Louise-Marguerite-Renaude Lapointe | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Louise-Marguerite-Renaude Lapointe

Louise-Marguerite-Renaude Lapointe, politician, journalist (b at Disraeli, Qué 3 Jan 1912; d at Qué 11 May 2002). She obtained her diploma in music from the Dominion College of Music (1927) and certificates in foreign language from Laval (1937-42).

Lapointe, Louise-Marguerite-Renaude

Louise-Marguerite-Renaude Lapointe, politician, journalist (b at Disraeli, Qué 3 Jan 1912; d at Qué 11 May 2002). She obtained her diploma in music from the Dominion College of Music (1927) and certificates in foreign language from Laval (1937-42). She started as a journalist with Le Soleil (1939-59). At first responsible for music criticism and women's issues, she then wrote editorials. She also became a correspondent for Time, Life and the international service of Radio-Canada. After 20 years at Le Soleil she went over to La Presse and then to Le Nouveau Journal.

She published L'Histoire boulerversante de Mgr Charbonneau, which sold 50 000 copies. The death of Le Nouveau Journal (1963) sent her back to La Presse where she became the first woman editorial writer (1965) and was named "journalist of the year." She left the paper (1970) and became an information officer for the federal ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs and Northern Development. She also served on the Commission for Social Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs and was delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in the early 1970s.

Appointed to the Senate 10 November 1971, she was Speaker of the Senate 1974-79; she is the first French Canadian woman to hold this prestigious position. She resigned from the Senate 3 January 1987. In 1989 she was named Companion of the ORDER OF CANADA.