Rt. Hon. Louis-Stephen Saint-Laurent
12th Prime Minister of Canada
In office November 15, 1948 – June 21, 1957
Preceded by	Mackenzie King
Succeeded by	John Diefenbaker
Born	February 1, 1882 Compton, Quebec
Died	July 25, 1973 Quebec City, Quebec
Political party	Liberal Party of Canada
Religion	Roman Catholic

Louis Stephen St. Laurent, (Saint-Laurent or St-Laurent in French, baptized Louis-Étienne St-Laurent) PC , CC , QC , BA , LL.L , DCL , LL.D, (February 1, 1882 – July 25, 1973) was the twelfth Prime Minister of Canada from November 15, 1948, to June 21, 1957. Public Domain, Source: National Archives of Canada, C-010461 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King, OM, PC, LL.B, Ph. ... John George Diefenbaker, CH, PC, QC, BA, MA, LL.B, LL.D, DCL, FRSC, FRSA, D.Litt, DSL, (18 September 1895 – 16 August 1979) was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada (1957 – 1963). ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... Compton is a municipality in the regional county municipality of Coaticook and the administrative region of Estrie. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada-1868-Red. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Motto : « Don de Dieu feray valoir Â» (I shall put Gods gift to good use) Site in the province of Quebec Official logo Country  Canada Province Québec Agglomeration Quebec City Statute of the city Capitale-Nationale Administrative Region Capitale-Nationale Constitution date 1833 Geographical code 24 23027 Founder Foundation... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor Linné) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned at the centre of the political spectrum, combining a progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Privy Council Office as it appeared in the 1880s The Queens Privy Council for Canada (French: Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada) is the council of advisers to the Queen of Canada, whose members are appointed by the Governor General of Canada for life on the... Seal of the Order of Canada The Order of Canada is Canadas highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Orders Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means (those) desiring a better country. ... Cherie Booth QC wearing her ceremonial robes (including full-bottomed wig) as Queens Counsel at the Bar of England and Wales. ... Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... Bachelor of Civil Law or BCL is the name of various degrees in law in English-speaking countries. ... Some universities, such as the University of Oxford, award Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) degrees instead of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degrees. ... Doctor of Laws (Latin: Legum Doctor, LL.D) is a doctorate-level academic degree in law. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Early life and career

Louis St. Laurent (pronounced [lwi sɛ̃ lo.ʁɑ̃]) was born in Compton, in Quebec's Eastern Townships to Jean-Baptiste-Moïse Saint-Laurent a French-Canadian and Mary Anne Broderick, an Irishwoman. He grew up fluently bilingual. He received degrees from St. Charles Seminary (B.A. 1902) and Université Laval (LL.L. 1905). He was offered, but declined, a Rhodes Scholarship upon this graduation from Laval in 1905. In 1908 he married Jeanne Renault (1886 - 1966) with whom he had two sons and three daughters. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Irish ethnicity is common in the world, as many people are descended from Ireland or share an Irish heritage. ... The term bilingualism (from bi meaning two and lingua meaning language) can refer to rather different phenomena. ... Université Laval (Laval University) is the oldest centre of education in Canada, and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French. ... Superscript text Rhodes House in Oxford, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. ... Jeanne Renault St. ...

St. Laurent worked as a lawyer from 1905 to 1914, at which point he became a professor of law at Université Laval. St. Laurent practised corporate and constitutional law in Québec and became one of the country's most respected counsels. He served as President of the Canadian Bar Association from 1930 to 1932. During the 1960s, a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) launched a decade of bombings, robberies and attacks on government offices. ... The Canadian Bar Association is the Canadian voluntary bar association organization formed in 1896 representing the interests of 38,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada involved in the legal system. ...

St. Laurent's father, a Compton shopkeeper, was a staunch supporter of the Liberal Party of Canada and was particularly enamoured with Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Louis St. Laurent inherited his father's political affiliations but, while a Liberal supporter, remained aloof from active politics for much of his life, focusing instead on his legal career and family. He became one of Quebec's leading lawyers and was so highly regarded that he was offered a position in the Cabinet of the Conservative Prime Minister Arthur Meighen in 1926. The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned at the centre of the political spectrum, combining a progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... gay Laurier re-directs here. ... The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. ... The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... Arthur Meighen, PC , QC , BA , LL.D (June 16, 1874 – August 5, 1960) was the ninth Prime Minister of Canada from July 10, 1920, to December 29, 1921, and June 29 to September 25, 1926. ...

It was not until he was nearly 60 that St. Laurent finally agreed to enter politics when Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King appealed to his sense of duty in late 1941. The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King, OM, PC, LL.B, Ph. ...

Appointment to the Mackenzie King Cabinet

Following the death of his Quebec lieutenant, Ernest Lapointe in November 1941 Prime Minister MacKenzie King was well aware of the need for the government to have a strong, well respected member of cabinet to serve as a new deputy for Quebec to help deal with the volatile conscription issue. Mackenzie King had been in his political infancy when he witnessed the effect that conscription had on the nation during WWI. He had seen Prime Minister Robert Borden polarize the country and marginalize Quebec for standing against conscription, with the effect of seriously jeopardizing national unity - a situation he was determined to avoid. No Quebec or francophone members of Mackenzie's cabinet or government were willing to step into the role, but many recommended long time Liberal party supporter St. Laurent as an ideal candidate. On these recommendations, Mackenzie King recruited St. Laurent to his wartime cabinet as Minister of Justice and appreciating the gravity of the appointment and the situation St. Laurent agreed to go to Ottawa, but only on the understanding that his foray into politics was temporary and that he would return to Quebec at the conclusion of the war. In Canadian politics, a Quebec lieutenant is a politician, usually from Quebec or at least French-Canadian, and usually a Member of Parliament or at least a current or former candidate for Parliament, who is selected by a senior politician such as the Prime Minister or the leader of a... The Right Honourable Ernest Lapointe, PC (October 6, 1876 - November 26, 1941) was a Canadian politician. ... Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC , KC , GCMG , DCL , LL.D (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911, to July 10, 1920, and the third Nova Scotian to hold this office. ... Look up Francophone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The Minister of Justice (French: Ministre de la Justice) of Canada is the minister in the Cabinet of Canada who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada. ...

St. Laurent supported King's decision to introduce conscription in 1944, despite the lack of support from other French Canadians (see Conscription Crisis of 1944). His support prevented more than a handful of Quebec Liberal Members of Parliament (MPs) from leaving the party, and was therefore crucial to keeping the government and the party united. The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ...

King came to regard St. Laurent as his most trusted minister and natural successor. He persuaded St. Laurent that it was his duty to remain in government following the war in order to help with the construction of a post war international order and promoted him to the position of Secretary of State for External Affairs in 1945, a portfolio King had previously always kept for himself. In this role, St. Laurent represented Canada at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference and San Francisco Conference that led to the founding of the United Nations (UN). Canadas Secretary of State for External Affairs was, from 1909 to 1993, the member of the Cabinet of Canada responsible for overseeing the federal governments international relations and the former Department of External Affairs. ... The Dumbarton Oaks Conference (or Washington Conversations on International Peace and Security Organization) held beginning in August 1944 in a Washington, DC mansion (Dumbarton Oaks), was where the United Nations was formulated and negotiated. ... Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru of Japan, gave a speech on Reconciliation and rapport (和解と信頼) in 1951 at San Francisco Peace conference. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ...

At the conferences, St. Laurent, compelled by his belief that the UN would be ineffective in times of war and armed conflict without some military means to impose its will, advocated the adoption of a UN military force. This force he proposed would be used in situations that called for both tact and might to preserve peace or prevent combat. In 1956, this idea was actualized by St. Laurent and his Secretary of State for External Affairs Lester B. Pearson in the development of UN Peacekeepers that helped to put an end to the Suez Crisis. Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE, MA, LL.D. (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who was made a Nobel Laureate in 1957. ... Combatants Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 300,000 Casualties 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 650 KIA 2,900 WIA 2...

Prime Minister of Canada

In 1948, King retired, and quietly persuaded his senior ministers to support St. Laurent's selection as the new Liberal leader at the Liberal leadership convention of August 1948. St. Laurent won, and was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada on November 15. The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. ... The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ...

In the 1949 federal election that followed his ascension to the Liberal leadership many wondered, including Liberal party insiders, if this shy, reserved, dignified, grandfatherly man would appeal to the post-war populace of Canada. On the campaign trail, St. Laurent's image was developed into somewhat of a 'character' and what is considered to be the first 'media image' to be used in Canadian politics. St. Laurent chatted with children, gave speeches in his shirt sleeves, and had a 'common touch' that turned out to be appealing to voters. At one event during the 1949 election campaign, he disembarked his train and instead of approaching the assembled crowd of adults and reporters, gravitated to, and began chatting with, a group of children on the platform. A reporter submitted an article entitled "'Uncle Louis' can't lose!" which earned him the nickname "Uncle Louis" in the media (Papa Louis in Quebec). With this common touch and broad appeal, he subsequently led the party to victory in the election against the Progressive Conservative Party led by George Drew. The Liberals won 190 seats, still a record for the party. The Canadian federal election of 1949 was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberals were not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) (In French: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... Colonel The Honourable George Alexander Drew, PC , CC , QC (May 7, 1894 - January 4, 1973) was a Canadian conservative politician who founded a Progressive Conservative dynasty in Ontario that lasted 42 years. ...

His reputation as prime minister was impressive. He demanded hard work of all of his MPs and Ministers, and worked hard himself. He was reputed to be as knowledgeable on some ministerial portfolios as the ministers responsible themselves. To that end, J.W. Pickersgill (a minister in St. Laurent's cabinet) said as prime minister St.Laurent had: "as fine an intelligence as was ever applied to the problems of government in Canada. He left it a richer, a more generous and more united country than it had been before he became prime minister."

Foreign policy

St. Laurent and his cabinet oversaw Canada's expanding international role in the postwar world. His stated desire was for Canada to occupy a social, military and economic 'Middle power' role in the post WWII world. Middle power is a term used in the field of international relations to describe states that are not superpowers or great powers, but still have some influence internationally. ...

St. Laurent with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1954

Militarily, St. Laurent was a leading proponent of the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, serving as an architect and signatory of the treaty document. Involvement in such an organization marked a departure from King who had been reticent about joining a military alliance. Under his leadership, Canada supported the United Nations (U.N.) in the Korean War and committed the third largest overall contribution of troops, ships and aircraft to the U.N. forces to the conflict. Troops to Korea were selected on a voluntary basis. In 1956, under his direction, St. Laurent's Secretary of State for External Affairs Lester B. Pearson, helped solve the Suez Crisis in 1956 between Great Britain, France, Israel and Egypt, bringing forward St. Laurent's 1946 views on a U.N. military force in the form of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) or Peacekeeping. It is widely believed that the activities directed by St. Laurent and Pearson could well have avoided a nuclear war. These actions were recognized when Pearson won the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. Image File history File links ChurchillStLaurent1954. ... Image File history File links ChurchillStLaurent1954. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ... NATO 2002 Summit The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea  Australia  Belgium Canada  Colombia Ethiopia  France Greece  Netherlands  New Zealand  Philippines South Africa  Thailand  Turkey  United Kingdom United States Medical staff:  Denmark  India  Italy  Norway  Sweden Communist states: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea People’s Republic of China  Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee... The Right Honourable Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, CC, OM, MA (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was the fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 22, 1963, to April 20, 1968, and also a 1957 Nobel Laureate. ... Combatants Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 300,000 Casualties 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 650 KIA 2,900 WIA 2... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The first United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was established by United Nations General Assembly to secure an end to the 1956 Suez Crisis with resolution 1001 (ES-I) on November 7, 1956, and in large measure as a result of efforts by secretary general Dag Hammarskjöld and a proposal... Peacekeeping is a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace. ... Lester B. Pearson after accepting the Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is the name of one of five Nobel Prizes bequested by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. ...

St. Laurent was an early supporter of British Prime Minister Clement Atlee's proposal to transform the British Commonwealth from a club of white dominions into a multi-racial partnership. The leaders of the other "white dominions" were less than enthusiastic. It was St. Laurent who proposed the formula of recognizing King George VI as Head of the Commonwealth as a means of allowing India to remain in the international association once it became a republic. Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, FRS (January 3, 1883 - October 8, 1967) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom. ... A dominion, often Dominion, is the territory or the authority of a dominus (a lord or master). ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor) (14 December 1895 - 6 February 1952) became the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Emperor of India, upon the unexpected abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. He reigned from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... The present British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is the second to be recognised as Head of the Commonwealth in the 53 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... For other uses, see Republic (disambiguation). ...

Domestic policy

St. Laurent's government was modestly progressive and fiscally conservative, taking taxation surpluses no longer needed by the wartime military and paying back in full Canada's debts accrued during the First World War, the Great Depression and World War II. With remaining revenues, St. Laurent oversaw the expansion of Canada's social programs, including establishment of the Canada Council to support the arts, and the gradual expansion of social welfare programs such as family allowances, old age pensions, government funding of university and post-secondary education and an early form of Medicare termed Hospital Insurance at the time, that lay the groundwork for Tommy Douglas' healthcare system in Saskatchewan and Pearson's nationwide universal healthcare in the late 1960s. In addition, he modernized and established new social and industrial policies for the country during his time in the prime minister's office. Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... The Great Depression was an economic downturn which started in 1929 and lasted through most of the 1930s. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is an agency of the Government of Canada created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. ... A pension is a steady income given to a person (usually after retirement). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Thomas Clement Douglas, PC, CC, SOM, MA, LL.D (hc) (October 20, 1904 – February 24, 1986) was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician. ...

In 1949, the former lawyer of many Supreme Court cases, St. Laurent ended the practice of appealing Canadian legal cases to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of Great Britain, making the Supreme Court of Canada the highest avenue of legal appeal available to Canadians. In that same year, St. Laurent negotiated the British North America (No. 2) Act, 1949 with Britain which 'partially patriated' the Canadian Constitution, most significantly giving the Canadian parliament the authority to amend portions of the constitution. Also in 1949, following two referenda within the province St. Laurent and Premier Joey Smallwood negotiated the entry of Newfoundland into Confederation The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. ... The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system. ... The British North America Acts 1867–1975 are a series of Acts of the British Parliament dealing with the government of Canada. ... The Newfoundland Referendums of 1948 were a series of two referendums to decide the future of the British Colony of Newfoundland. ... Joey Smallwood (center) Joseph Roberts Joey Smallwood CC (December 24, 1900 - December 18, 1991) was the last Father of Confederation in Canada, bringing Newfoundland into Confederation in 1949. ... Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Official languages English Flower Pitcher Plant Tree Black Spruce Bird Atlantic Puffin Capital St. ... We dont have an article called Canadian-confederation Start this article Search for Canadian-confederation in. ...

In 1952, he appointed Vincent Massey as the first Canadian-born Governor-General. Each of the aforementioned actions were and are seen as significant in furthering the cause of Canadian autonomy from Britain and developing a national identity on the international stage. The Right Honourable Charles Vincent Massey, CC PC (February 20, 1887 - December 30, 1967) was the eighteenth Governor General of Canada and the first who was born in Canada. ... Governor-General (or Governor General) is a term used both historically and currently to designate the appointed representative of a head of state or their government for a particular territory, historically in a colonial context, but no longer necessarily in that form. ...

In 1956, using the Constitutional taxation authority of the federal level of government, St. Laurent's government introduced the policy of "Equalization payments" which redistributes taxation revenues between provinces to assist the poorer provinces in delivering government programs and services, a move that has been considered a strong one in solidifying the Canadian federation, particularly with his home province of Quebec. Equalization payments are cash payments made in some federal systems of government from the federal government to state or provincial governments with the objective of offsetting differences in available revenue or in the cost of providing services. ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor Linné) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of...

The government also engaged in massive public works and infrastructure projects such as building the Trans-Canada Highway (1949), the St. Lawrence Seaway (1954) and the Trans-Canada Pipeline. It was this last project that was to sow the seeds that led to the downfall of the St. Laurent government. Trans Canada Highway over Canada Map The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins all ten provinces of Canada. ... The Saint Lawrence Seaway in its broadest sense (see Great Lakes Waterway) is the system of canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as far as Lake Superior. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

St. Laurent was initially very well-received by the Canadian public, but by 1957, "Uncle Louis" and his government began to appear tired, old and out of touch. The government was also perceived to have grown too close to business interests. The 1956 Pipeline Debate led to the widespread impression that the Liberals had grown arrogant in power when the government invoked closure on numerous occasions in order to curtail debate and ensure that its Pipeline Bill passed by a specific deadline. Western Canadians felt particularly alienated by the government, believing that the Liberals were kowtowing to interests in Ontario and Quebec and the United States. (The opposition accused the government of accepting overly costly contracts that could never be completed on schedule - in the end the pipeline was completed early and under budget). The ensuing uproar in Parliament had a lasting impression on the electorate, and was a decisive factor in the Liberal government's defeat at the hands of the Progressive Conservative Party led by John Diefenbaker in the 1957 election. Because the Liberals were still mostly classically liberal, Diefenbaker promised to outspend the incumbent Liberals, who campaigned on plans to stay the course of fiscal conservatism they had followed through St. Laurent's term in the 1940s and 1950s. The Pipeline Debate (May 8 to June 6, 1956) was one of the pivotal moments in the history of the Parliament of Canada. ... In parliamentary procedure, cloture (pr: KLO-cher) (also called closure, and sometimes a guillotine) is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) (In French: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... John George Diefenbaker, CH, PC, QC, BA, MA, LL.B, LL.D, DCL, FRSC, FRSA, D.Litt, DSL, (18 September 1895 – 16 August 1979) was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada (1957 – 1963). ... The Canadian parliament after the 1957 election The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to elect members of the 23rd Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned at the centre of the political spectrum, combining a progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... Classical liberalism (also called laissez-faire liberalism[1]) is a term used: to label the philosophy developed by early liberals from the Age of Enlightenment until John Stuart Mill [2] to label the revived economic liberalism of the 20th century, seen in work by Friedrich Hayek[3] and Milton Friedman. ...

St. Laurent was the first Prime Minister to live in the present official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada: 24 Sussex Drive, from 1951 to the end of his term in office. The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... Side View of 24 Sussex Drive 24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada. ...

Defeat in the 1957 election

The defeat in the 1957 was marked by controversy within the Liberal party and the Parliament. The Liberals had actually won more popular support (actual votes cast) than the Progressive Conservatives (40.75% Liberals to 38.81% PC), but the Conservatives took the greatest number of seats with 112 PC candidates elected to serve out of the House of Commons 265 seats (42% of the House). The Liberals took 104 seats (39.2%). Some ministers wanted St. Laurent to stay on and offer to form a minority government, following the logic that the popular vote had supported them and even though their Parliamentary minority was smaller than the Conservatives, the Liberals more recent governmental experience would make them a more effective minority. A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when no political party has won a majority of seats in the parliament, typically by the party that does have a plurality. ... This article is about the political process. ...

Another option circulated within the party saw the balance of power to be held by either the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and their 25 seats or Social Credit Party of Canada with their 15. St. Laurent was encouraged by others to reach out to the CCF and at least four of six independent/small party MPs to form a coalition majority government, which would have held 134 of the 265 or 50.1% of the seats in Parliament. St. Laurent, however, decided that the nation had passed a verdict against his government and his party and he resigned as Prime Minister rather than be seen as clinging to office. The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction. ... The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative - populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform. ...

Supreme Court appointments

St. Laurent recommended to the Governor General that the following be appointed as Justice to the Supreme Court of Canada: The Governor General of Canada (French: Gouverneure générale du Canada or Gouverneur général du Canada) is the representative of the Canadian Monarch. ... The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system. ...

• John Robert Cartwright - (December 22, 1949 - March 23, 1970)
• Joseph Honoré Gérald Fauteux - (December 22, 1949 - December 23, 1973)
• Douglas Charles Abbott - (July 1, 1954 - December 23, 1973)
• Patrick Kerwin (Chief Justice) - (July 1, 1954 – February 2, 1963) (appointed a Puisne Justice by Governor General the Baron Tweedsmuir on the advice of R.B. Bennett in 1935)
• Henry Grattan Nolan - (March 1, 1956 - July 8, 1957)

The Right Honourable John Robert Cartwright, PC , CC , MC , LL.D (March 23, 1895 – November 24, 1979) was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in leap years). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... The Right Honourable Joseph Honoré Gérald Fauteux, PC , CC , LL.L (October 22, 1900 – September 14, 1980) was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Douglas Abbott Douglas Charles Abbot (May 29, 1899 – March 15, 1987) was a Canadian Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... The Right Honourable Justice Patrick Kerwin, PC (October 25, 1889 – February 2, 1963), was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. ... The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth- or other countries with an Anglosaxon type of justice, such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the Supreme... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge (pronounced puny) is the title for a regular member of a Court. ... John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, GCMG, GCVO, CH, PC (26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940), was a Scottish novelist and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada. ... Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC , KC, LL.B (July 3, 1870 – June 26, 1947) was the eleventh Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930 to October 23, 1935. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Honourable Henry Grattan Nolan, MC (May 5, 1893 – July 8, 1957) was a Canadian lawyer and jurist. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Retirement

After a short period as Leader of the Opposition and now more than 75 years old, St. Laurent's motivation to be involved in politics was gone. He announced his intention to retire from politics. St. Laurent was succeeded as Liberal Party leader by his former Secretary of State for External Affairs and representative at the United Nations, Lester B. Pearson, at the party's leadership convention in 1958. The Leader of the Opposition (French: Chef de lOpposition) in Canada is the Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons who leads Her Majestys Loyal Opposition (the body in Parliament recognized as the Official Opposition). ... Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE, MA, LL.D. (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who was made a Nobel Laureate in 1957. ... The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. ...

After his political retirement, he returned to practising law and living quietly and privately with his family. During his retirement, he was called into the public spotlight one final time in 1967 for the inception of the award, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada the highest civilian honour for which Canadians are eligible. Seal of the Order of Canada The Order of Canada is Canadas highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Orders Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means (those) desiring a better country. ...

Louis Stephen St. Laurent died on July 25, 1973, in Quebec City, Quebec, aged 91 from natural causes, and was laid to rest at St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery in his hometown of Compton, Quebec. He is survived by grand-daughter Louise Mignault. July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Motto : « Don de Dieu feray valoir Â» (I shall put Gods gift to good use) Site in the province of Quebec Official logo Country  Canada Province Québec Agglomeration Quebec City Statute of the city Capitale-Nationale Administrative Region Capitale-Nationale Constitution date 1833 Geographical code 24 23027 Founder Foundation... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor Linné) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of...

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
• Synopsis of federal political experience from the Library of Parliament
• Order of Canada Citation
• CBC Digital Archives – Uncle Louis and Canada's Golden Age

The Minister of Justice (French: Ministre de la Justice) of Canada is the minister in the Cabinet of Canada who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada. ... The Right Honourable James Lorimer Ilsley (January 3, 1894 - January 14, 1967) was a Canadian politician and jurist. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King, OM, PC, LL.B, Ph. ... Canadas Secretary of State for External Affairs was, from 1909 to 1993, the member of the Cabinet of Canada responsible for overseeing the federal governments international relations and the former Department of External Affairs. ... Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE, MA, LL.D. (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who was made a Nobel Laureate in 1957. ... The Right Honourable James Lorimer Ilsley (January 3, 1894 - January 14, 1967) was a Canadian politician and jurist. ... The Minister of Justice (French: Ministre de la Justice) of Canada is the minister in the Cabinet of Canada who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada. ... Stuart Sinclair Garson (December 1, 1898-May 5, 1977) was a Canadian politician and lawyer. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King, OM, PC, LL.B, Ph. ... The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the head of the Government of Canada. ... John George Diefenbaker (September 18, 1895 - August 16, 1979) was the thirteenth Prime Minister of Canada. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King, OM, PC, LL.B, Ph. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned at the centre of the political spectrum, combining a progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE, MA, LL.D. (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who was made a Nobel Laureate in 1957. ... John George Diefenbaker, CH, PC, QC, BA, MA, LL.B, LL.D, DCL, FRSC, FRSA, D.Litt, DSL, (18 September 1895 – 16 August 1979) was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada (1957 – 1963). ... The Leader of the Opposition (French: Chef de lOpposition) in Canada is the Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons who leads Her Majestys Loyal Opposition (the body in Parliament recognized as the Official Opposition). ... Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE, MA, LL.D. (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who was made a Nobel Laureate in 1957. ... The Right Honourable Ernest Lapointe, PC (October 6, 1876 - November 26, 1941) was a Canadian politician. ... Quebec East is a long time riding in Canadian federal politics. ...

Prime Ministers of Canada
Macdonald | Mackenzie | Abbott | Thompson | Bowell | Tupper | Laurier | Borden | Meighen | King | Bennett | St. Laurent | Diefenbaker | Pearson | Trudeau | Clark | Turner | Mulroney | Campbell | Chrétien | Martin | Harper