 gilles caouette (february 16, 1940 &ndash; august 13, 2009) was a canadian politician and member of parliament.parliament of canada (in french) retrieved 23rd july 2010 caouette was born in rouyn, quebec. his father, rÃ©al caouette, was a prominent social credit politician, and leader of the ralliement crÃ©ditiste and later the social credit party of canada. gilles followed in his fatherâs footsteps, and ran unsuccessfully for election to the canadian house of commons as a ralliement crÃ©ditiste or social credit candidate three times (1963, 1964 and 1965). he finally won election from labelle riding in the 1972 election with a margin of 159 votes. gilles was defeated in the 1974 election, and in a 1975 by-election in hochelaga. his father died in 1976, resulting in a by-election in the tÃ©miscamingue riding that his father had held since 1962. gilles won the may 24, 1977 by-election, and returned to the house of commons. on june 24, 1977, rÃ©alâs successor as social credit party leader, andrÃ©-gilles fortin, died at the age of 33. gilles became acting party leader on june 29. he had intended to run at the party's leadership convention but refused to run and resigned as interim leader when the party's executive council decided to hold the convention earlier rather than later and hold it in winnipeg, manitoba instead of quebec where most party members (and all of its members of parliament) lived. he was replaced as interim leader by charles-arthur gauthier."gauthier named interim socred leader as caouette quits post, matte leaves party", by jeffrey simpson, globe and mail, april 12, 1978 caouette ran in the 1979 election but lost his seat in the house of commons. outside of politics, he worked as an 
1940_births 2009_deaths Members_of_the_House_of_Commons_of_Canada_from_Quebec People_from_Rouyn-Noranda Social_Credit_Party_of_Canada_MPs Social_Credit_Party_of_Canada_leaders