Huguette Lachapelle

Huguette Lachapelle (October 28, 1942 – December 15, 2021) was a Canadian politician. Lachapelle served in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1981 to 1985, representing the Montreal riding of Dorion as a member of the Parti Québécois (PQ).[1]

Early life and career

Lachapelle was born in Saint-Basile, Quebec. She was a graduate of the Elie Business College à Montréal and was a parliamentary aide for PQ cabinet minister Lise Payette from 1976 to 1981.[1][2]

Legislator

Lachapelle was elected to the Quebec legislature in the 1981 provincial election. She was subsequently elected to the PQ party executive in December 1981, appointed one of three deputy government whips in René Lévesque's government on September 22, 1982, and promoted to chief government whip on December 4, 1984. She served in the latter position until October 23, 1985.[2][3][4]

Lévesque resigned as PQ leader and premier in 1985, and Lachapelle supported Pierre-Marc Johnson's successful bid to succeed him.[5] When asked about rival candidate Pauline Marois's prospects of winning, Lachapelle responded that she did not believe Quebecers were ready for a woman to be premier. Johnson distanced himself from this statement, and some political observers believed that it helped to increase Marois's public profile.[6][7][8]

Lachapelle was defeated in the 1985 provincial election, losing by a narrow margin to Liberal candidate Violette Trépanier.[9]

After politics

Lachapelle worked in Quebec's justice department from 1986 until her retirement in 2002.[1] She died on December 15, 2021, at the age of 79.[10]

Electoral record
1985 Quebec general election: Dorion
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalViolette Trépanier12,72451.71
Parti QuébécoisHuguette Lachapelle10,22641.56
New DemocraticPaul Comtois6532.65
Progressive ConservativeRobert Zambito2901.18
Parti indépendantisteNormand Lacasse2681.09
HumanistAlain Despaties1550.63
CommunistLine Chabot760.31
United Social CreditRéal Bastien660.27
Commonwealth of CanadaM. Luisa Grau560.23
Christian SocialistAndré St-Arnaud550.22
N/A (Workers)Mario Caluori360.15
Total valid votes 24,605
Rejected and declined votes 453
Turnout 25,058 74.58
Electors on the lists 33,601
Source: Official Results, Le Directeur général des élections du Québec.
1981 Quebec general election: Dorion
Party Candidate Votes%
Parti QuébécoisHuguette Lachapelle14,55151.54
LiberalHenri-François Gautrin12,65744.83
Union NationaleFrançois Lefebvre5241.86
Workers CommunistSuzanne Barbeau Foisy1610.57
WorkersGilles Frenière1140.40
Marxist–LeninistGinette Boutet880.31
IndependentRaymond Beaudoin740.26
United Social CreditFernand Bélisle660.23
Total valid votes 28,235100.00
Rejected and declined votes 666
Turnout 28,90182.58
Electors on the lists 34,997
Source: Official Results, Le Directeur général des élections du Québec.
  • "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.

References
  1. "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
  2. David Wimhurst, "Dorion: Three candidates feel they can win riding," Montreal Gazette, 29 November 1985, p. 7.
  3. "Top PQ executives to run unopposed," Globe and Mail, 9 November 1981, p. 22
  4. "PQ whips shuffled," Globe and Mail, 24 September 1982, p. 4
  5. "Johnson welcomes challenge but says he'll win leadership," Montreal Gazette, 24 July 1985, p. 5.
  6. "Duhaime decides to stay out of PQ race," Montreal Gazette, 25 July 1985, p. 4
  7. "Bouquets and brickbats," Montreal Gazette, 27 July 1985, p. 2
  8. "Marois hoping to avoid woman as also-ran role," Ottawa Citizen, 21 September 1985, p. 2.
  9. "All but five island seats go Liberal," Montreal Gazette, 3 December 1985, p. 1.
  10. "Boisseau, Huguette". LaPresse.ca. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
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