Gilbert Layton

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Gilbert Layton (November 5, 1899 - May 29, 1961) was a businessman and politician in Quebec, Canada.

Layton, the son of Philip Edward David Layton and Alice Marion Gilbert, was a merchant and business executive in the family firm of Layton Brothers from 1918 to 1932. His father was a blind activist who led a campaign for disability pensions in the 1930s. Gilbert's wife's name was Norah.

Gilbert Layton was elected to Quebec's legislative assembly in 1936 as a member of the Union Nationale, a conservative party. He served as minister without portfolio in the government of Maurice Duplessis until resigning in 1939 to protest the Quebec government's opposition to conscription in World War II. He ran for re-election to the legislature as an independent candidate that year and was defeated.

In the 1945 federal election, he ran as an Independent Progressive Conservative for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons, but was defeated. He placed fourth behind the Liberal victor, the official Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidate and the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) candidate.

Gilbert Layton's son, Robert Layton, served as a federal Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in the 1980s. His grandson, Jack Layton, became leader of the New Democratic Party in 2003, and is currently an NDP Member of Parliament.