Hédard Robichaud

Hédard Joseph Robichaud PC OC (November 2, 1911 – August 16, 1999) was an Acadian-Canadian Member of Parliament, Cabinet member, Senator and the first Acadian to be Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.

The Honourable Hédard Robichaud PC OC
Official 1966 portrait
Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
In office October 8, 1971 – December 23, 1981
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governors General	Roland Michener Jules Léger Edward Schreyer
Premier	Richard Hatfield
Preceded by	Wallace Samuel Bird
Succeeded by	George Stanley
Senator for Gloucester, New Brunswick
In office June 28, 1968 – October 8, 1971
Appointed by	Pierre Trudeau
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Gloucester
In office August 10, 1953 – June 25, 1968
Preceded by	Albany Robichaud
Succeeded by	Herb Breau
Personal details
Born	Hédard Joseph Robichaud (1911-11-02)November 2, 1911 Shippagan, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	August 16, 1999(1999-08-16) (aged 87) Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Parent	Jean George Robichaud (father)

Born in Shippagan, New Brunswick, the son of Jean George Robichaud and Amanda Boudreau, he received a B.A. from the Université Saint-Joseph, later the University of Moncton, in 1931.

He first ran for the House of Commons as a Liberal candidate in a 1952 by-election in the riding of Gloucester, New Brunswick and lost. He was elected in the 1953 federal election, and was re-elected in the 1957, 1958, 1962, 1963 and 1965 elections. From 1963 to 1968, he was the Minister of Fisheries.

In 1968, he was appointed to the Senate representing the Senatorial division of Gloucester, New Brunswick. He resigned in 1971 to become the 24th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick. He served in that position until 1981.

In 1985, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.^[1]

He was the husband of Gertrude Léger (1916-2011) and the father of nine.

Electoral record

v t e 1965 Canadian federal election: Gloucester
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	14,121	60.61	+3.15
	Progressive Conservative	J. Léo Hachey	6,351	27.26	+7.82
	New Democratic	Martin Kierans	2,826	12.13
Total valid votes			23,298	100.00

v t e 1963 Canadian federal election: Gloucester
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	13,344	57.46	+0.40
	Social Credit	Joseph Dubé	5,365	23.10
	Progressive Conservative	Leo Ferguson	4,515	19.44	-23.50
Total valid votes			23,224	100.00

v t e 1962 Canadian federal election: Gloucester
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	13,519	57.06	+4.23
	Progressive Conservative	Antonio Robichaud	10,174	42.94	-4.23
Total valid votes			23,693	100.00

v t e 1958 Canadian federal election: Gloucester
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	13,112	52.83	-5.04
	Progressive Conservative	J. Léo Hachey	11,705	47.17	+5.04
Total valid votes			24,817	100.00

v t e 1957 Canadian federal election: Gloucester
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	13,052	57.87	+0.28
	Progressive Conservative	J. Léo Hachey	9,502	42.13	+0.91
Total valid votes			22,554	100.00

v t e 1953 Canadian federal election: Gloucester
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	13,330	57.59	+9.89
	Progressive Conservative	Albany Robichaud	9,542	41.22	-11.08
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Alphonse Landry	276	1.19
Total valid votes			23,148	100.00

Canadian federal by-election, 26 May 1952
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
On Clovis-Thomas Richard's acceptance of an office of emolument under the Crown, 5 March 1952
	Progressive Conservative	Albany Robichaud	11,245	52.30	+22.08
	Liberal	Hédard Robichaud	10,256	47.70	-22.08
Total valid votes			21,501	100.00