Jules Fournier
Encyclopedia
Jules Fournier was a Canadian writer and newspaper owner.
. His family was not wealthy, and Fournier attended a local parish school, where he was taught basic Latin. In 1897, Fournier entered the second form at Collège de Valleyfield in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. He was an exceptional student, and was described by one of his teachers as advanced beyond his fellow students and the majority of his instructors. Following a verbal encounter with his school principal, Fournier was expelled from Collège de Valleyfield in December 1902.
In 1903, Fournier joined the La Presse newspaper in Montreal
, where he met the prominent Quebec nationalist
Olivar Asselin
. In 1904, Fournier moved to the Le Canada newspaper. In his position there, he travelled around New England investigating the lifestyles and affairs of Franco-Americans. In 1906, Fournier was made a political reporter at Le Canada, but began writing for Asselin's Le Nationaliste
publication under the name Pierre Beaudry the same year. Fournier became Le Nationalistes editor in 1908.
Between 1907 and 1909, Fournier ran into legal trouble on several occasions as a result of his provocative journalism. In 1907, Quebec government
Minister Adélard Turgeon
took him to court, as did the then-future Premier of Quebec
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
in 1909. Also in 1909, Fournier criticised the decisions being made by Quebec courts (calling them a "prostitution of justice"), as well as described three former politicians as "erstwhile thugs". Attorney General Lomer Gouin
proceeded to charge Fournier with contempt of court
. The judge in his case was none other than one of the men Fournier had disparaged, Judge François Langelier
. Langelier sentenced Fournier to three months in prison, although he only served seventeen days. During this time, Fournier wrote a book, Souvenirs de prison, about his experiences in prison and the unsanitary conditions there.
In 1910, Fournier worked at Le Devoir
for three months before travelling to France as a correspondent for La Patrie
. Fournier formed his own weekly newspaper L’Action in April 1911, featuring contributions by his friend Asselin as well as Arthur Beauchesne, a parliamentary expert and National Historic Person of Canada, several writers and many poets. The paper was sued twice during its existence - once by the editor of Fournier's former employer, La Patrie, and once by the Mayor of Montreal for calling him a 'big thief', the latter of which Fournier won. These lawsuits during the paper's infancy led Fournier to joke that the paper should have been called L’Action pour libelle ("libel lawsuit"). After a three-month stint on the Montreal municipal council in 1916, Fournier's paper closed down on 29 April of that year.
In 1917, Fournier began work as a translator for the Canadian Senate
. However, in April 1918, Fournier developed an illness similar to pneumonia
or Spanish influenza and died on April 16 in Ottawa
. He was 33 years of age, and was quoted by his wife as saying that he was "too young" to die.
Biography
Jules Fournier was born on August 23, 1884, to parents Isaïe Fournier and Marie Durocher in Coteau-du-Lac, QuebecCoteau-du-Lac, Quebec
Coteau-du-Lac is a small town in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality....
. His family was not wealthy, and Fournier attended a local parish school, where he was taught basic Latin. In 1897, Fournier entered the second form at Collège de Valleyfield in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. He was an exceptional student, and was described by one of his teachers as advanced beyond his fellow students and the majority of his instructors. Following a verbal encounter with his school principal, Fournier was expelled from Collège de Valleyfield in December 1902.
In 1903, Fournier joined the La Presse newspaper 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...
, where he met the prominent Quebec nationalist
Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism is a nationalist movement in the Canadian province of Quebec .-1534–1774:Canada was first a french colony. Jacques Cartier claimed it for France in 1534, and permanent French settlement began in 1608. It was part of New France, which constituted all French colonies in North America...
Olivar Asselin
Olivar Asselin
Olivar Asselin was a writer and journalist in Quebec, Canada. He was a prominent nationalist, pamphleteer and polemist.- Biography :Asselin was born in Saint-Hilarion, Charlevoix, Quebec...
. In 1904, Fournier moved to the Le Canada newspaper. In his position there, he travelled around New England investigating the lifestyles and affairs of Franco-Americans. In 1906, Fournier was made a political reporter at Le Canada, but began writing for Asselin's Le Nationaliste
Le Nationaliste
Le Nationaliste was a weekly newspaper and an organ of the Ligue nationaliste, an anti-imperialist and nationalist movement in Quebec, Canada....
publication under the name Pierre Beaudry the same year. Fournier became Le Nationalistes editor in 1908.
Between 1907 and 1909, Fournier ran into legal trouble on several occasions as a result of his provocative journalism. In 1907, Quebec government
Government of Quebec
The Government of Quebec refers to the provincial government of the province of Quebec. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
Minister Adélard Turgeon
Adélard Turgeon
Adélard Turgeon, was a Canadian lawyer and politician.Born in Saint-Étienne-de-Beaumont , Lower Canada, Turgeon attended the Collège de Lévis before receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree from Université Laval at Quebec. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1887 and started a law career...
took him to court, as did the then-future Premier of Quebec
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau was a the 14th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1920 to 1936. He was elected four times, the first in 1900, in the riding of Montmorency. He was also a member of the Parti libéral du Québec...
in 1909. Also in 1909, Fournier criticised the decisions being made by Quebec courts (calling them a "prostitution of justice"), as well as described three former politicians as "erstwhile thugs". Attorney General Lomer Gouin
Lomer Gouin
Sir Jean Lomer Gouin, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician.-Biography:He was born in Grondines, Quebec and served as 13th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, as a Cabinet minister in the federal government of Canada, and as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.On May 24, 1888, he married...
proceeded to charge Fournier with contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
. The judge in his case was none other than one of the men Fournier had disparaged, Judge François Langelier
François Langelier
Sir François Langelier, KCMG was a Canadian lawyer, professor, journalist, politician, the tenth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, and author. He was born in Sainte-Rosalie, Lower Canada and died in Spencerwood, Quebec.In 1871, he was an unsuccessful candidate to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec...
. Langelier sentenced Fournier to three months in prison, although he only served seventeen days. During this time, Fournier wrote a book, Souvenirs de prison, about his experiences in prison and the unsanitary conditions there.
In 1910, Fournier worked at Le Devoir
Le Devoir
Le Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician, and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910....
for three months before travelling to France as a correspondent for La Patrie
La Patrie
La Patrie was a Montreal, Quebec daily newspaper founded by Honoré Beaugrand on February 24, 1879. It became a weekly in 1957 and folded in 1978....
. Fournier formed his own weekly newspaper L’Action in April 1911, featuring contributions by his friend Asselin as well as Arthur Beauchesne, a parliamentary expert and National Historic Person of Canada, several writers and many poets. The paper was sued twice during its existence - once by the editor of Fournier's former employer, La Patrie, and once by the Mayor of Montreal for calling him a 'big thief', the latter of which Fournier won. These lawsuits during the paper's infancy led Fournier to joke that the paper should have been called L’Action pour libelle ("libel lawsuit"). After a three-month stint on the Montreal municipal council in 1916, Fournier's paper closed down on 29 April of that year.
In 1917, Fournier began work as a translator for 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...
. However, in April 1918, Fournier developed an illness similar to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
or Spanish influenza and died on April 16 in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. He was 33 years of age, and was quoted by his wife as saying that he was "too young" to die.