Jean-Baptiste Lauzon

Background

Lauzon was born on March 15, 1858, in Pointe Claire, Canada East (now Quebec).

Education

He was educated at Pointe Claire College, and moved to Manitoba to work as a cattle dealer.

Career

He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba on three occasions: from 1897 to 1899, from 1907 to 1910, and from 1914 to 1915. He first sought election to the Manitoba legislature in the 1896 provincial election and lost to Liberal candidate James Prendergast in the constituency of Saint Boniface, 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 held on February 7, 1897.

He defeated Liberal candidate South.A.D. Bertrand by 388 votes to 208, and sat with the Conservative caucus on the opposition benches of the legislature.

He attempted to return to the legislature in the 1903 campaign for the rural constituency of Louisiana Verendrye, but lost to Liberal incumbent William Lagimodiere by a margin of only eleven votes. Lauzon was re-elected in the 1907 provincial election, defeating Lagimodiere by twenty-three votes.

He served as a backbench supporter of Rodmond P. Roblin"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 found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of legislative contracts. Lauzon lost the Louisiana Verendrye constituency to Talbot by 155 votes.

Achievements

• The Conservatives won a majority government in the 1899 provincial election, though Lauzon lost his the Saint Boniface constituency to S.A.D. Bertrand by twenty-five votes. A new election was called, which the Liberals won in a landslide.

Membership

Lauzon was a member of the Conservative Party.