Harry Blank
Harry Blank | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Montréal–Saint-Louis | |
| In office 1960–1966 | |
| Preceded by | Dave Rochon |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Saint-Louis | |
| In office 1966–1985 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Jacques Chagnon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 24, 1925 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Alma mater | McGill University |
| Profession | Lawyer, politician |
| Awards | Queen's Counsel |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Canadian Army |
Harry Blank KC (born May 24, 1925) is a Canadian politician from Quebec and a seven-term member of the National Assembly of Quebec.[1]
Early background
[edit]Blank is Jewish. He was born on May 24, 1925, in Montreal, Quebec, and was the son of Udel Blank and Molly Zinman. He served in the Canadian Army during World War II,[2] serving during the waning months of the war in Europe. He attended college at McGill University and was admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 1950.
Political career
[edit]In the 1960 election, Blank ran as a Liberal candidate in the provincial district of Montréal–Saint-Louis. Even though the Liberal vote was divided between his supporters and those of incumbent Dave Rochon, he narrowly won the election. He was easily re-elected in 1962; and in the district of Saint-Louis he was re-elected in the 1966, 1970, 1973, 1976 and 1981 elections. He was appointed Deputy Vice President of the National Assembly in 1971 and was Vice President (Deputy Speaker) of that institution from 1973 until 1976.
Decline
[edit]In the 1985 election, Official Opposition Leader Robert Bourassa prevented Blank from running as a Liberal candidate and offered the nomination to star candidate Jacques Chagnon.
Blank refused to retire from politics and ran as an Independent candidate. He received 20% of the vote and finished third behind Chagnon, who won the election, and the Parti Québécois candidate.
Retirement
[edit]After his defeat, Blank returned to law practice. He had been named Queen's Counsel in 1971. He still resides in Montreal.
See also
[edit]Footnotes
[edit]- ^ "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
- ^ "Harry Blank (BBHS '41) | Baron Byng High School Museum". www.baronbynghighschool.ca. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- 1925 births
- Living people
- Anglophone Quebec people
- Jewish Canadian politicians
- Lawyers from Montreal
- McGill University alumni
- Politicians from Montreal
- Quebec Liberal Party MNAs
- Canadian King's Counsel
- Vice presidents of the National Assembly of Quebec
- Canadian Army personnel of World War II
- 20th-century Canadian lawyers
- 20th-century members of the National Assembly of Quebec