Eric Kierans was born on 2 February 1914, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to Irish immigrant parents. He grew up in a working-class neighborhood and attended Loyola College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in commerce.
After graduation, Kierans worked for several years in the family fur and leather business before leaving to pursue a career in politics. He joined the Liberal Party of Canada and was elected to the House of Commons in 1962, representing the riding of Saint-Laurent.
During his early life, Kierans was a passionate supporter of the cooperative movement and believed in the power of community organizing. He was also committed to social justice issues and worked to improve the lives of working-class Canadians.
Kierans became president of the Quebec Liberal Party and clashed with former cabinet minister and colleague René Lévesque in 1967, daring him to give up the idea of Quebec separatism or quit the Liberal Party. Lévesque later quit the Liberal Party and established the Mouvement Souveraineté-Association, which became Quebec's leading sovereigntist party as the Parti Québécois.
Initially a critic of Walter L. Gordon's economic nationalism, Kierans' experience in government changed his mind, and he became a believer in the need for state intervention in the economy.
Kierans called for Canada to leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1969. He argued that the organization might have served a useful purpose on its initial formation but had since become anachronistic.[1] Some others with the Trudeau government agreed with Kierans, but others strongly disagreed. The Trudeau government ultimately kept Canada in NATO but reduced Canada's troop deployment.
^"Eric William Kierans fonds, Library and Archives Canada". 20 July 2017.
External linksedit
Globe and Mail obituary
Toronto Star obituary
Eric Kierans – Parliament of Canada biography
"Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
March 17, 2024
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Eric Kierans news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Eric William Kierans PC OC 2 February 1914 10 May 2004 was a Canadian economist and politician The HonourableEric KieransPC OCKierans in a Montreal Star article in 1966Minister of CommunicationsIn office 1 April 1969 28 April 1971Prime MinisterPierre TrudeauPreceded byOffice establishedSucceeded byJean Pierre Cote acting Postmaster General of CanadaIn office 6 July 1968 31 March 1969Prime MinisterPierre TrudeauPreceded byJean Pierre CoteSucceeded byJean Pierre CoteMember of Parliamentfor DuvernayIn office 25 June 1968 29 October 1972Preceded byRiding createdSucceeded byYves DemersMember of the National Assembly of Quebec for Notre Dame de Grace Montreal Notre Dame de Grace 1963 1966 In office 25 September 1963 31 May 1968Preceded byPaul EarlSucceeded byWilliam TetleyPersonal detailsBornEric William Kierans 1914 02 02 2 February 1914Montreal Quebec CanadaDied10 May 2004 2004 05 10 aged 90 Montreal Quebec CanadaPolitical partyLiberalOther politicalaffiliationsNew DemocraticSpouseTeresa Whelan m 1938 died 2003 wbr Children2Alma materLoyola College BA McGill UniversityOccupationProfessorEconomist Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Archives 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editEric Kierans was born on 2 February 1914 in Montreal Quebec Canada to Irish immigrant parents He grew up in a working class neighborhood and attended Loyola College where he earned a bachelor s degree in commerce After graduation Kierans worked for several years in the family fur and leather business before leaving to pursue a career in politics He joined the Liberal Party of Canada and was elected to the House of Commons in 1962 representing the riding of Saint Laurent During his early life Kierans was a passionate supporter of the cooperative movement and believed in the power of community organizing He was also committed to social justice issues and worked to improve the lives of working class Canadians He died on 10 May 2004 at the age of 90 Career editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message After serving as director of the school of commerce at McGill University and president of the Montreal Stock Exchange Kierans entered provincial politics in 1963 Nicknamed the Socialist Millionaire he was appointed Minister of Revenue and then Minister of Health in the Quebec Liberal government of Quebec Premier Jean Lesage during the Quiet Revolution Kierans became president of the Quebec Liberal Party and clashed with former cabinet minister and colleague Rene Levesque in 1967 daring him to give up the idea of Quebec separatism or quit the Liberal Party Levesque later quit the Liberal Party and established the Mouvement Souverainete Association which became Quebec s leading sovereigntist party as the Parti Quebecois Initially a critic of Walter L Gordon s economic nationalism Kierans experience in government changed his mind and he became a believer in the need for state intervention in the economy In 1968 Kierans entered federal politics running unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada at its 1968 leadership convention He was elected to the House of Commons in the 1968 federal election Kierans served as Postmaster General and Minister of Communications in the cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau He did not run for re election in the 1972 election partly as a result of his criticisms of Trudeau s economic policy Kierans called for Canada to leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO in 1969 He argued that the organization might have served a useful purpose on its initial formation but had since become anachronistic 1 Some others with the Trudeau government agreed with Kierans but others strongly disagreed The Trudeau government ultimately kept Canada in NATO but reduced Canada s troop deployment He considered running for the leadership of the New Democratic Party in 1975 but declined in favour of Ed Broadbent After leaving politics Kierans taught at McGill and Dalhousie University In the 1980s he became a familiar voice appearing with Dalton Camp and Stephen Lewis as part of a weekly political panel on Peter Gzowski s Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio show Morningside In 1994 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada Archives editThere is an Eric William Kierans fonds at Library and Archives Canada 2 References edit Winnipeg Free Press 27 January 1969 p 9 Eric William Kierans fonds Library and Archives Canada 20 July 2017 External links editEric Kierans 90 Globe and Mail obituary Eric Kierans 90 Politician respected for candour Toronto Star obituary Order of Canada Citation Eric Kierans Parliament of Canada biography Biography Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Quebec de 1792 a nos jours in French National Assembly of Quebec Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eric Kierans amp oldid 1211423037, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
