Pierre-François Casgrain

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Pierre-François Casgrain, PC (August 4, 1886August 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 Liberal Party of Quebec.

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
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
George William Kyte
Chief Government Whip
1924-1926
Succeeded by
William Alves Boys
Preceded by
William Alves Boys
Chief Government Whip
1927-1930
Succeeded by
Thomas Edward Simpson