Sarto Fournier
Encyclopedia
Sarto Fournier was a Canadian politician. He served as mayor of Montreal
from 1957 to 1960.
, Quebec
, he graduated in law from McGill University
and formally entered law practice in 1938. Fournier was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
as a Liberal
in the 1935 election
and was subsequently re-elected in 1940
, 1945
, and 1949
. He became the youngest member of the Senate
in 1953 and served until his death.
He studied law at McGill University and at the Université de Montréal. He was only 27 when he became the Liberal MP for Maisonneuve-Rosemont. He was re-elected in 1940, 1945, and 1949. He was called to the bar in 1938. In 1953, he entered the senate, called by Prime Minister Louis Saint-Laurent.
After two previous attempts in 1950 and 1954, he was elected mayor of Montreal in 1957. He initiated the Expo 67
project. He was defeated by Jean Drapeau
in the 1960 municipal election.
He had been interested in municipal politics since 1950. Although he ran for mayor five times between 1950 and 1962, he won only once, in 1957, against Jean Drapeau. At this election, Fournier was heading a new municipal party, the Ralliement du Grand Montréal, which brought together opponents of Jean Drapeau. Fournier took also advantage of the support of Québec’s prime minister, Maurice Duplessis.
During his term as mayor, Fournier confined himself to representative functions and acted more as a spectator, mainly because Jean Drapeau’s Civic Party controlled the city council.
His administration was especially marked by the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Boulevard Métropolitain and the candidacy of Montréal for the 1967 World’s Fair. After his attempts to run for mayor, Fournier decided to return to the Senate.
Mayor of Montreal
The Mayor of Montreal is head of the executive branch of Montreal City Council.The Mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and provincial laws within Montreal....
from 1957 to 1960.
Biography
Born in East BroughtonEast Broughton, Quebec
East Broughton is a municipality located in the Municipalité régionale de comté des Appalaches in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Chaudière-Appalaches region and the population was 2,357 as of 2009...
, 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 graduated in law from 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 formally entered law practice in 1938. Fournier was first 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...
as a Liberal
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...
in the 1935 election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
and was subsequently re-elected in 1940
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...
, 1945
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...
, and 1949
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...
. He became the youngest member of the Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
in 1953 and served until his death.
He studied law at McGill University and at the Université de Montréal. He was only 27 when he became the Liberal MP for Maisonneuve-Rosemont. He was re-elected in 1940, 1945, and 1949. He was called to the bar in 1938. In 1953, he entered the senate, called by Prime Minister Louis Saint-Laurent.
After two previous attempts in 1950 and 1954, he was elected mayor of Montreal in 1957. He initiated the Expo 67
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
project. He was defeated by Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
in the 1960 municipal election.
He had been interested in municipal politics since 1950. Although he ran for mayor five times between 1950 and 1962, he won only once, in 1957, against Jean Drapeau. At this election, Fournier was heading a new municipal party, the Ralliement du Grand Montréal, which brought together opponents of Jean Drapeau. Fournier took also advantage of the support of Québec’s prime minister, Maurice Duplessis.
During his term as mayor, Fournier confined himself to representative functions and acted more as a spectator, mainly because Jean Drapeau’s Civic Party controlled the city council.
His administration was especially marked by the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Boulevard Métropolitain and the candidacy of Montréal for the 1967 World’s Fair. After his attempts to run for mayor, Fournier decided to return to the Senate.