Gilles Lamontagne

This article is about the politician. For the singer, see Gilles Lamontagne (baritone).

Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne PC OC CQ CD (French: [ʒozɛf ʒɔʁʒ ʒil klod lamɔ̃taɲ]; April 17, 1919 – June 14, 2016) was a Canadian politician and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.

The Honourable Gilles Lamontagne PC OC CQ CD
24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
In office March 28, 1984 – August 9, 1990
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governors General	Edward Schreyer Jeanne Sauvé Ray Hnatyshyn
Premier	René Lévesque Pierre-Marc Johnson Robert Bourassa
Preceded by	Jean-Pierre Côté
Succeeded by	Martial Asselin
Minister of National Defence
In office March 3, 1980 – August 11, 1983
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Allan McKinnon
Succeeded by	Jean–Jacques Blais
Minister of Veterans Affairs
Acting October 1, 1980 – September 21, 1981
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Daniel J. MacDonald
Succeeded by	W. Bennett Campbell
Postmaster General of Canada
In office February 2, 1978 – June 3, 1979
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Jean-Jacques Blais
Succeeded by	John Allen Fraser
Minister without portfolio
In office January 19, 1978 – February 1, 1978
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Member of Parliament for Langelier
In office May 24, 1977 – March 26, 1984
Preceded by	Jean Marchand
Succeeded by	Michel Côté
Mayor of Quebec City
In office December 1, 1965 – December 1, 1977
Preceded by	Wilfrid Hamel
Succeeded by	Jean Pelletier
Personal details
Born	Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne (1919-04-17)April 17, 1919 Montreal, Quebec
Died	June 14, 2016(2016-06-14) (aged 97) Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Mary Schaefer ​ ​ (m. 1949; died 2006)​
Occupation	Merchant
Military service
Allegiance	Canada
Branch/service	Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service	1941-1945
Rank	Flight Lieutenant / Bomber Pilot
Awards	Canadian Forces' Decoration Order of Canada National Order of Quebec

Early life

He was born in Montreal. During World War II, Lamontagne served as a bomber pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force with No 425 Squadron and was later shot down over the Netherlands in 1943, being detained as a prisoner of war until May 1945. He ended his air force service with the rank of flight lieutenant. In 1946, he settled in Quebec City and entered the importing business. He became a member of the Rotary Club of Quebec City with his partner and neighbour Jean Poliquin.

Career

He entered politics and was elected mayor of Quebec City in 1965. He held that post until he won a seat in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal Party candidate in a 1977 by-election. In 1978, he entered the Cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, serving briefly as a Minister without Portfolio before becoming Postmaster General. He served in that position until the defeat of the government in the 1979 election. When the Liberals returned to power in the 1980 election, Lamontagne returned to Cabinet as Minister of National Defence.

Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec (1984–90)

In 1984, he left politics to accept the position of Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, and served as the province's viceroy until his retirement in 1990.

Personal life

Lamontagne married Mary Schaefer in 1949 and had four children and five grandchildren. Schaefer died in 2006. Lamontagne died in 2016 at the age of 97. In 1990, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2000, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec and in 2005, a member of l'Ordre des Grands Québécois. He was an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada club student # H15200.

Arms

Coat of arms of Gilles Lamontagne

Notes The arms of Gilles Lamontagne consist of: Crest Above a helm on a wreath Argent and Azure a demi Snowy Owl (Nyctea Scandiaca) displayed of the first gorged with a collar of the second charged with a mullet Argent, each wing charged with two fleurs de lys Azure mantled Azure doubled Argent. Escutcheon Azure on a mount between two swords paleways, hilts in base a double-towered fortress gate all Argent, masoned of the first, in chief a coronet of six fleurs de lys, three visible, also Argent. Supporters Dexter a Moose (Alces alces) Argent gorged with a collar of maple leaves Gules, sinister a Moose of the first gorged with a collar of fleurs de lys Azure, roses Gules, thistles and shamrocks Vert alternately. Motto Deo Favente Vincit Vim Virtus

Archives

There is a Gilles Lamonagne fonds at Library and Archives Canada and the Quebec City archives.

See also

• List of mayors of Quebec City

External links

• Gilles Lamontagne – Parliament of Canada biography