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André-Gilles Fortin

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André-Gilles Fortin
Leader of the Social Credit Party
In office
November 7, 1976 – June 24, 1977
Preceded byRéal Caouette
Succeeded byGilles Caouette (acting)
Member of Parliament
for Lotbinière
In office
June 25, 1968 – June 24, 1977
Preceded byAuguste Choquette
Succeeded byRichard Janelle
Personal details
Born(1943-11-13)November 13, 1943
DiedJune 24, 1977(1977-06-24) (aged 33)
Trans-Canada Highway, Quebec, Canada
Political partySocial Credit (1971–1977)
Other political
affiliations
Ralliement Créditiste (1968–1971)
OccupationProfessor[1]

André-Gilles Fortin (November 13, 1943 – June 24, 1977) was a Canadian politician. Fortin was a member of the House of Commons of Canada for Lotbinière. He was first elected in the 1968 federal election for the Ralliement Créditiste, which in 1971 merged with the Social Credit Party of Canada.

Fortin was elected leader of the party on November 7, 1976, after his popular predecessor, Réal Caouette, was forced to resign due to illness.[2] The party was then struggling, having lost almost all its support in the west and in decline in Quebec where its members were divided between support for Canadian federalism and for sovereignty association for Quebec, a position supported by René Matte whom Fortin defeated for the leadership. Fortin's efforts to rebuild the party were cut short when he was killed after only eight months as leader.

Fortin died in a car crash at about three in the morning on June 24, 1977, at the age of 33. It is believed that he fell asleep while driving and his car went off the highway, where it missed a bridge and jumped over a river, slamming into the embankment on the other side. The accident took place on the Trans-Canada Highway between Montreal and Quebec City. At the time of his death, he had two young children.

Réal Caouette's son, Gilles Caouette, became acting leader of the party five days later.

Archives

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There is a André-Gilles Fortin fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[3] Archival reference number is R7123.

Electoral record

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1968 Canadian federal election: Lotbinière
Party Candidate Votes
Ralliement créditiste André-Gilles Fortin 11,302
Liberal Fernand Beaudet 9,743
Progressive Conservative Gérard Ouellet 8,215
New Democratic Marcel Laurin 732
1972 Canadian federal election: Lotbinière
Party Candidate Votes
Social Credit André-Gilles Fortin 21,366
Liberal Henri Brunelle 9,836
Progressive Conservative Pierre Beaudet 4,258
1974 Canadian federal election: Lotbinière
Party Candidate Votes
Social Credit André-Gilles Fortin 21,448
Liberal Normand Bégin 10,885
Progressive Conservative Victor Paul 2,833
New Democratic Nicole Drapeau 504
lop.parl.ca

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Profile".
  2. ^ "Caouette, Joseph-David-Réal". Archived from the original on 3 March 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  3. ^ "André-Gilles Fortin fonds, Library and Archives Canada". Retrieved 25 May 2020.
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Political offices
Preceded by National Leaders of Social Credit
1976-1977
Succeeded by