Pierre-François Casgrain
Pierre-François Casgrain, PC (August 4, 1886 – August 2, 1950) was a Canadian politician and Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons from 1936 to 1940.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, his father was a physician. Following the death of his mother when he was three years old, he was raised by his grandmother. Casgrain graduated in law from Université Laval and practiced in Montreal where he worked as an organizer for the Liberal Party of Canada and the Quebec Liberal Party.
When his father-in-law, Sir Rodolphe Forget, the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Charlevoix, retired from politics, Casgrain decided to run for the seat as a Liberal in the 1917 election. The campaign occurred as a result of the Conscription Crisis of 1917. Casgrain ran as an opponent of the draft (see Laurier Liberals, and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons.
From 1921 to 1925, Casgrain was the parliamentary whip of the Quebec Liberal caucus, and from 1926 to 1936, he was the Chief Whip of the Liberal caucus.
Casgrain was nominated by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King to be Speaker of the House in 1936. He served in this position until 1940 when he was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Canada, a position that had sweeping emergency powers during World War II. In 1941, Casgrain was given a judicial appointment, and retired from politics. He died in 1950.
Casgrain's wife, Thérèse Casgrain, was a prominent political figure in her own right.
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| Parliament of Canada | ||
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| Preceded by
The electoral district was
created in 1914. |
Member of Parliament for Charlevoix—Montmorency 1917–1925 |
Succeeded by The electoral district was abolished in 1924. |
| Preceded by
The electoral district was
created in 1924. |
Member of Parliament for Charlevoix—Saguenay 1925–1941 |
Succeeded by Frédéric Dorion |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chief Government Whip 1924-1926 |
Succeeded by William Alves Boys |
| Preceded by | Chief Government Whip 1927-1930 |
Succeeded by Thomas Edward Simpson |
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1The department was eliminated in 1993 when the government was reorganized. The position of Secretary of State for Canada was not legally eliminated until 1996 when its remaining responsibilities were assigned to other cabinet positions and departments, particularly the newly created position of Minister of Canadian Heritage.
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