Jean-Baptiste Lauzon (March 15, 1858 – June 18, 1944) was a politician in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. He served in the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

on three occasions: from 1897 to 1899, from 1907 to 1910, and from 1914 to 1915. Lauzon was a member of the Conservative Party. Lauzon was born on March 15, 1858, in

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(now

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). He was educated at Pointe Claire College, and moved to Manitoba to work as a cattle dealer. He first sought election to the Manitoba legislature in the 1896 provincial election and lost to

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

candidate James Prendergast in the constituency of

St. Boniface Boniface, OSB (born Wynfreth; 675 –5 June 754) was an English Benedictine monk and leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of Francia during the eighth century. He organised significant foundations of the church i ...

, 357 votes to 278. Prendergast resigned shortly after the election, and Lauzon was elected to take his place in the legislature in a

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

held on February 7, 1897. He defeated Liberal candidate S.A.D. Bertrand by 388 votes to 208, and sat with the Conservative caucus on the opposition benches of the legislature. The Conservatives won a majority government in the 1899 provincial election, though Lauzon lost his St. Boniface constituency to S.A.D. Bertrand by twenty-five votes. He attempted to return to the legislature in the 1903 campaign for the rural constituency of

La Vérendrye La Vérendrye, La Verendrye or Verendrye may refer to: People *Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye (1685–1749), French Canadian military officer, fur trader and explorer, often called simply "La Vérendrye". His sons were: **Jean ...

, but lost to Liberal incumbent William Lagimodière by a margin of only eleven votes. Lauzon was re-elected in the 1907 provincial election, defeating Lagimodière by twenty-three votes. He served as a backbench supporter of

Rodmond Roblin Sir Rodmond Palen Roblin (February 15, 1853 – February 16, 1937) was a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada. Early life and career Roblin was born in Sophiasburgh, in Prince Edward County, Canada West (later Ontario). The Robl ...

's government for the next three years, and lost to Liberal candidate William Molloy by nine votes in the 1910 campaign. Lauzon was elected to the legislature for a third time in the 1914 provincial election, defeating Liberal candidate Philippe Adjutor Talbot by 228 votes. He again served as a backbench supporter of Roblin's government. In 1915, Roblin's administration was forced to resign after a commission established by the

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of legislative contracts. A new election was called, which the Liberals won in a landslide. Lauzon lost the La Vérendrye constituency to Talbot by 155 votes.

References

Manitoba Historical Society profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lauzon, Jean-Baptiste 1858 births 1944 deaths Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs Franco-Manitoban people 19th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba