Henri Courtemanche

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Henri Courtemanche, P.C., (August 7, 1916 - March 19, 1986) was a Canadian parliamentarian.

Courtemanche, a lawyer by profession, was first elected as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Labelle, Quebec in the 1949 federal election. He was defeated in 1953 but returned to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1957 federal election that brought the Progressive Conservatives to power under John Diefenbaker with a minority government. He was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.^[1]

Diefenbaker elevated Courtemanche to his Cabinet as Secretary of State for Canada following the 1958 federal election that returned the Tories with a majority government. On January 20, 1960, Courtemanche resigned from Cabinet, reportedly for health reasons,^[2] and was appointed to the Senate.^[1]

In 1961, he became the centre of a scandal when a former hospital administrator alleged that Courtemanche was paid a 10% kickback on all government grants made to a Montreal hospital in the mid-1950s.^[3] Courtemanche claimed that the $66,000 he received in total were legal fees for his services.^[4]. He subsequently said the money was paid as a fee for his lobbying efforts.^[5]

Ultimately, Courtemanche resigned his Senate seat on December 22, 1961, less than two years into his appointment, after an investigation into his activities found him "unworthy" of public office.^[6]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Federal Political Experience, Parliament of Canada
2. ^ Ministerial Resignations, Parliament of Canada
3. ^ "Charge $25,000 paid Quebec Senator in Hospital Kickback: Ex-State Secretary Denies Payoffs", Toronto Star, page A1, June 17, 1961
4. ^ "$66,000 All Legal Fees -- Senator", Toronto Star, page A1, June 22, 1961
5. ^ "Got paid for lobbying, no kickbacks -- Senator", Toronto Star, page A1, June 23, 1961
6. ^ "Senator Resigns Post: Acts Found `Unworthy'", Toronto Star, page A1, December 22, 1961