Bryce Mackasey

Bryce Stuart Mackasey PC (August 25, 1921 – September 5, 1999) was a Canadian politician and diplomat. He served as twice a Member of Parliament, as a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec, and as ambassador to Portugal.

The Honourable Bryce Mackasey PC
Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs
In office April 8, 1976 – September 13, 1976
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	André Ouellet
Succeeded by	Tony Abbott
Postmaster General of Canada
In office August 8, 1974 – September 13, 1976
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	André Ouellet
Succeeded by	Jean-Jacques Blais
Minister of Manpower and Immigration
In office January 28, 1972 – November 26, 1972
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Otto Lang
Succeeded by	Bob Andras
Minister of Labour
In office July 5, 1968 – January 27, 1972
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Jean-Luc Pépin
Succeeded by	Martin O'Connell
Minister without portfolio
In office February 9, 1968 – July 4, 1968
Prime Minister	Lester B. Pearson Pierre Trudeau
Member of Parliament for Lincoln
In office February 18, 1980 – September 3, 1984
Preceded by	Ken Higson
Succeeded by	Shirley Martin
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
In office November 15, 1976 – April 25, 1978
Preceded by	William Tetley
Succeeded by	Reed Scowen
Member of Parliament for Verdun
In office June 18, 1962 – October 27, 1976
Preceded by	Ken Higson
Succeeded by	Shirley Martin
Personal details
Born	Bryce Stuart Mackasey (1921-08-25)August 25, 1921 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Died	September 5, 1999(1999-09-05) (aged 78) Verdun, Quebec, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Margaret Cecilia O’Malley ​ ​ (m. 1942)​
Children	4
Education	McGill University Sir George Williams University
Profession	Manufacturer merchant businessman

Career

Born in Quebec City, Quebec, Mackasey was elected as a Liberal candidate in the riding of Verdun in the 1962 federal election. He was re-elected in the 1963, 1965, 1968, 1972, and 1974 elections. He resigned in 1976 to run in the Quebec provincial election that year, and was elected to the Quebec National Assembly for the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. He resigned in 1978 to run in a federal by-election in the riding of Ottawa Centre, but was defeated. From 1978 to 1979, he served briefly as President of Air Canada. He was re-elected in the riding of Lincoln in the 1980 election.

Mackasey held numerous ministerial positions including Labour, Manpower and Immigration, Secretary of State, Postmaster General of Canada and Consumer and Corporate Affairs.

Controversy

When Mackasey left office in 1984 Prime Minister John Turner appointed him Ambassador to Portugal; this led to Conservative leader Brian Mulroney's famous comment about patronage, "There's no whore like an old whore". Mulroney canceled the appointment shortly after he was elected and appointed former Speaker of the House Lloyd Francis in Mackasey's place.

Awards

In 1970, Mackasey received an honorary doctorate from Sir George Williams University, which later became Concordia University.

External links

• Bryce Mackasey – Parliament of Canada biography
• "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.