Léo Cadieux

Joseph Alphonse Léo Cadieux, PC OC (May 28, 1908 – May 11, 2005) was a Canadian politician.

The Hon.

Léo Cadieux
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Terrebonne
In office
1962–1968
Preceded byMarcel Deschambault
Succeeded byJoseph-Roland Comtois
17th Minister of National Defence
In office
September 18, 1967 – September 16, 1970
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Pierre Trudeau
Preceded byPaul Hellyer
Succeeded byCharles Drury (Acting)
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Labelle
In office
1968–1970
Preceded byGaston Clermont
Succeeded byMaurice Dupras
Personal details
Born
Joseph Alphonse Léo Cadieux

(1908-05-28)May 28, 1908
Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Canada
DiedMay 11, 2005(2005-05-11) (aged 96)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Monique Cadieux
ResidenceOttawa

A newspaper journalist and publisher who was born in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Cadieux was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Terrebonne, Quebec in the 1962 election.

In 1965, he was appointed to the Cabinet by Prime Minister Lester Pearson as Associate Minister of National Defence. In 1967, he was promoted to Minister of National Defence (and the first Francophone to hold the post), and remained in that position under Pearson and then Pierre Trudeau until he retired from politics in 1970.

On his retirement from Parliament, he was appointed Canada's Ambassador to France. He remained Canada's envoy until 1975.

During Cadieux's tenure as Defence Minister, Canada cut its troop commitment to Europe from 10,000 to 5,000 troops and ended Canada's commitment to send re-enforcements to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Central Front following a review of Canadian defence priorities. In Cabinet debates on Canada's attitude towards nuclear deterrence, Cadieux argued in support of the doctrine. He also oversaw the reorganization of the Canadian Emergency Measures Organization, Canada's civil defence agency.

In 1974, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Paul André Beaulieu		 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France
1970–1975		 Succeeded by
Hon. Gérard Pelletier
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