Hormidas Laporte
Encyclopedia
Sir Hormidas Laporte, PC
(7 November 1850 – 20 February 1934) was a Montreal
businessman and financier. He served as Mayor of Montreal
from 1904 to 1906.
He was elected to city council as an alderman in 1896 and became mayor eight years later. He was a reformer on council and wanted to curtail the growth of public expenditures and eliminate patronage and corruption. As mayor, he campaigned to abolish the public utility trusts in favour of public ownership of municipal services. As mayor with a strong majority, he brought the gas utility under municipal control but was unable to defeat the private trusts that controlled transit and electricity.
Laporte left the mayor's office in 1906 and, in 1907, became president of the Provincial Bank of Canada
and remained so until his death.
During World War I
he headed a government commission in charge of provisions and was appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
. Following the war he was created a knight
by King George V
for his service.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(7 November 1850 – 20 February 1934) was a 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...
businessman and financier. He served as Mayor of Montreal
Mayor 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 1904 to 1906.
Biography
Laporte began working at the age of 17 in a nail factory and studied at night with a tutor. By the age of 20, he was working in a grocery and set up his own business within six months. He established Laporte, Martin and Co., a wholesale grocery, in 1881. The enterprise was successful despite instances of flooding and fire and he developed it into a chain. In 1892 he became the first president of the Alliance Nationale, a mutual aid society which evolved into a major Quebec insurance company.He was elected to city council as an alderman in 1896 and became mayor eight years later. He was a reformer on council and wanted to curtail the growth of public expenditures and eliminate patronage and corruption. As mayor, he campaigned to abolish the public utility trusts in favour of public ownership of municipal services. As mayor with a strong majority, he brought the gas utility under municipal control but was unable to defeat the private trusts that controlled transit and electricity.
Laporte left the mayor's office in 1906 and, in 1907, became president of the Provincial Bank of Canada
Provincial Bank of Canada
The Provincial Bank of Canada was a Quebec-based bank in Canada that was the product of mergers between the Banque Jacques-Cartier , the Banque d'économie de Québec , the Banque populaire de Québec , and the Unity Bank of Canada .It merged with the Banque Canadienne Nationale to form the National...
and remained so until his death.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he headed a government commission in charge of provisions and was appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
. Following the war he was created a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
for his service.