Léo Richer La Flèche, PC, DSO (April 16, 1888 – March 7, 1956) was a Canadian general, civil servant, diplomat, and politician.
Born in Concordia, Kansas, he served with the 22nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I as a captain and major. In 1917, he was awarded the D.S.O. and the Légion d'honneur of France. He later became Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding the District Depot No. 4, Montreal. He would achieve the rank of Major General.[1] From 1932 to 1940, he was Deputy Minister of National Defence, and would briefly serve as Military Attaché to Paris before the German invasion.
From 1940 to 1942, he was the Associate Deputy Minister of War Services and was chairman of the National Film Board from 1941 to 1943.[2]
He was elected as the Liberal candidate to the Canadian House of Commons for the Quebec electoral district of Outremont in a 1942 by-election called after the current MP, Thomas Vien, resigned. He defeated Jean Drapeau, future mayor of Montreal.[3] From 1942 to 1945, he was the Minister of National War Services in the cabinet of Mackenzie King.
He was the first Canadian ambassador to Greece from 1945 to 1949. He also served in Australia, Argentina, and Uruguay.[4] In 1941, he received an honorary LL.D. from the University of Ottawa.[5]
| Parliament of Canada | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Vien |
Member of Parliament for Outremont 1942–1945 |
Succeeded by Édouard-Gabriel Rinfret |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by John Kennett Starnes |
Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Greece 1945–1949 |
Succeeded by George Loranger Magann |
| Preceded by Kenneth Alfred Greene |
Canadian High Commissioner to Australia 1949–1950 |
Succeeded by Carman Millward Croft |
| Preceded by Lionel Victor Joseph Roy |
Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Argentina 1952–1955 |
Succeeded by Louis Phillippe Picard |
| Preceded by None |
Canadian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Uruguay 1952–1955 |
Succeeded by Fulgence Charpentier |
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