August 5, 1940 - Camilien Houde - a podcast by Stephen Hammond

Montreal Mayor Camilien Houde arrested for sedition. While most Canadians take pride in the role their country played during both world wars, many Quebecers saw the wars as unnecessary British colonial battles. That made World War II conscription contentious to men like Montreal Mayor Camilien Houde. He had a political career at the provincial, federal and municipal levels. From 1929 until 1932, Houde was leader of the Quebec Conservative Party. In 1949 he became an independent Member of Parliament after unsuccessfully running as a federal Conservative. But Houde was also mayor of Montreal, elected in 1928, 1934 and 1938. A long time opponent to conscription, Houde was quoted urging his constituents to ignore the National Registration Act. Three days later, on August 5, 1940, Houde was arrested under the War Measures Act for sedition. He was held at internment camps in Petawawa, Ontario and Gagetown, New Brunswick. On his release on August 18, 1944, Houde was met by thousands of cheering Montrealers. He won the 1944 mayor’s election and kept that job until 1954. Houde died in 1958.

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