Robert Cliche facts for kids

Robert Cliche (born April 12, 1921, died September 15, 1978) was an important Canadian person. He worked as a lawyer, a politician, and later became a judge.

Early Life and Education

Robert Cliche was born and grew up in a place called Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, in the Beauce region of Quebec. He went to Laval University to study law. He studied there from 1941 to 1944.

After finishing his studies, during World War II, he joined the Royal Marines. He started as a sailor and became an officer before leaving in 1946. In 1946, he started his own law practice in Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce. This meant he helped people with legal problems.

His Time in Politics

Robert Cliche was also involved in politics. At first, he supported the Liberal Party until 1960. In the early 1960s, he joined a different political group called the New Democratic Party (NDP).

• In September 1963, he became a leader in the federal NDP. At that time, Tommy Douglas was the main leader.
• In March 1965, Cliche was chosen to lead the New Democratic Party of Quebec.
• He ran for election to the House of Commons of Canada twice. He was a candidate for the NDP in the 1965 federal election in the Beauce area. He also ran in the 1968 federal election in Duvernay.
• Even though he got many votes, his party did not win seats in Quebec during those elections.
• In 1968, Robert Cliche decided to leave his leadership roles in the NDP. He went back to working as a lawyer.

Becoming a Judge

On July 27, 1972, the Minister of Justice, Jérôme Choquette, announced that Robert Cliche would become a judge. He officially started his job as a judge on September 5, 1972. He worked as an assistant chief justice in the Provincial Court.

In 1974 and 1975, he led a special group called a Royal Commission. This commission looked into how trade unions worked in Quebec's construction industry. Trade unions are groups that protect workers' rights. Two other important people on this commission were Brian Mulroney and Guy Chevrette.

Family and Books

Robert Cliche was married to a journalist and writer named Madeleine Ferron. They were married from 1945 until he passed away. Their son, David Cliche, later became a politician too. He served in the National Assembly of Quebec.

Robert Cliche also wrote books with his wife. They published Quand le peuple fait la loi (which means "When the people make the law") in 1972. They also wrote Les Beaucerons ces insoumis (which means "The Beaucerons, these rebels") in 1974.

Legacy

Robert Cliche passed away in Quebec City in 1978 when he was 57 years old. Later that year, he was honored with an award called the Order of La Pléiade.

Many things were named after him to remember his contributions:

• The Robert-Cliche Regional County Municipality in Quebec.
• A part of Autoroute 73, a major highway south of Quebec City.
• A literary award called the Prix Robert-Cliche.