The Honourable Laurier Lapierre O.C., PhD |
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Senator from Ontario | |
In office June 13, 2001 – November 21, 2004 |
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Nominated by | Jean Chrétien |
Personal details | |
Born |
Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada |
November 21, 1929
Died | December 16, 2012 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
(aged 83)
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse(s) | Paula (Jo) Armstrong |
Profession | Author, journalist, historian |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Laurier L. LaPierre, OC (November 21, 1929 – December 16, 2012), was a Canadian Senator, professor, broadcaster, journalist and author. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Fluently bilingual, LaPierre was best known for having been co-host with Patrick Watson of the CBC's influential public affairs show This Hour Has Seven Days in the 1960s. After the show's much publicized cancellation, LaPierre moved to politics as a "star candidate" for the New Democratic Party in the 1968 federal election. The party was hoping that he would help achieve an electoral breakthrough in Quebec, but he came second in the riding of Lachine with 19.5% of the vote.
He returned to teaching, broadcasting and writing until his appointment to the Senate in June 2001. As a member of the Liberal caucus, LaPierre was an outspoken supporter of Jean Chrétien against supporters of rival Paul Martin.
LaPierre was born in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. His family moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec, where he completed high school before entering the Paulist Fathers in Baltimore, Maryland, as a novice. After four years, he moved to St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto. He received a Bachelor of Arts (1955) from the University of Toronto (St. Michael's College), Master of Arts (1957) and Ph.D. in History (1962) from the University of Toronto.