Wilfrid Lacroix

Wilfrid Lacroix (6 March 1891 – 30 August 1970) was a member of the House of Commons of Canada 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.

Wilfrid Lacroix
Member of Parliament
for Québec—Montmorency
In office
October 1935 – March 1958
Preceded byCharles-Napoléon Dorion
Succeeded byRobert Lafrenière
Personal details
Born(1891-03-06)6 March 1891
Quebec City, Quebec
Died30 August 1970(1970-08-30) (aged 79)
Quebec City, Quebec
Political partyLiberal
Independent Liberal
Professionarchitect

Lacroix was born in Quebec City, Quebec and worked as an architect in the early 20th century.[1] 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.[2][3][4]

He was first elected at the Québec—Montmorency riding in the 1935 general election[1][5] 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.[6]

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".[7][8] 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."[9][10]

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.[11][12] 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 Labor-Progressive Party.[13] 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.[14]

References
  1. Noppen, Luc; Jobidon, Hélène; Trépanier, Paul (1990). Québec monumental, 1890–1990 (in French). Septentrion. p. 182. ISBN 978-2-921114-42-4. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  2. "About the Musée". Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  3. "A park in the city". The National Battlefields Commission. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  4. Noppen, Luc; Jobidon, Hélène; Trépanier, Paul (1990). Québec monumental, 1890–1990 (in French). Septentrion. p. 50. ISBN 978-2-921114-42-4. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  5. "Details of Results". The Globe and Mail. 15 October 1935. pp. 1–2.
  6. "History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Québec—Montmorency, Quebec (1924–1966)". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  7. Miller, Frieda (1997). Open Hearts – Closed Doors – Teacher's Guide (PDF). Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. p. 17. ISBN 1-895754-27-5.
  8. Hamerow, Theodor S. (2008). Why We Watched. W. W. Norton. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-393-06462-9. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  9. "1939: 'Canada at the side of Britain'". The CBC Digital Archives Website. CBC Radio. 3 September 1939. Retrieved 20 June 2009. Last updated: 5 December 2008.
  10. "Canada Has Decided". The Globe and Mail. 11 September 1939. Retrieved 20 June 2009. Via Canadian Museum of Civilization digital collections.
  11. "Quebec Solon Shouts 'Treason'". Deseret News. Associated Press. 25 November 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  12. "Canada at War: THE DOMINION: Chaotic Compromise". Time. 4 December 1944. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  13. Flaherty, Frank (29 January 1949). "Anti-Red Bill By Lacroix Adds Section to Code". The Globe and Mail. p. 3.
  14. The Canadian Press (1 September 1970). "Wilfrid Lacroix". The Globe and Mail. p. 37.
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