Charles Wilson (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Charles Wilson was a Canadian businessman and politician.
, son of a Scottish
immigrant and a French-Canadian mother.
Wilson established a hardware business, and became a prosperous and respected merchant near the Montreal
waterfront. On May 19, he married Ann Tracey, sister of Daniel Tracey
.
from 1851 to 1854.
Protestant journalists such as John Dougall of the Montreal Witness
persisted in accusing the mayor for the Gavazzi Riots
. When in September 1855, at Ignace Bourget
's request, Wilson received the cross of commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
from Pope Pius IX
, the Protestant press resumed its accusations against the man responsible for the "St Bartholomew of Montreal."
and, following the creation of the Canadian Confederation
in 1867, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate
in the new nation's capital Ottawa as a Conservative party
representative for the riding of Rigaud
.
Background
Wilson was born in Coteau-du-Lac, QuebecQuebec
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....
, son of a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrant and a French-Canadian mother.
Wilson established a hardware business, and became a prosperous and respected merchant near the 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...
waterfront. On May 19, he married Ann Tracey, sister of Daniel Tracey
Daniel Tracey
Daniel Tracey born in Roscrea, Tipperary County, Ireland, was a doctor, journalist and Canadian politician.He arrived in the Province of Lower Canada with his younger siblings in 1825.-The Vindicator:...
.
Montreal City Politics
He served as a City Councillor of Montreal from 1848 to 1849 and from 1850 to 1852 and Mayor of MontrealMayor of Montreal
The Mayor of Montreal is head of the executive branch of Montreal City Council.The Mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and provincial laws within Montreal....
from 1851 to 1854.
Protestant journalists such as John Dougall of the Montreal Witness
Montreal Witness
The Montreal Witness was an English-language Protestant newspaper published in Montreal from 1845 to 1938.- Mission and Purpose :The Montreal Witness was founded in 1845, by John Dougall. In the December 15, 1845 edition of the Witness, Dougall explained why he began his paper. Society needed a...
persisted in accusing the mayor for the Gavazzi Riots
Gavazzi Riots
The Gavazzi Riots were disturbances created in Quebec and Montreal, in June 1853, by mobs which attacked halls in which Alessandro Gavazzi was lecturing.- Overview :During the spring of 1853 Alessandro Gavazzi, an Italian patriot, visited North America...
. When in September 1855, at Ignace Bourget
Ignace Bourget
Ignace Bourget was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic priest who held the title of Bishop of Montreal from 1840 to 1876. Born in Lévis, Quebec in 1799, Bourget entered the clergy at an early age, undertook several courses of religious study, and in 1837 was named co-adjutor bishop of the newly...
's request, Wilson received the cross of commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
from Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
, the Protestant press resumed its accusations against the man responsible for the "St Bartholomew of Montreal."
Member of the Upper House
In 1852, he became a member of the Legislative Council of the Province of CanadaLegislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house 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 province of Ontario...
and, following the creation of the Canadian 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...
in 1867, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
in the new nation's capital Ottawa as a Conservative party
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
representative for the riding of Rigaud
Rigaud, Quebec
Rigaud is a municipality in southwestern Quebec, Canada in the county of Vaudreuil-Soulanges at the junction of the Ottawa River and the Rigaud River. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 6,780...
.