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The Honourable Jean Marchand, 1980-1983

The Senate commissions a portrait of every Speaker in recognition of the procedural and protocol importance of that role — a tradition that predates Confederation.     

The subject of this portrait, the Honourable Jean Marchand, was a prominent union leader in Quebec and later a member of Parliament and cabinet minister throughout the 1960s and 1970s. 

Mr. Marchand was appointed to the Senate in 1976 and named Speaker in 1980. As Speaker, he successfully pressed the Upper Chamber to create the position of acting Speaker — or Speaker pro tempore — who would fill in for the Speaker during an absence. Mr. Marchand resigned from the Senate in 1983. 

The Speaker can choose the artist for whom they would like to sit; Mr. Marchand chose Canadian painter Joyce Devlin. Born in British Columbia and based in Ontario, Ms. Devlin is known for vibrant paintings and juxtaposing abstract collage with images of landscapes. 

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