Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, CC, GOQ ( born February 18, 1916 in Montreal, Quebec; † August 12, 1999 ) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. From 1954 to 1957 and from 1960 to 1986 he was mayor of Montreal.
Biography
Jean Drapeau is the son of Joseph- Napoléon Drapeau and Alberta ( Berthe ) Martineau and was born in 1916 in Montreal. His father was an insurance salesman, a member of the city council and national election workers for the Union. Jean Drapeau studied at the University of Montreal law and was active politically for the first time in the entering against conscription organization Ligue pour la défense du Canada (→ Conscription Crisis of 1944). He joined in 1942 and 1944 unsuccessfully as a candidate for the nationalist Bloc Populaire. He began in 1944 as a defense lawyer in Montreal in 1949 and defended several activists of the so-called asbestos strike, a dispute takes several months of asbestos -depleting miners.
Drapeau distinguished himself by publishing a commonly known as the Pax Plante corruption case in the early 1950s. When his office gave this episode the mayor Camillien Houde, Drapeau followed him then at the age of 37 years. In 1957, he lost against Sarto Fournier, who was supported by the influential Prime Minister of Quebec Maurice Duplessis province. Drapeau was founded in 1960 with 53% re-elected mayor. He was a member of the founded in the same year ( and 1994 resolution ) Local Party Parti Civique de Montréal.
During his tenure, Jean Drapeau initiated largely the construction of the Montreal Metro, the Art Centre Place des Arts and the World Exhibition Expo 67 To support the expenses, he created in 1968 the first state lottery, which he himself described as a "voluntary tax". The provincial government took up the idea later on and led the company in 1970 in the Loto -Québec.
Drapeau used the Missile Crisis, to bring his political opponents during the municipal elections in October 1970 into disrepute by accusing them to be sympathizers and supporters of the terrorist Front de libération du Québec. Some members of the opposition, including his main opponents were arrested after the election. The 1970s were overshadowed by the preparations for the Olympic Summer Games 1976. Scandals and massive cost overruns forced the provincial government to intervene. But the construction of the Olympic Stadium, the tower remained unfinished until 1987, cost 770 million Canadian dollars. Critical also Drapeaus decision was taken to remove the eight -kilometer Kunstweg Corridart after the games. The public criticism of the city government and Drapeau grew and led in 1974 to the formation of a new opposition party. The now over two decades reigning Drapeau suffered a stroke on June 20, 1986. Of these, in poor health, he presented himself in 1986 no longer re-election. The former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appointed Drapeau to the Canadian UNESCO ambassador in Paris.
Jean Drapeau died in 1999 at the age of 83 years in Montreal and was buried in the cemetery of Notre- Dame-des- Neiges. One of the biggest parks in Montreal, Parc Jean Drapeau -, bears his name, as well as the metro station Jean- Drapeau.