Gilles_Lamontagne

Gilles Lamontagne

Gilles Lamontagne

Canadian politician

This article is about the politician. For the singer, see Gilles Lamontagne (baritone).

Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne PC OC CQ CD (French pronunciation: [ʒɔzɛf ʒɔʁʒ ʒil klod lamɔ̃taɲ]; April 17, 1919 – June 14, 2016) was a Canadian politician and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.

Quick Facts 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, Monarch ...

Early life

He was born in Montreal. During World War II, Lamontagne served as a bomber pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force with No 425 Squadron[1] and was later shot down over the Netherlands in 1943, being detained as a prisoner of war until May 1945. He ended his air force service with the rank of flight lieutenant. In 1946, he settled in Quebec City and entered the importing business. He became a member of the Rotary Club of Quebec City with his partner and neighbour Jean Poliquin.

Career

He entered politics and was elected mayor of Quebec City in 1965. He held that post until he won a seat in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal Party candidate in a 1977 by-election. In 1978, he entered the Cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, serving briefly as a Minister without Portfolio before becoming Postmaster General. He served in that position until the defeat of the government in the 1979 election. When the Liberals returned to power in the 1980 election, Lamontagne returned to Cabinet as Minister of National Defence.

Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec (1984–90)

In 1984, he left politics to accept the position of Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, and served as the province's viceroy until his retirement in 1990.

Personal life

Lamontagne married Mary Schaefer in 1949 and had four children and five grandchildren. Schaefer died in 2006. Lamontagne died in 2016 at the age of 97.[2] In 1990, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2000, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec and in 2005, a member of l'Ordre des Grands Québécois. He was an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada club student # H15200.

Arms

Coat of arms of Gilles Lamontagne
Notes
The arms of Gilles Lamontagne consist of:[3]
Crest
Above a helm on a wreath Argent and Azure a demi Snowy Owl (Nyctea Scandiaca) displayed of the first gorged with a collar of the second charged with a mullet Argent, each wing charged with two fleurs de lys Azure mantled Azure doubled Argent.
Escutcheon
Azure on a mount between two swords paleways, hilts in base a double-towered fortress gate all Argent, masoned of the first, in chief a coronet of six fleurs de lys, three visible, also Argent.
Supporters
Dexter a Moose (Alces alces) Argent gorged with a collar of maple leaves Gules, sinister a Moose of the first gorged with a collar of fleurs de lys Azure, roses Gules, thistles and shamrocks Vert alternately.
Motto
Deo Favente Vincit Vim Virtus

Archives

There is a Gilles Lamonagne fonds at Library and Archives Canada[4] and the Quebec City archives.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Documents on the loss of Wellington bomber BJ894".
  2. [2]
    "Gilles Lamontagne, former Quebec City mayor, dies".
  3. [3]
    Canadian Heraldic Authority (Volume I), Ottawa, 1988
  4. [4]
    "Gilles Lamontagne fonds, Library and Archives Canada". 20 July 2017.
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