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Laurier L. LaPierre, OC , Ph.D , LL.D (born November 21 , 1929 in Lac Megantic , Quebec ) is a retired Canadian Senator and former Broadcaster , Journalist and Author . He is a member of the Liberal Party Of Canada .

LaPierre is best known for having been co-host with Patrick Watson of the notorious public affairs show '' This Hour Has Seven Days '' in the 1960s . After the show's cancellation, LaPierre moved to politics as a " Star Candidate " for the New Democratic Party in the 1968 Federal Election . The party was hoping that he would help achieve an electoral breakthrough in Quebec , but he only managed to come in a distant second place in the Riding of Lachine with 19.5% of the vote.

He returned to broadcasting and writing for the next several decades until his appointment to the Senate in June 2001 . As a member of the Liberal Caucus , LaPierre was an outspoken supporter of Jean Chrétien against supporters of rival Paul Martin .

LaPierre has a '', ''International Review'', ''Canadian Forum'' and '' Encyclopædia Britannica ''. He has been an activist with EGALE , a lobby group for gay and lesbian rights, since coming out as Gay in the late 1980s . He was Canada's first openly gay senator, but retired upon reaching mandatory retirement age of 75 on November 21 2004 .

In 1994 , he was made an Officer of the Order Of Canada .


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