Henri Courtemanche

{{short description|Canadian politician (1916-1986)}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Hon.

| name = Henri Courtemanche

| honorific-suffix =

| image =

| constituency_MP = Labelle

| parliament = Canadian

| predecessor = Maurice Lalonde

| successor = Gustave Roy

| term_start = 1949

| term_end = 1953

| predecessor2 = Gustave Roy

| successor2 = Gaston Clermont

| term_start2 = 1957

| term_end2 = 1960

| office3 = Senator for Rougemont, Quebec

| appointed3 = John Diefenbaker

| predecessor3 = Elie Beauregard

| successor3 = Jacques Flynn

| term_start3 = January 20, 1960

| term_end3 = December 22, 1961

| birth_date = {{birth date|1916|8|7}}

| birth_place = Mont-Laurier, Quebec

| death_date = {{death date and age|1986|3|19|1916|8|7}}

| death_place =

| nationality =

| spouse =

| party = Progressive Conservative

| relations =

| children =

| residence =

| alma_mater =

| occupation =

| profession =

| religion =

}}

Henri Courtemanche, {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|PC}} (August 7, 1916 – March 19, 1986) was a Canadian parliamentarian.

Born in Mont-Laurier, Quebec, the son of Victor Courtemanche and Louise Massé, he was educated at the Académie de Mont-Laurier, the Séminaire de St. Joseph de Mont-Laurier, the Collège Saint-Laurent and the Université de Montréal. Courtemanche was called to the Quebec bar in 1947 and practised law in Mont-Laurier and Montreal. In 1945, he married Gisèle Paquette,{{cite book |title=The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967 |last=Johnson |first=J.K. |year=1968 |publisher=Public Archives of Canada}} the daughter of Joseph-Henri-Albiny Paquette.[http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fra/Membres/notices/o-p/PAQUJHA.htm Biography of Albiny Paquette] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081129111118/http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fra/membres/notices/o-p/paqujha.htm |date=2008-11-29 }} {{in lang|fr}}

Courtemanche was first elected as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Labelle, Quebec, in the 1949 federal election. He was defeated in 1953 but returned to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1957 federal election. He had announced that he would run in the election as a "Nationalist Independent" - and ran and was elected as an "Independent Progressive Conservative". However, the election brought the Progressive Conservatives to power under John Diefenbaker with a minority government and Courtemanche rejoined the party within weeks of its election victory and was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=11451|nolist=yes}}

Diefenbaker elevated Courtemanche to his Cabinet as Secretary of State for Canada following the 1958 federal election that returned the Tories with a majority government. On January 20, 1960, Courtemanche resigned from Cabinet, reportedly for health reasons,[http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/MinResign.asp?Language=E Ministerial Resignations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060716042207/http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/MinResign.asp?Language=E |date=2006-07-16 }}, Parliament of Canada and was appointed to the Senate.

In 1961, he became the centre of a scandal when a former hospital administrator alleged that Courtemanche was paid a 10% kickback on all government grants made to a Montreal hospital in the mid-1950s."Charge $25,000 paid Quebec Senator in Hospital Kickback: Ex-State Secretary Denies Payoffs", Toronto Star, page A1, June 17, 1961 Courtemanche claimed that the $66,000 he received in total were legal fees for his services."$66,000 All Legal Fees -- Senator", Toronto Star, page A1, June 22, 1961 He subsequently said the money was paid as a fee for his lobbying efforts."Got paid for lobbying, no kickbacks -- Senator", Toronto Star, page A1, June 23, 1961

Ultimately, Courtemanche resigned his Senate seat on December 22, 1961, less than two years into his appointment, after an investigation into his activities found him "unworthy" of public office."Senator Resigns Post: Acts Found `Unworthy'", Toronto Star, page A1, December 22, 1961