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Victory of Maurice Duplessis in the Quebec Provincial Election (1944)

Black and white photograph showing Maurice Duplessis with some papers in his hands. Two of his sisters are standing on his left. The two others are standing on his right.

Appartenance Mauricie Société d’histoire régionale, Le Nouvelliste Fonds (N9769-017). Unknown photographer.

The 1944 provincial election played out against the backdrop of the conscription crisis. Maurice Duplessis and his Union nationale party were able to capitalize on the issue. Their campaign rhetoric painted the outgoing Liberal premier, Adélard Godbout, as a puppet of the federal government. Although the Liberals received more votes than the Union nationale (523,316 compared to 505,661), they only managed to win 37 seats. The Union nationale won a total of 48.

Surrounded by his sisters, Maurice Duplessis celebrated his election victory. Like many other women, they likely voted for their brother despite his opposition to women’s suffrage.

When the photograph appeared in Le Nouvelliste in 1944, the reporter identified the four women as Mrs. Robert Grant, Mrs. Henri Balcer, Mrs. Edouard Langlois and Mrs. Edouard Bureau. At the time, it was common practice for newspapers to use the full name of a woman’s husband, without mentioning either her given or maiden name.