Joseph Daigle (New Brunswick politician)

The Honourable Joseph Daigle CM KC
Chief Justice of New Brunswick
In office 1998–2003
Preceded by	William L. Hoyt
Succeeded by	J. Ernest Drapeau
MLA for Kent North
In office 1974–1982
Preceded by	Riding established
Succeeded by	Conrad Landry
Personal details
Born	Joseph Zénon Daigle (1934-06-23) June 23, 1934 Saint-Charles, New Brunswick, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Rhéa April
Children	4 children
Parent(s)	Antoine J. Daigle & Laura Daigle
Education	St. Joseph's College, University of New Brunswick, University of Paris
Occupation	Lawyer, judge, politician

Joseph Zénon Daigle, CM KC (born June 23, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and a former politician and Chief Justice of New Brunswick.

Early life and education

Of Acadian descent, Daigle was born in Saint-Charles, New Brunswick, and educated in his native province. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph's College and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree from the University of New Brunswick before he studied public international law at the University of Paris in France. He entered private practise in 1960 and served as a provincial court judge from 1967 to 1974, when he entered politics.

Political career

In the 1974 New Brunswick general election, Daigle was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Liberal Party candidate for the newly created riding of Kent North. In 1978 he became leader of the provincial Liberal party and assumed the role of Opposition Leader in the Assembly.

In the 1978 election, Daigle was personally reelected while leading his party to a narrow loss. His Liberals garnered 44.36 per cent of the popular vote, just 0.03 per cent less than the winning Progressive Conservatives, and captured twenty-eight seats to the Conservative's thirty. Dissension arose within his caucus following the party's election loss in which 3.5 per cent of the popular vote went to the Parti Acadien, a party made up mainly of disgruntled former Liberals. He also attracted criticism for a campaign speech in which he referred to Premier Richard Hatfield as a "faded pansy", alluding to the Conservative leader's then-rumoured homosexuality.

Judicial career

Daigle resigned as leader and withdrew from political life, returning to the practice of law. In 1982, he was appointed Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick and was named its Chief Justice in 1994. He was appointed Chief Justice of New Brunswick in 1998, serving until 2003 when he was elected supernumerary status.

Retirement and later life

In 2004, the Government of Canada appointed Daigle as chair of its Miramichi and Acadie—Bathurst Electoral Boundaries Commission that successfully dealt with what had become a contentious political issue.

In December 2015, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada.

External links

• Biography and cartoons for Joseph Daigle at the Government of New Brunswick Archives
• Biography, The Court of Appeal of New Brunswick