Maurice Bellemare
| Maurice Bellemare | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Champlain | |
|
In office 1944–1970 |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph-Philias Morin |
| Succeeded by | Normand Toupin |
| Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Johnson | |
|
In office 1974–1979 |
|
| Preceded by | Jean-Claude Boutin |
| Succeeded by | Camille Picard |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
8 June 1912 Grand-Mère, Quebec |
| Died | 15 June 1989 (aged 77) Grand-Mère, Quebec |
| Political party | Union Nationale |
Maurice Bellemare, OC (8 June 1912 – 15 June 1989) was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was known as Le Vieux Lion de la Politique Québécoise (The Old Lion of Quebec Politics) because of his colourful style and his many years of public office. Bellemare was one of the last survivors of the Union Nationale party.
Born in Grand-Mère, Quebec, Bellemare served seven consecutive terms as Member of the Legislative Assembly for the district of Champlain in the Mauricie area. He was a member of the Union nationale and first was elected in the 1944 provincial election at the age of 32, when Maurice Duplessis was put back in office as Premier of Quebec.
Bellemare served as the Deputy Government House Whip, from the 1948 provincial election to 1953, and as the Government House Whip, from 1953 to 1959.
He also was the mayor of Saint-Jean-des-Piles, a small town in the Mauricie area, from 1954 to 1957.
After the Duplessis's death in 1959, Paul Sauvé became Premier. He appointed Bellemare to the Cabinet as Minister without Portfolio. The function is honorary for the most part, but indicates that Bellemare was gaining political clout. Bellemare remained in the Cabinet until the Liberals won a majority in the 1960 election.
As a Member of the Official Opposition, Bellemare was soon considered one of the Lesage administration’s most vocal and most effective critics.
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