Edmond Prefontaine

Edmond Préfontaine (July 18, 1898 in St. Pierre, Manitoba – October 9, 1971) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a Liberal-Progressive from 1935 to 1962, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Douglas L. Campbell. His father, Albert Préfontaine, had previously served in the Assembly for twenty-nine years, and was a cabinet minister in John Bracken's government.

Fluently bilingual, Préfontaine was educated at the University of Manitoba and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1918. He worked as a farmer, and as a breeder of pure Holsteins. He also served as director of the Winnipeg District Milk Producers Cooperative Association.

The Préfontaines were prominent Franco-Manitoban family in the Conservative Party during World War I. Although popular opinion among Canadian francophones was generally against the war, Edmond Préfontaine enlisted for service on May 12, 1918, following his graduation. He spent four months at the Petawawa Training Camp, and might have served overseas had the war not come to an end. After the war, the Préfontaines left the Conservative Party for the United Farmers of Manitoba, and later for the Liberal-Progressives.

After Albert Préfontaine died in 1935, Edmond campaigned to succeed him in the rural constituency of Carillon. He was successful, defeating his sole opponent, Louis-P. Gagnon, by 155 votes. A Liberal-Progressive, he was a backbench supporter of Bracken's government.

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