Roch La Salle
Encyclopedia
Roch La Salle, PC
(August 6, 1929 – August 20, 2007) was a Canadian
politician who served in the province of Quebec
. He spent 18 years as a Federal Member of Parliament
. He represented the riding of Joliette
. A popular figure, he was re-elected six times during his tenure.
Born in St-Paul, in Montreal
, La Salle had a career in public relations and sales when he first attempted to win a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
as a Progressive Conservative
in the 1965 federal election
. He was defeated, but won on his next attempt in Joliette in the 1968 election
. He was one of only a handful of Quebec Tory members in that Parliament.
La Salle quit the party in 1971 to protest Tory leader Robert Stanfield
's rejection of the concept that Canada was composed of "two nations" (deux nations) and that Quebec had the right to self-determination
. He was re-elected as an independent candidate in the 1972 election
with the support of the separatist
Parti Québécois
. He returned to the Tory caucus in early 1974.
Along with Heward Grafftey
, he was one of only two Tory MPs elected from Quebec in the 1979 election
that brought the Conservatives to power under Joe Clark
. La Salle served as Minister of Supply and Services in the short-lived (1979-80) Clark government.
La Salle was the only Quebec Tory MP returned in the 1980 election
. In early 1981, he resigned his seat in order to move to provincial politics and take the leadership of the Union Nationale (UN) political party prior to the 1981 Quebec provincial election
. La Salle chose not run in his home town of Joliette because the riding was then represented by an old friend of his, Guy Chevrette
, a member of the PQ and Party Whip. He ran in the neighbouring riding of Berthier but failed to win a seat. The Union Nationale failed to win any seats in the election as the PQ went on to win a large majority. He returned to the federal House of Commons in a by-election
that was called later that year to fill the vacancy his resignation had created.
When the Tories again formed government after the 1984 election
, this time under Brian Mulroney
, La Salle became Minister of Public Works
. He resigned from Cabinet in 1987 after being charged with accepting a bribe and influence peddling
. He denied any wrongdoing, but did not run in the 1988 election
. The criminal case against him was eventually dropped.
La Salle died on 20 August 2007 in a hospital in Joliette
. He was 78 years of age.
Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said in a statement that he was saddened to hear of La Salle's death, calling him an example of a politician who was close to the people in his riding.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(August 6, 1929 – August 20, 2007) was a Canadian
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...
politician who served in the province 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....
. He spent 18 years as a Federal Member of Parliament
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,...
. He represented the riding of Joliette
Joliette (electoral district)
Joliette is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1935 and since 1968.-Geography:...
. A popular figure, he was re-elected six times during his tenure.
Born in St-Paul, 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...
, La Salle had a career in public relations and sales when he first attempted to win a 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...
as a 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....
in the 1965 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1965
The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the House...
. He was defeated, but won on his next attempt in Joliette in the 1968 election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
. He was one of only a handful of Quebec Tory members in that Parliament.
La Salle quit the party in 1971 to protest Tory leader Robert Stanfield
Robert Stanfield
Robert Lorne Stanfield, PC, QC was the 17th Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He is sometimes referred to as "the greatest prime minister Canada never had", and earned the nickname "Honest Bob"...
's rejection of the concept that Canada was composed of "two nations" (deux nations) and that Quebec had the right to self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
. He was re-elected as an independent candidate in the 1972 election
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
with the support of the separatist
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...
. He returned to the Tory caucus in early 1974.
Along with Heward Grafftey
Heward Grafftey
William Heward Grafftey, PC, QC was a Canadian politician and businessman.-Early life:Born in Montreal, Quebec, to a prosperous family, he was a cousin of artist Prudence Heward, and wrote "Chapter Four: Prudence Heward" in the 1996 book Portraits of a Life..His father, Major Arthur Grafftey, was...
, he was one of only two Tory MPs elected from Quebec in the 1979 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...
that brought the Conservatives to power under Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
. La Salle served as Minister of Supply and Services in the short-lived (1979-80) Clark government.
La Salle was the only Quebec Tory MP returned in the 1980 election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
. In early 1981, he resigned his seat in order to move to provincial politics and take the leadership of the Union Nationale (UN) political party prior to the 1981 Quebec provincial election
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
. La Salle chose not run in his home town of Joliette because the riding was then represented by an old friend of his, Guy Chevrette
Guy Chevrette
Guy Chevrette served as Parti Québécois leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada, from 1987 to 1989...
, a member of the PQ and Party Whip. He ran in the neighbouring riding of Berthier but failed to win a seat. The Union Nationale failed to win any seats in the election as the PQ went on to win a large majority. He returned to the federal House of Commons in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
that was called later that year to fill the vacancy his resignation had created.
When the Tories again formed government after the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, this time under Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, La Salle became Minister of Public Works
Minister of Public Works (Canada)
The position of Minister of Public Works existed as part of the Cabinet of Canada from Confederation to 1995.As part of substantial governmental reorganization, the position was merged with that of the Minister of Supply and Services to create the position of Minister of Public Works and Government...
. He resigned from Cabinet in 1987 after being charged with accepting a bribe and influence peddling
Influence peddling
Influence peddling is the illegal practice of using one's influence in government or connections with persons in authority to obtain favors or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for payment. Also called traffic of influence or trading in influence ...
. He denied any wrongdoing, but did not run in the 1988 election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
. The criminal case against him was eventually dropped.
La Salle died on 20 August 2007 in a hospital in Joliette
Joliette, Quebec
Joliette is a city in southwest Quebec, Canada. It is approximately northeast of Montreal, on the L'Assomption River and is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of Joliette...
. He was 78 years of age.
Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said in a statement that he was saddened to hear of La Salle's death, calling him an example of a politician who was close to the people in his riding.