Charles Laberge
Encyclopedia
Charles Laberge was a Quebec
lawyer, journalist and political figure.
He was born in Montreal
, Lower Canada
in 1827 and studied at the Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe. During his time in school, he helped found the Institut canadien de Montréal
. He articled in law with René-Auguste-Richard Hubert at Montreal and was admitted to the bar in 1848. Laberge entered practice with Toussaint-Antoine-Rodolphe Laflamme, later setting up on his own at Saint-Jean-d'Iberville. He was an early contributor to the newspaper L'Avenir
. He supported annexation with the United States
. In 1854, Laberge was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Iberville
as a member of the parti rouge
. He was reelected in 1858 and was named solicitor general later that year; he retired from politics in 1860. Laberge was named Queen's Counsel
in 1858. As a loyal Catholic
, he was greatly disturbed when the church condemned the Institut canadien de Montréal
in 1858. He married Hélène-Olive, daughter of Joseph-Ovide Turgeon
, in 1859. In 1860, with Félix-Gabriel Marchand
, he found the paper Le Franco-Canadien; he also contributed to L'Ordre at Montreal. In 1863, he was appointed judge in the Quebec Superior Court
at Sorel. He opposed Confederation
, but ran unsuccessfully in Saint-Jean
in 1867. He served two terms as mayor of Saint-Jean-d’Iberville. In 1872, he became editor of Le National at Montreal.
He died in Montreal in 1874 and was buried in the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
lawyer, journalist and political figure.
He was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1827 and studied at the Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe. During his time in school, he helped found the Institut canadien de Montréal
Institut canadien de Montréal
The Institut canadien de Montréal was founded on 17 December 1844, by a group of 200 young liberal professionals in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Institute was a public library and debating room for the literary and scientific society, which would later come into conflict with the Roman Catholic...
. He articled in law with René-Auguste-Richard Hubert at Montreal and was admitted to the bar in 1848. Laberge entered practice with Toussaint-Antoine-Rodolphe Laflamme, later setting up on his own at Saint-Jean-d'Iberville. He was an early contributor to the newspaper L'Avenir
L'Avenir
L'Avenir is a daily newspaper published in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company is part of the Groupe L'Avenir, a media group of the DRC. The content of the paper is primarily French, and includes content written in Lingala and Swahili...
. He supported annexation with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1854, Laberge was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for Iberville
Iberville (electoral district)
Iberville was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1892.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867. It was amalgamated into the St. Johns—Iberville electoral district in 1892...
as a member of the parti rouge
Parti rouge
The Parti rouge was formed in the Province of Quebec, around 1848 by radical French-Canadians inspired by the ideas of Louis-Joseph Papineau, the Institut canadien de Montréal, and the reformist movement led by the Parti patriote of the 1830s.The party was a successor to the Parti patriote...
. He was reelected in 1858 and was named solicitor general later that year; he retired from politics in 1860. Laberge was named Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1858. As a loyal Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, he was greatly disturbed when the church condemned the Institut canadien de Montréal
Institut canadien de Montréal
The Institut canadien de Montréal was founded on 17 December 1844, by a group of 200 young liberal professionals in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Institute was a public library and debating room for the literary and scientific society, which would later come into conflict with the Roman Catholic...
in 1858. He married Hélène-Olive, daughter of Joseph-Ovide Turgeon
Joseph-Ovide Turgeon
Joseph-Ovide Turgeon was a Quebec official and political figure.He was born at Terrebonne in 1797, a cousin of Louis Turgeon, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He travelled in the United States before settling again at Terrebonne. He was named commissioner in charge of extending the...
, in 1859. In 1860, with Félix-Gabriel Marchand
Félix-Gabriel Marchand
Félix-Gabriel Marchand was a journalist, author, notary and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the 11th Premier of Quebec from May 24, 1897 to September 25, 1900....
, he found the paper Le Franco-Canadien; he also contributed to L'Ordre at Montreal. In 1863, he was appointed judge in the Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court is the highest trial Court in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It consists of 144 judges who are appointed by the federal government.Chief Justices : [partial listing]* Edward Bowen...
at Sorel. He opposed Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, but ran unsuccessfully in Saint-Jean
St. John's (electoral district)
St. John's was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1892.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...
in 1867. He served two terms as mayor of Saint-Jean-d’Iberville. In 1872, he became editor of Le National at Montreal.
He died in Montreal in 1874 and was buried in the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery.