Joseph-Armand Choquette
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Armand Choquette (July 24, 1905 - April 6, 1999) was a farmer and politician. He was the first Member of Parliament
to have been elected to the Canadian House of Commons
representing the Bloc populaire canadien
and was also the last surviving member of the Bloc populaire's caucus
when he died in 1999 at the age of 93.
Choquette entered parliament via an August 9, 1943 by-election
in Stanstead
in the Eastern Townships
of Quebec
which he stood in the midsts of the Conscription Crisis
for the anti-draft party. He defeated former MP Robert Greig Davidson of the governing Liberal Party of Canada
by more than 1200 votes. The by-election had been called as a result of Davidson's victory in the 1940 election
victory being overturned by the courts due to voting irregularities. While Davidson won most of the English vote in the by-election, Choquette cornered the francophone vote with the support of the president of the Catholic Farmers Union and of legendary Quebec politician Henri Bourassa
who campaigned on his behalf.
He sat in the House of Commons for two years before being defeated in the 1945 federal election
by Progressive Conservative
John Thomas Hackett
by less than 500 votes.
Outside of his brief parliamentary career, Choquette served as secretary-treasurer of the municipality of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, Quebec
for 32 years and operated a farm in the municiaplity. He was also Diocesan President of the Catholic Farmers Union for several years.
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,...
to have been elected to 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...
representing the Bloc populaire canadien
Bloc populaire canadien
The Bloc populaire canadien was a political party in the Canadian province of Quebec from 1942 to 1947. It was founded on September 8, 1942 by opponents of conscription during World War II...
and was also the last surviving member of the Bloc populaire's caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
when he died in 1999 at the age of 93.
Choquette entered parliament via an August 9, 1943 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in Stanstead
Stanstead (electoral district)
Stanstead was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867. It consisted initially of the Townships of Stanstead, Barnston, Hatley, Barford, and Magog East and West.In...
in the Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
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....
which he stood in the midsts of the Conscription Crisis
Conscription Crisis of 1944
The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging....
for the anti-draft party. He defeated former MP Robert Greig Davidson of the governing 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...
by more than 1200 votes. The by-election had been called as a result of Davidson's victory in the 1940 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...
victory being overturned by the courts due to voting irregularities. While Davidson won most of the English vote in the by-election, Choquette cornered the francophone vote with the support of the president of the Catholic Farmers Union and of legendary Quebec politician Henri Bourassa
Henri Bourassa
Joseph-Napoléon-Henri Bourassa was a French Canadian political leader and publisher. He is seen by many as an ideological father of Canadian nationalism....
who campaigned on his behalf.
He sat in the House of Commons for two years before being defeated in the 1945 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 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....
John Thomas Hackett
John Thomas Hackett
John Thomas Hackett was a lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Stanstead in the Canadian House of Commons from 1930 to 1935 and from 1945 to 1949 as a Conservative and then Progressive Conservative member...
by less than 500 votes.
Outside of his brief parliamentary career, Choquette served as secretary-treasurer of the municipality of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, Quebec
Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, Quebec
Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley is a municipality on Quebec Route 108 along Little Lake Magog. It is part of the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec. It is the home of the "Marais" birdwatching sanctuary, the Eglise Sainte Catherine de Hatley, as well as...
for 32 years and operated a farm in the municiaplity. He was also Diocesan President of the Catholic Farmers Union for several years.
External links
- "The last survivor of the "Bloc populaire" has passed away. J. Armand Choquette was the first of his party to be elected, in 1943 in Stanstead" by Gilles Dallaire, La Tribune (Sherbrooke), Thursday April 8th, 1999 (Translated)