Charles Rouleau
Encyclopedia
Charles Borromée Rouleau (born: December 16, 1840 Isle Verte, Lower Canada
- died: August 25, 1901 Rouleauville, Northwest Territories
) was a 19th-century Canadian politician, lawyer, judge and writer. He served as Stipendiary Magistrate and Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
, as well as Legal Advisor to the Northwest Territories Legislature.
Rouleau first ran for public office on the municipal level in the County of Ottawa
in 1874. He was unsuccessful.
On September 28, 1883, Rouleau was appointed to the Northwest Territories Council where he replaced Matthew Ryan. He served his first term on the Council with the title of Stipendiary magistrate. The territories then included what became the provinces of Yukon
, Alberta
and Saskatchewan
.
On February 18, 1888, Rouleau vacated that position to accept an appointment to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
, where he sat for cases in the Northern Alberta District. After the 1888 Northwest Territories general election
, Lt. Governor Joseph Royal
reappointed Rouleau as Legal Advisor to the Northwest Territories Legislature. He held that position until dissolution of the Assembly in 1891.
With his appointment to the Supreme Court, Rouleau moved just outside Calgary
to a mission parish founded by French-Canadian priests in the 1870s. There he and his brother founded Rouleauville, which they intended to be a French
-speaking community. The village was later annexed by Calgary and was renamed the Mission District
. Rouleau's house, built before 1896, stood until 1940, when it was replaced by an apartment building.
Although an 1892 assembly vote made English the only official language in the territories, French was reintroduced as an official language in the late 1980s. By the Northwest Territories' Official Languages Act (1988), nine native languages were also recognized as official for certain purposes, including in the territorial court.
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...
- died: August 25, 1901 Rouleauville, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
) was a 19th-century Canadian politician, lawyer, judge and writer. He served as Stipendiary Magistrate and Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
The Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories is the name of two different superior courts for the Canadian territory of the Northwest Territories, which have existed at different times.The first Supreme Court of the North-West Territories was created in 1885...
, as well as Legal Advisor to the Northwest Territories Legislature.
Early life
Rouleau began his legal career when he was called to the bar in Quebec on December 16, 1868. He later became an inspector for the Ottawa and Pontiac Counties Catholic School Districts.Rouleau first ran for public office on the municipal level in the County of Ottawa
Ottawa (County of)
Ottawa was a federal and provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, which was represented in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1830 to 1867, in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1892, and in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1867 to at least 1919.The...
in 1874. He was unsuccessful.
Legal career
Rouleau then made his career through political appointments as magistrate and judge at increasingly higher levels of government. On July 12, 1876 he was appointed District Magistrate in Ottawa County and held that position until 1883.On September 28, 1883, Rouleau was appointed to the Northwest Territories Council where he replaced Matthew Ryan. He served his first term on the Council with the title of Stipendiary magistrate. The territories then included what became the provinces of Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
On February 18, 1888, Rouleau vacated that position to accept an appointment to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
The Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories is the name of two different superior courts for the Canadian territory of the Northwest Territories, which have existed at different times.The first Supreme Court of the North-West Territories was created in 1885...
, where he sat for cases in the Northern Alberta District. After the 1888 Northwest Territories general election
Northwest Territories general election, 1888
The Northwest Territories general election of 1888 was the first general election in the history of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Elections were held in various districts between 20 June and 30 June 1888...
, Lt. Governor Joseph Royal
Joseph Royal
Joseph Royal was a Canadian journalist, lawyer, politician, businessman, and Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories.-Early life and career:...
reappointed Rouleau as Legal Advisor to the Northwest Territories Legislature. He held that position until dissolution of the Assembly in 1891.
With his appointment to the Supreme Court, Rouleau moved just outside Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
to a mission parish founded by French-Canadian priests in the 1870s. There he and his brother founded Rouleauville, which they intended to be a French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking community. The village was later annexed by Calgary and was renamed the Mission District
Mission, Calgary
The Mission district is an inner city neighbourhood of Calgary, Alberta, Canada that originated as Notre Dame de la Paix, a Catholic mission, and was for a time the incorporated Village of Rouleauville...
. Rouleau's house, built before 1896, stood until 1940, when it was replaced by an apartment building.
Although an 1892 assembly vote made English the only official language in the territories, French was reintroduced as an official language in the late 1980s. By the Northwest Territories' Official Languages Act (1988), nine native languages were also recognized as official for certain purposes, including in the territorial court.