 In March 1949, Chapdelaine and Georges Heon, an Independent Conservative MP who had recently joined the Progressive Conservative caucus, signed a joint statement calling for improving the rights of Franco-Ontarians in regards to French language Separate Schools in Ontario.The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario had traditionally opposed the extension of both funding for Catholic Separate Schools and French language education and Drew had been, until recently, the Premier of Ontario and leader of the provincial Tory party.Chapdelaine was defeated four months after his initial victory, in the June 1949 federal election, as were the Progressive Conservatives nationally.