Jean Marchand

Politician

  • Born: December 20, 1918
  • Birthplace: Champlain, Quebec
  • Died: August 28, 1988
  • Place of death: Saint-Augustin, Quebec

Contribution: Jean Marchand was a Canadian politician and trade unionist who served for more than seventeen years in the Parliament of Canada. He held numerous positions in the Canadian House of Commons as well as the Senate, including cabinet posts. Marchand supported bilingual relations and helped shape labor relations and trade unionism in Canada.

Early Life and Education

Marchand was born on December 20, 1918, in Champlain, Quebec. He studied at the Académie Commerciale de Québec and later earned a degree in labor relations from Laval University in Quebec City. In 1944, Marchand began his career in labor relations when he joined the Confederation of Catholic Workers (CTCC), where he worked as an adviser and labor organizer. He later became secretary-general of the CTCC.

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As a labor organizer in the late 1940s, during a strike by asbestos miners in Quebec, Marchand met Pierre Trudeau, a future prime minister of Canada, then a young lawyer involved with various activist causes. The two men formed a long-standing friendship that would have an important effect on their respective careers.

Meanwhile, Marchand continued as secretary-general of the CTCC. In 1961, he took the CTCC into a new phase and formed the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CNTU). As the first president of the newly formed CNTU, Marchand took labor and bicultural relations to a new level by allowing non-Catholics and non-francophones to join the union.

Political Career

Marchand’s political career began in 1965, when he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the Quebec West, Quebec, electoral district as a member of the Liberal Party. In future elections, Marchand was twice elected to the House of Commons for the electoral district of Langelier, Quebec. He resigned from the House of Commons in 1976 to protest the government’s policy against francophone pilots communicating with air-traffic controllers in French.

On the advice of his friend Pierre Trudeau, who had become prime minister in 1968, Marchand was then appointed to the Canadian Senate as the representative for De la Vallière, Quebec. During his time in the Senate, Marchand was a member of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; the Special Committee on the Constitution; and the Standing Committee on Transport and Communications. At various times, he also served as minister of citizenship and immigration, minister of regional economic expansion, and secretary of state of Canada.

From 1964 to 1965, Marchand helped develop anglophone-francophone relations as a member of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. He also served for three years as Speaker of the Senate. In recognition of his public service, Marchand was made a companion of the Order of Canada in 1986.

Personal Life

Jean Marchand married Georgette Guertin in 1942. The couple had one daughter, Marie-Eve. Marchand died at the age of sixty-nine on August 28, 1988, in Saint-Augustin, Quebec.

Bibliography

Behiels, M. D. “Jean Marchand.” Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica-Dominion, n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2013.

Burns, John F. “Jean Marchand, Canadian Politician, Dies at 69.” New York Times. New York Times, 30 Aug. 1988. Web. 2 Aug. 2013.

Fraser, Graham. “Revealed: How FLQ Rocked Trudeau Cabinet.” Toronto Star 24 Apr. 2001: A2. Print.

“Jean Marchand (1918–1988): Syndicaliste, homme politique.” Bilan du Siècle. Bilan du Siècle, n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2013.

“Marchand, the Hon. Jean, PC, CC.” PARLINFO. Lib. of Parliament, n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2013.