J. Elmer Blanchard

BLANCHARD, Q.C., J. ELMER, lawyer; b. 6 March 1927 in Charlottetown, son of J. Henri Blanchard and Ursule Gallant; m. 17 September 1955 Jean Aylward of Tignish, and they had four children, Yvette, Denyse, Adnenne, and Alfred; Roman Catholic; d. 20 September 1970 while tuna fishing off the coast of eastern Prince Edward Island. Blanchard, a Liberal, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1966 for 5,h Queens. He was re-elected in the general election of 1970. He was defeated in the general election of 1962. On 28 July 1966, Blanchard was appointed Minister of Labour and Manpower Resources. He was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General in 1969, and died while in office. Blanchard's grandfather, Jeremiah Blanchard*, also served in the Legislative Assembly, and was appointed a Minister without Portfolio. His father, Dr. J. Henri Blanchard, was a well-known Acadian historian and vice-principal and professor at Prince of Wales College. Blanchard received his early education at the Model School and the Queen Square School. He then attended Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan's University. Following university he studied law in the office of H. F. MacPhee. Blanchard was admitted to the Bar in 1953 and was named Queen's Counsel in 1966. He served in a variety of executive positions with the Prince Edward Island Law Society and the Canadian Bar Association. Blanchard served as president of the Charlottetown Junior Board of Trade and was Private Secretary to Lieutenant-Governor W. J. MacDonald. He was a member of the Charlottetown Club, the United Services Officers Club, the Knights of Columbus, and the Charlottetown Board of Trade. He also held the rank of Captain of the Supplementary Reserve Canadian Army. He died suddenly on 20 September 1970 while tuna fishing in waters off eastern Prince Edward Island, in the company of then-premier Alex Campbell* and Minister of Fisheries Bruce Stewart". Jean Blanchard was born on 26 November 1931 and is the daughter of Austin Aylward and Alma Donahue of Pleasant View. She resides in Charlottetown.