Philéas Côté
Encyclopedia
Antoine-Philéas Côté was a Liberal party
and Independent Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons
. He was born in Métis, Quebec and became an author and journalist by career. He is known for his early attempts to officially establish "O Canada
" as the national anthem and to rename the national holiday to Canada Day
.
where he received his Bachelor of Laws
degree. He attended Harvard University
for further post-graduate studies. His journalistic work appeared in Le Soleil
, La Patrie
and Le Canada. He also served as the French-language director of the Liberal Party Association, and served on the National Film Board.
riding in the 1945 general election
. He and a number of other Quebec Liberals had broken with their party the year before during the Conscription Crisis of 1944
, quitting the party in order to oppose the government's decision to deploy National Resources Mobilization Act
conscripts overseas. Previously, conscripts had only been used for "home defence" and kept within Canada. During his first term in office he joined the Liberal Party and became a member of the party's caucus and was re-elected in the 1949 election
as an official Liberal candidate.
In 1946, Côté introduced a private member's bill
to rename the Dominion Day
holiday to Canada Day
. His bill was passed quickly by the House of Commons but was stalled by the Senate which returned the bill to the Commons recommending that the holiday be renamed "The National Holiday of Canada". The Senate amendment effectively killed Côté's Canada Day bill. The national holiday was not renamed Canada Day until 1982.
Côté moved in Parliament that Canada be officially named "The Kingdom of Canada" arguing that this would clarify the nationhood status of Canada and its association with Britain, especially for immigrants. This resolution was defeated by the House of Commons on 22 April 1952. He also sought to designate the song "O Canada" as the official national anthem
, a status which was not granted until 1980.
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...
and Independent Liberal member of 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...
. He was born in Métis, Quebec and became an author and journalist by career. He is known for his early attempts to officially establish "O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
" as the national anthem and to rename the national holiday to Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
.
Education and early career
Côté attended Quebec Seminary then Université LavalUniversité Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
where he received his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree. He attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
for further post-graduate studies. His journalistic work appeared in Le Soleil
Le Soleil
Le Soleil is a French-language daily newspaper in Quebec City, Quebec. It was founded on December 28, 1896 and is published in compact format since April 2006...
, La Patrie
La Patrie
La Patrie was a Montreal, Quebec daily newspaper founded by Honoré Beaugrand on February 24, 1879. It became a weekly in 1957 and folded in 1978....
and Le Canada. He also served as the French-language director of the Liberal Party Association, and served on the National Film Board.
Political career
He was first elected as an Independent Liberal member of Parliament at the Matapédia—MataneHaute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.-Geography:...
riding in the 1945 general 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...
. He and a number of other Quebec Liberals had broken with their party the year before during the Conscription Crisis of 1944
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....
, quitting the party in order to oppose the government's decision to deploy National Resources Mobilization Act
National Resources Mobilization Act
National Resources Mobilization Act is a Canadian government statute which enabled conscription in Canada during World War II. The bill, passed by Parliament on June 21, 1940, permitted conscripts to be used for home defence only and not to be deployed overseas but was modified lolin August 1942 to...
conscripts overseas. Previously, conscripts had only been used for "home defence" and kept within Canada. During his first term in office he joined the Liberal Party and became a member of the party's caucus and was re-elected in the 1949 election
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
as an official Liberal candidate.
In 1946, Côté introduced a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
to rename the Dominion Day
Dominion Day
Dominion Day is a commemoration day of the granting of national status in various Commonwealth countries.-Canada:Dominion Day was the name of the holiday commemorating the formation of Canada as a Dominion on 1 July 1867...
holiday to Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
. His bill was passed quickly by the House of Commons but was stalled by the Senate which returned the bill to the Commons recommending that the holiday be renamed "The National Holiday of Canada". The Senate amendment effectively killed Côté's Canada Day bill. The national holiday was not renamed Canada Day until 1982.
Côté moved in Parliament that Canada be officially named "The Kingdom of Canada" arguing that this would clarify the nationhood status of Canada and its association with Britain, especially for immigrants. This resolution was defeated by the House of Commons on 22 April 1952. He also sought to designate the song "O Canada" as the official national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
, a status which was not granted until 1980.