Robert Cliche

Robert Cliche (April 12 1921 — September 15 1978) was a Canadian judge, lawyer and politician, who served as the leader of the New Democratic Party of Quebec, as well as the Quebec lieutenant to federal New Democratic Party leader Tommy Douglas, from 1964 to 1968. The party was not successful in electing candidates to the Canadian House of Commons, and Cliche left the leadership in 1968 to return to law practice.

He studied law at Laval University from 1941 to 1944 and after graduation joined the Royal Canadian Navy as a sailor and left as an officer in 1946. After the Navy he established a general practice. In 1972 he was named assistant chief justice to the provincial court. He subsequently chaired a Royal Commission investigating corruption in Quebec's construction industry. Brian Mulroney, later to become Prime Minister of Canada, was a panelist on the Cliche Commission.

He was married to journalist and novelist Madeleine Ferron from 1945 until his death.

Born and raised in the Beauce region of Quebec, the Robert-Cliche Regional County Municipality was named in his memory.

External links

* [http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001679 Robert Cliche on the Canadian Encyclopedia]