Henri Claireaux

Henri Claireaux (3 February 1911 – 31 July 2001) was a French politician from Saint Pierre and Miquelon. He was the territory's first representative in the Senate, serving from 1947 to 1968.

Born in Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Claireaux briefly worked for the Saint-Pierre town hall after receiving an elementary certificate, then moved to mainland France to volunteer for the French Armed Forces. After returning to Saint-Pierre, he became a teacher and prominent figure in local labor unions. He was elected to the General Council of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1946 and was then elected to the Senate of France in 1947, becoming his territory's first representative in the Senate. His main contributions there were for legislation relating to overseas territories, and he also became the president of the General Council of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1956. He left the General Council in 1964 and was defeated in the 1968 Senatorial election, marking the end of his 22-year career as a legislator.

Early life Claireaux was born on 3 February 1911 in Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, an overseas territory of France. After receiving an elementary certificate, he became an assistant secretary for the Saint-Pierre town hall, resigning two years later to work for a commercial establishment. In 1934, he left Saint-Pierre and moved to mainland France to volunteer for the French Armed Forces. After serving for a time in France, he studied at the Pierre Institute in Luxembourg and received a higher certificate after three years of attendance.

After graduating from the Pierre Institute, Claireaux returned to Saint-Pierre and became a school teacher at the Collège Saint-Christophe. He also was a prominent figure in local labor unions, becoming the secretary of the Trade Union Chamber of the Port Workers of Saint-Pierre in 1939. Also that year, he was elected to the administrative council of the territory, serving until 1945. He also attended Université Laval in Quebec during this time, studying political science from 1941 to 1942. In the Senate, he was a member of the commissions on Overseas France, the Navy and Fisheries. As a member of the General Council, he helped form a family code, a social security system, a real estate cooperative, and helped build an ice rink. He also helped build a new port, a fishing company, a vocational school and a private education college. In April 1960, general elections occurred and Claireaux was re-elected, with his side winning 13 of 14 seats. Later that year, he "rejoiced" at the Senate when a new Minister for Overseas Territories – Robert Lecourt – was appointed who seemed to understand the financial crisis, although Claireaux expressed major disappointment the following year when a newly-passed finance law did nothing specifically for the territory. In 2005, a memorial stamp was issued of Claireaux in Saint Pierre and Miquelon.