Wilfrid Lacroix
Encyclopedia
Wilfrid Lacroix was a member of the Canadian House of Commons
from 1935 to 1958. His affiliation was mostly with the Liberal party
except between 1944 and 1949 when he left the party to act as an "Independent Liberal
" member.
Lacroix was born in Quebec City
, Quebec
and worked as an architect in the early 20th century. His projects included the Gérard-Morisset Building of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
which was designed in the Beaux-Arts style and opened in 1933 as the Quebec Provincial Museum.
He was first elected at the Québec—Montmorency
riding in the 1935 general election
and was re-elected for successive terms in 1940 federal election
, 1945 federal election
, 1949 federal election
, 1953 federal election
and 1957 federal election
. Lacroix was defeated by Robert Lafrenière
of the Progressive Conservative party
in the 1958 election
.
On 30 January 1939, Lacroix presented to the House of Commons a petition of 127,364 signatures collected by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
"vigorously protesting against all immigration what so ever and especially Jewish immigration". On 10 September that year, as Parliament met to declare war on Germany and join World War II
, Lacroix and fellow Quebec Liberal member Liguori Lacombe
introduced an amendment for "non-participation" in the war, reflecting some reluctance in French Canada to join Britain in war. The two members were condemned in a Globe and Mail
editorial the following day as "two French-Canadians who gained eternal distinction by an attitude unworthy of their people and country."
On 24 November 1944, Lacroix and three other Quebec Liberal members left their party to protest the enactment of conscription
. Lacroix joined the "Independent Group" of opposition anti-conscription MPs led by Frédéric Dorion
. As Lacroix moved to the opposition side of the House of Commons, he shouted "Trahison!" ("Treason") at Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
. Lacroix was re-elected in the 1945 federal election
and until June 1949, sat in the House of Commons as an "Independent Liberal". On three occasions, he introduced legislation which attempted to outlaw the Communist party, and the associated Labour-Progressive Party
. He returned to the Liberal party by the 1949 federal election
and remained a party member until his House of Commons career ended in 1958.
Lacroix died in Quebec City
on 30 August 1970.
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...
from 1935 to 1958. His affiliation was mostly with the Liberal party
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...
except between 1944 and 1949 when he left the party to act as an "Independent Liberal
Independent (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...
" member.
Lacroix was born in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, 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....
and worked as an architect in the early 20th century. His projects included the Gérard-Morisset Building of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec is a museum in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada gathering approximately 25,000 works essentially produced in Quebec, or by Quebec artists, some of which dating from the 18th century. It also houses a library since 1987...
which was designed in the Beaux-Arts style and opened in 1933 as the Quebec Provincial Museum.
He was first elected at the Québec—Montmorency
Québec—Montmorency
Québec—Montmorency was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1968.This riding was created in 1924 from parts of Charlevoix—Montmorency and Quebec County ridings....
riding in the 1935 general 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 re-elected for successive terms in 1940 federal 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...
, 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...
, 1949 federal 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...
, 1953 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
and 1957 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
. Lacroix was defeated by Robert Lafrenière
Robert Lafrenière
Robert B. Lafrenière was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was a lawyer by career....
of the Progressive Conservative party
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 1958 election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
.
On 30 January 1939, Lacroix presented to the House of Commons a petition of 127,364 signatures collected by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society is an institution in Quebec dedicated to the protection of Quebec francophone interests and to the promotion of Quebec Sovereignism. Its current President is Mario Beaulieu....
"vigorously protesting against all immigration what so ever and especially Jewish immigration". On 10 September that year, as Parliament met to declare war on Germany and join World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Lacroix and fellow Quebec Liberal member Liguori Lacombe
Liguori Lacombe
Joseph-Roméo-Liguori Lacombe, generally known as Liguori Lacombe was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1930 and again from 1935 to 1948...
introduced an amendment for "non-participation" in the war, reflecting some reluctance in French Canada to join Britain in war. The two members were condemned in a Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
editorial the following day as "two French-Canadians who gained eternal distinction by an attitude unworthy of their people and country."
On 24 November 1944, Lacroix and three other Quebec Liberal members left their party to protest the enactment of conscription
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....
. Lacroix joined the "Independent Group" of opposition anti-conscription MPs led by Frédéric Dorion
Frédéric Dorion
Frédéric Dorion was a Quebec politician and chief justice. He led a group of Independent MPs in the Canadian House of Commons who were opposed to the implementation of conscription during World War II....
. As Lacroix moved to the opposition side of the House of Commons, he shouted "Trahison!" ("Treason") at Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
. Lacroix was re-elected 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...
and until June 1949, sat in the House of Commons as an "Independent Liberal". On three occasions, he introduced legislation which attempted to outlaw the Communist party, and the associated Labour-Progressive Party
Labour-Progressive Party
For the Labour-Progressive Coalition Government in New Zealand see the Fifth Labour Government of New ZealandThe Labor-Progressive Party was the legal political organization of the Communist Party of Canada between 1943 and 1959....
. He returned to the Liberal party by the 1949 federal 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...
and remained a party member until his House of Commons career ended in 1958.
Lacroix died in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
on 30 August 1970.