Gilbert Layton
{{Short description|Canadian politician and businessman}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Gilbert Layton
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| office = Minister without portfolio
| premier = Maurice Duplessis
| alongside = Antonio Élie, Thomas J. Coonan, Thomas Chapais
| term_start = August 26, 1936
| term_end = October 5, 1939
| predecessor = Position established
| successor = Position abolished
| office1 = Member of the
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
for Montréal–Saint-Georges
| term_start1 = August 17, 1936
| term_end1 = October 25, 1939
| predecessor1 = Charles Ernest Gault
| successor1 = George Gordon Hyde {{small|(Westmount–Saint-Georges)}}
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1899|11|05}}
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1961|05|29|1899|11|05}}
| death_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| resting_place = Mount Royal Cemetery
| nationality = Canadian
| party = Union Nationale
| spouse = Norah Lestelle England
| children = Robert Layton
| residence = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Politician
| profession = {{hlist|Merchant|businessman|activist}}
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Gilbert Layton (November 5, 1899 – May 29, 1961) was a Canadian politician and businessman in Quebec, Canada.
Background
Layton was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Alice Marion (Gilbert) and Philip Edward David Layton, who were English immigrants.https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Building_the_Orange_Wave/f22qBAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Jack%27s+great+-+grandfather+,+English+immigrant+Philip+E.+Layton%22&pg=PA1989&printsec=frontcover His father was a blind activist who led a campaign for disability pensions in the 1930s. Gilbert was a merchant and business executive in the family firm of Layton Brothers (founded 1887, now as Layton Audio) from 1918 to 1932. He married Norah Lestelle England (daughter of Arthur John England and Florence Louise Grimmett) on February 18, 1921.
Member of the legislature
Gilbert Layton was elected to Quebec's legislative assembly in the riding of Montréal–Saint-Georges in 1936 as a member of the Union Nationale, a conservative party. He served as minister without portfolio in the government of Maurice Duplessis until resigning in 1939 to protest the Quebec government's opposition to conscription in World War II.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-journal-w-r-bulloch-breaks/149339761/ |title=W. R. Bulloch Breaks With Duplessis |newspaper=Ottawa Journal |place=Montreal |agency=CP |page=13 |date=1939-10-05 |publication-date=1939-10-06 |access-date=2024-06-14 |via=Newspapers.com}} He ran for re-election to the legislature as an independent candidate that year and was defeated.
Federal politics
In the 1945 federal election, he ran as an Independent Progressive Conservative for the Mount Royal seat in the House of Commons of Canada, but was defeated. He placed fourth behind the Liberal victor, the official Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidate and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) candidate.
Death
Layton died in Montreal and is buried at Mount Royal Cemetery.
Descendants
{{Main|Layton family}}
Gilbert Layton's son, Robert Layton, served as a federal Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in the 1980s. His grandson, Jack Layton, was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and was Leader of the Official Opposition for a short time in 2011 until he died in office. His great-grandson is Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton.
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{Quebec MNA biography|layton-gilbert-4049}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Layton, Gilbert}}
Category:Businesspeople from Montreal
Category:Independent candidates in the 1945 Canadian federal election
Category:Politicians from Montreal
Category:Union Nationale (Quebec) MNAs
Category:Burials at Mount Royal Cemetery
Category:20th-century members of the National Assembly of Quebec