Alcide Courcy

Courcy first ran for the Liberals in the 1952 election, but was defeated by Émile Lesage of the Union Nationale. Four years later, Courcy defeated Lesage to become the MNA for Abitibi-Ouest.^[2] While the Liberals were in opposition, Courcy acted as the chief organizer for the party between 1958 and 1960.^[1] Upon the Liberal Party's victory in the 1960 election, Courcy served as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Colonization from 1960 until 1962 when the two ministries were merged.^[1]

As Minister of Agriculture, Courcy streamlined services for farmers, decentralizing agricultural services for farmers in remote areas.^[3] Additionally, he helped the agricultural sector modernize in terms of production and marketing.^[3]

In the 1970 election, Courcy was defeated and replaced by Aurèle Audet of the Ralliement créditiste.

In his post political life, Alcide Courcy received honours from the agricultural community, receiving the Order of Agricultural Merit of Quebec and becoming a member of the Temple de la renommée de l'agriculture du Québec (Hall of Fame of Agriculture of Quebec) in 1992.^[3]

Courcy died in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, on May 22, 2000, at the age of 85.^[1]