Viateur Éthier

Viateur Éthier (June 27, 1915 – July 19, 1976) was a businessman and political figure in Ontario, Canada. He represented Glengarry—Prescott in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal member from 1962 to 1972. He was born in Sainte-Justine-de-Newton, Quebec in 1915, the son of Albert Éthier, and studied there and at Dalkeith, Ontario. He married Marcelle Touchette in 1948. Éthier owned a bakery in Dalkeith.[1]

Viateur Éthier
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Glengarry—Prescott
In office
1962–1972
Preceded byOsie Villeneuve
Succeeded byDenis Éthier
Personal details
Born(1915-06-27)June 27, 1915
Sainte-Justine-de-Newton, Quebec
DiedJuly 19, 1976(1976-07-19) (aged 61)
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Marcelle Touchette
RelationsDenis Éthier, brother

His brother Denis was elected to the House of Commons for the same seat in 1972 and represented the riding until 1984.

Altercation with a CBC cameraman

On July 9, 1969, Éthier hit a CBC cameraman in the jaw, after he had questioned the bilingual nature of Canada. As Éthier was leaving the House of Commons, he asked a question in French to CBC cameraman Jim Primerous. M. Primerous responded that he didn't speak French. Éthier was annoyed by this response, and proceeded to lecture the cameraman about the importance of being bilingual when working for a crown corporation. At this, Primerous replied “but is it a bilingual country?”. Éthier thought this response was insolent, especially two days after the adoption of the Official Languages Act, and he was not able to hold back his fist.[2]

References
  1. Histoire des Comtes Unis de Prescott et de Russell, L. Brault (1963)
  2. "Le Bilinguisme a parfois des arguments frappants". La Presse. July 10, 1969. p. 2.


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