Liberal Promises & Results

The Richelieu-Vercheres by-election in Quebec was the showdown. Having lost three by-elections in a row, the Liberal Party had to win this one. Otherwise there was talk that Prime Minister Mackenzie King might soon call a general election, which the Liberals were by no means sure they could win.

Everything seemed to be right. The riding had been Liberal for more than half a century. The party's candidate was Sorel's young (34), personable Gerard Cournoyer, law partner and political heir apparent of the late P. J. A. Cardin, who had not been beaten in 35 years. Furthermore, the opposition looked feeble. The Union des Electeurs had put up Roland Corbeil, a Social Crediter. The Progressive Conservative was Etienne Duhamel, who was a candidate only because of the new Progressive Conservative policy of entering a runner, no matter how lame, in every race.

Cournoyer started out well, campaigning like the old Cardin hand he was. Behind his well-heeled machine stood Sorel's potent Simard Brothers, Quebec's biggest industrialists, whose shipyard and two plants dominate the riding. Then, a week before the election, the Liberals got a shock: a spot survey showed a strong trend toward Social Crediter Corbeil.

Prime Minister King, who had been keeping in close touch by phone, rushed in the first team, trained to the minute on political promises. With no preliminary warning, it showed up at a Liberal rally in the Simard-owned Sorel Theater.

External Affairs Minister Louis St. Laurent promised Quebec 73 seats (instead of the present 65) in the House, under the new redistribution plan. Finance Minister Doug Abbott, who speaks French like, a Frenchman, promised taxation relief. Transport Minister Lionel Chevrier promised that Quebeckers would get an "equitable" share of Dominion Government contracts. Solicitor General Joseph Jean did no promising but plenty of praising.

When the votes were counted last week, Liberal Cournoyer was way out in front with 11,988. Corbeil got only 6,130, Duhamel 1,876.

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