Frédéric Dorion facts for kids
Frédéric Dorion (born August 23, 1898 – died July 15, 1981) was an important politician and judge from Quebec, Canada. He led a group of independent politicians in the House of Commons of Canada. These politicians were against the idea of conscription during World War II. Conscription meant forcing people to join the army.
Early Life and Education
Frédéric Dorion studied at Laval University. But he left school early to join the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. After the war, he became a lawyer in Quebec City. He worked for his family's law firm.
In the 1930s, he helped organize the Conservative Party in Quebec. His brother, Charles Napoléon Dorion, was also a Conservative politician. Another brother, Noël Dorion, later became a Progressive Conservative politician.
Political Career and Views
Frédéric Dorion was strongly against conscription during World War II. He believed people should not be forced to join the army. In 1942, he ran as an independent candidate in an election for the area of Charlevoix—Saguenay. He won this election.
In 1944, Dorion and another independent politician, Sasseville Roy, formed a group called the "Independent Group." This was a loose political party for politicians who were against conscription. Dorion was their leader. Three other politicians from Quebec who also opposed conscription joined them: Liguori Lacombe, Wilfrid Lacroix, and Emmanuel D'Anjou.
The group believed that the main political parties, like the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives, were too focused on controlling other countries. They wanted to protect the interests of people in Quebec. Dorion even said that the Liberal party was secretly working with the communist party.
Later, the leader of Quebec, Maurice Duplessis, supported Dorion and his group. This happened because Duplessis did not like another political group called the Bloc populaire. Dorion was re-elected as an independent politician in the 1945 federal election.
In 1949, Dorion decided to join the Progressive Conservative Party. He helped lead their election campaign in the Quebec City area. However, he lost the election in 1949 and again in 1953.
Later Career as a Judge
In 1963, Frédéric Dorion was appointed as a judge. He became the chief justice of the Quebec Superior Court. This meant he was the main judge in that court. He served in this important role for ten years.
He is most famous for writing the 1965 Dorion Report. This report was about corruption in the federal government. Dorion was asked to lead a special investigation into claims of bribery and unfair actions by government assistants. This investigation was known as the Rivard Affair.
See also
- Bloc populaire canadien
