Canadian provincial governments for at least a century after Canadian Confederation was proclaimed in 1867...
position, and held it until his government was defeated in 1921.
Côté ran for a fourth term in office in the 1921 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
. He held his seat in a very hotly contested race over United Farmers candidate H.G. Dimsdale. Côté managed to hang on despite most of the Liberal caucus getting swept out of office.
Côté was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
on August 14, 1923 to represent 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...
. He sat with the Liberal Party of Canada
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...
caucus. Côté vacated his seat in the Legislature on November 10, 1923. He held his seat for a year until he died on September 23, 1924.