Mark Robert Drouin

Mark Robert Drouin, PC QC (October 24, 1903 – October 12, 1963) was Speaker of the Canadian Senate from 1957 until 1962.

Drouin was born in Quebec City and educated at the Séminaire de Québec and Université Laval. He trained as a lawyer and was called to the Quebec bar in 1926 ultimately becoming senior partner in the firm of Drouin, Drouin, Bernier and Vaillancourt. He became secretary of the Quebec bar in 1934.

He was also a hockey enthusiast and served as vice-president of Quebec's senior amateur hockey league for more than two decades. He was also director of the National School of Theatre and helped gain the 1967 World's Fair for Montreal (which became known as Expo 67).

Drouin ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1949 federal election against Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent in the riding of Quebec East but was defeated by St. Laurent by 18,000 votes. He also served as chairman of the Quebec Conservative Association in 1949, 1953 and 1957 and as first vice-president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 1955 and was the only French Canadian to support John Diefenbaker's candidacy to lead the Progressive Conservatives at their 1956 leadership convention.

The Conservatives took power following the 1957 federal election and Diefenbaker, as prime minister, had Drouin appointed to the Canadian Senate on October 4, 1957 and named him Speaker of the Senate despite his lack of parliamentary experience.

During his tenure he served as joint-president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, chairman of the Canada-NATO Parliamentary Association and the chairman of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Association.

Drouin retired as Speaker in 1962 and was appointed to the Privy Council. He died a year later.

References

Senate Biography

Speakers of the Senate of Canada Cauchon J. Ross Cauchon Botsford Cauchon Chauveau Christie Wilmot Macpherson Botsford Macpherson Miller Plumb Allan Lacoste J. J. Ross Pelletier Power Dandurand Kerr Landry Bolduc Bostock Hardy Blondin Foster Parent Vien King Beauregard Robertson Drouin White Bourget Smith Deschatelets Fergusson Lapointe Grosart Marchand Riel Charbonneau LeBlanc Molgat Hays Kinsella Nolin