Richard Holden (politician)
Encyclopedia
Richard B. Holden was a lawyer and member of the provincial legislature of Quebec
, Canada
. An obituary describes him as cynical and self-deprecating, a boulevardier and a maverick.
. Holden studied law at McGill University
and the Université de Montréal
and political science
at the Universite de Grenoble.
He divorced Helene Papachristidis in 1981. He was survived by 2 sons, Christopher and Arthur, and a daughter Caroline.
candidate in the district of Westmount-Saint-Georges
in 1962. He stood opposed to Hydro-Québec
's nationalization
. He finished second, ahead of the Union Nationale candidate.
Holden also ran unsuccessfully for the Progressive Conservatives
in the 1979 federal election
in the riding of Dollard
placing a distant second place.
He was elected to the legislature in the 1989 election
as a candidate of the federalist
, English-rights Equality Party
, but was expelled from the party caucus for balking at party discipline
.
After sitting as an independent, he shocked his predominantly English-speaking Westmount
constituents when he crossed the floor
to join the sovereignist
Parti Québécois
(PQ) in 1992. Holden's brother, Rodney, stopped speaking to him and threatened to change his name as a result of the defection.
Following his defeat as a PQ candidate in neighbouring Verdun
riding in the 1994 election
, the PQ government appointed Holden to the province's rental housing board on which he served until 1999.
at the age of 74 by jumping from the eighth-floor balcony of his Atwater Market apartment in Montreal
.
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...
. An obituary describes him as cynical and self-deprecating, a boulevardier and a maverick.
Personal life
Holden's father was an engineer; his grandfather found fortune with a company that procured boots for soldiers during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Holden studied law at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
and the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the Universite de Grenoble.
He divorced Helene Papachristidis in 1981. He was survived by 2 sons, Christopher and Arthur, and a daughter Caroline.
Political career
Holden first entered politics running as an independentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate in the district of Westmount-Saint-Georges
Westmount (provincial electoral district)
Westmount was a provincial electoral district located in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Montreal region, Westmount was formed in 1912. In 1994, it became part of Westmount—Saint-Louis. From 1939 to 1966, it was part of Westmount-Saint-Georges...
in 1962. He stood opposed to Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
's nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
. He finished second, ahead of the Union Nationale candidate.
Holden also ran unsuccessfully for the Progressive Conservatives
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....
in the 1979 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
in the riding of Dollard
Dollard (electoral district)
Dollard was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1988.-History:This riding was created in 1952.In 1966, it was defined to consist of:* the City of Saint-Laurent;...
placing a distant second place.
He was elected to the legislature in the 1989 election
Quebec general election, 1989
The Quebec general election of 1989 was held on September 25, 1989, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
as a candidate of the federalist
Canadian federalism
Canada is a federation with two distinct jurisdictions of political authority: the country-wide federal government and the ten regionally-based provincial governments. It also has three territorial governments in the far north, though these are subject to the federal government...
, English-rights Equality Party
Equality Party (Quebec)
The Equality Party was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that promoted the use of English in Quebec on an equal basis with French. Four Equality Party members were elected to Quebec's National Assembly in 1989, as part of an anglophone reaction to changes made by the governing Liberals to...
, but was expelled from the party caucus for balking at party discipline
Party discipline
Party discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over its legislature...
.
After sitting as an independent, he shocked his predominantly English-speaking Westmount
Westmount (provincial electoral district)
Westmount was a provincial electoral district located in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Montreal region, Westmount was formed in 1912. In 1994, it became part of Westmount—Saint-Louis. From 1939 to 1966, it was part of Westmount-Saint-Georges...
constituents when he crossed the floor
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
to join the sovereignist
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
(PQ) in 1992. Holden's brother, Rodney, stopped speaking to him and threatened to change his name as a result of the defection.
Following his defeat as a PQ candidate in neighbouring Verdun
Verdun (provincial electoral district)
Verdun is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The Montreal borough of Verdun is situated in this district...
riding in the 1994 election
Quebec general election, 1994
The Quebec general election of 1994 was held on September 12, 1994, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The Parti Québécois, led by Jacques Parizeau, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Daniel Johnson, Jr.....
, the PQ government appointed Holden to the province's rental housing board on which he served until 1999.
Death
Suffering from chronic, debilitating back pain, Holden committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at the age of 74 by jumping from the eighth-floor balcony of his Atwater Market apartment in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.