The Hon. Léon Balcer | |
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Member of the Canadian Parliament for Trois-Rivières | |
In office 1949–1965 | |
Preceded by | Wilfrid Gariépy |
Succeeded by | Joseph-Alfred Mongrain |
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Born | (1917-10-13)October 13, 1917 Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada |
Died | March 22, 1991(1991-03-22) (aged 73) Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada |
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Léon Balcer, PC (October 13, 1917 – March 22, 1991) was a Canadian politician.[1]
He was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and was a lawyer by profession.
He was one of only three Progressive Conservative (or PC) candidates who were elected to the House of Commons in 1949 from Quebec, representing the district of Trois-Rivières. He was re-elected in the elections of 1953, 1957, 1958, 1962, and 1963. He sat with the Government of Canada from 1957 to 1963 and with Official Opposition from 1949 to 1957 and 1963 to 1965.
Balcer held numerous ministerial positions in the cabinet of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, including Solicitor General of Canada (1957–1960), and Minister of Transport (1960–1963). He also briefly acted as Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys (Acting), and Secretary of State of Canada (Acting).
During John Diefenbaker's leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party, Balcer was his Quebec lieutenant and Deputy Leader of the PC Party.[2]
A few months before the 1965 election, he left his party and sat as an independent, saying, "there is no place for a French Canadian in the party of Mr. Diefenbaker."[3] In 1964, he had led a small group of PC MPs who broke with Diefenbaker and supported a new flag of Canada during the flag debate championed by the Liberal prime minister, Lester B. Pearson. He did not run for re-election in that year.
Balcer ran as a Liberal candidate in the district of Trois-Rivières in 1966, but lost to Union Nationale incumbent Yves Gabias.
Balcer died on March 22, 1991.
There is a Léon Balcer fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[4]
Ministers of Railways and Canals (1879–1936)1 | |
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Ministers of Marine (1930–36)1 | |
Ministers of Transport (1936–2006) | |
Ministers of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (2006–15) | |
Ministers of Transport (2015–present) | |
1The offices of Minister of Marine and Minister of Railways and Canals were abolished and the office of Minister of Transport was created in 1936 |
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1The department was eliminated in 1993 when the government was reorganized. The position of Secretary of State for Canada was not legally eliminated until 1996 when its remaining responsibilities were assigned to other cabinet positions and departments, particularly the newly created position of Minister of Canadian Heritage. |
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1The office of Solicitor General was abolished and the office of Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness was in force April 4, 2005. |
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