Roch La Salle | |
|---|---|
| Leader of theUnion Nationale | |
| In office January 19, 1981 – June 6, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Michel Le Moignan (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Marc Béliveau |
| Minister of State (Without Portfolio) | |
| In office September 17, 1984 – February 19, 1987 | |
| Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney |
| Preceded by | Jack Austin (1982) |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Minister of Public Works | |
| In office September 17, 1984 – June 29, 1986 | |
| Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney |
| Preceded by | Charles Lapointe |
| Succeeded by | Stewart McInnes |
| Minister of Supply and Services Receiver General for Canada | |
| In office June 4, 1979 – March 2, 1980 | |
| Prime Minister | Joe Clark |
| Preceded by | Pierre de Bané |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Jacques Blais |
| Member of Parliament forJoliette | |
| In office August 17, 1981 – November 21, 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Gaby Larrivée |
| In office June 25, 1968 – March 16, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1928-08-06)August 6, 1928 Saint-Paul,Quebec, Canada |
| Died | August 20, 2007(2007-08-20) (aged 79) Saint-Charles-Borromée,Quebec, Canada |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative (1965–1971; 1974–1988) Independent (1971–1974) |
Roch La SallePC (August 6, 1928 – August 20, 2007) was aCanadian politician from the province ofQuebec. He represented the riding ofJoliette in theHouse of Commons of Canada for 20 years. A popular figure, he was re-elected six times during his tenure.[1]
Born in St-Paul, La Salle had a career in public relations and sales when he first attempted to win a parliamentary seat as aProgressive Conservative in the1965 federal election, running inJoliette—L'Assomption—Montcalm. He was defeated, but won on his next attempt in the renamed riding of Joliette in the1968 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 leaderRobert Stanfield's rejection of the concept that Canada was composed of "two nations" (deux nations) and that Quebec had the right toself-determination.[2] He was re-elected as an independent candidate in the1972 election with the support of theseparatistParti Québécois.[3] He returned to the Tory caucus in early 1974.[4]
Along withHeward Grafftey, he was one of only two Tory MPs elected from Quebec in the1979 election that brought the Conservatives to power underJoe Clark.[5] La Salle served asMinister of Supply and Services in the short-lived (1979–80) Clark government.[6]
La Salle was the only Quebec Tory MP returned in the1980 election, only surviving in his own riding by 389 votes. In early 1981, he resigned his seat in order to move to provincial politics and take the leadership of theUnion Nationale (UN) political party prior to the1981 Quebec provincial election.[7] 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.[8] Instead, he ran in the neighbouring riding of Berthier. The Union Nationale lost all five of its remaining seats as the PQ won a crushing victory.[9] He then ran in aby-election that was called later that year to fill the vacancy his resignation had created, and won handily.[10]
When the Tories again formed government after the1984 election, this time underBrian Mulroney, La Salle becameMinister of Public Works. He resigned fromCabinet in 1987 after being charged with accepting abribe andinfluence peddling.[11] He denied any wrongdoing, but did not run in the1988 election. The criminal case against him was eventually dropped.
La Salle died on 20 August 2007 in a hospital inSaint-Charles-Borromée. He was 79 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.[2]
| Parliament of Canada | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None | Member of Parliament for Joliette 1968–1988 | Succeeded by |
| 24th Ministry – Cabinet ofBrian Mulroney | ||
| Cabinet post (1) | ||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Charles Lapointe (Liberal) | Minister of Public Works 1984–1986 | Stewart McInnes (PC) |
| 21st Ministry – Cabinet ofJoe Clark | ||
| Cabinet post (1) | ||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Pierre De Bané (Liberal) | Minister of Supply and Services 1979–1980 | Jean-Jacques Blais (Liberal) |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Michel Le Moignan (interim) | Leader of theUnion Nationale 1981 | Succeeded by |