Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Encyclopedia
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau (taʃʁo; March 5, 1867 - July 6, 1952) 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
. He was the first Premier to be born after Confederation
, which became effective July 1, 1867.
Born in Quebec City
, the son of Jean-Thomas Taschereau
, lawyer and judge at the Supreme Court, and Marie-Louise-Joséphine Caron.
He received a law degree from Université Laval
and was admitted to the Barreau du Quebec
on July 9, 1889. After entering political life, he served as chief lieutenant in the Liberal government of Sir Lomer Gouin
. He practised his profession in the law firm of Charles Fitzpatrick and Simon-Napoléon Parent. He was also journalist at the Action Libérale and president and vice-president of the Banque d'Economie de Québec.
n economy began experiencing difficulties that ultimately led to the Great Depression
, he opposed U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
's New Deal
social democratic policies, saying he could not tell if it was fascism
or communism
. Instead, he vigorously encouraged the development by private enterprise of the massive forests and the mineral resources of what had been the Ungava Region
and Nunavik
that the Parliament of Canada
had added to the Province of Quebec.
A pioneer in advocating the exploitation of the huge hydraulic potential the waterways of the new Quebec, Taschereau understood the limited capital available in a sparsely populated Canada, and actively tried to bring in American
investment to develop Quebec's industrial potential and try to stop mass emigration south of the border.
His policies challenged the traditional agrarian
society that the dominance and influence of the Roman Catholic Church
had been able to maintain in Quebec longer than elsewhere in North America. The Liberals of Taschereau were primarily opposed by ultramontane nationalists such as Henri Bourassa
, editor of Le Devoir
, and Roman Catholic priest Lionel Groulx
, editor of L'action canadienne-française.
Taschereau introduced a measure in 1930 to create a Jewish board that would have provided for Jewish participation on the highest decision-making educational body in Quebec, the Quebec Council of Public Instruction. Some newspapers saw the move by Taschereau to revamp the confessional school
system as an example of an undermining of Christianity
. As a result of the opposition, the Jewish leadership did not push the issue when Taschereau was forced to repeal the Act and submit a compromise which he had the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church examine and approve beforehand. In the resulting bill, Jews were sent back into the Protestant system, and the Jewish board had no power beyond the right to negotiate a deal with the Protestant School board.
Another policy of Taschereau involved the alcohol trade. It consisted of providing the government of Quebec with a monopoly
on the sale of liquor and wine
during the era of Prohibition
in the United States
.
Taschereau created the Beaux-Arts schools in Quebec City
and Montreal
and subsidized scientific and literary works. He was awarded France's Legion of Honor, the Order of Leopold (Belgium), and made a Commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium
.
In the later years of his premiership, discontent inside the Liberal Party became evident. The more "radical" left wing of the party left the Liberals and formed a new party, the Action libérale nationale
. Paul Gouin
, the son of Lomer Gouin
and grandson of Honoré Mercier
, joined this new party. Later, the Action Libérale Nationale merged with the Conservative Party of Quebec to form the Union Nationale party under the leadership of Maurice Duplessis
, who had become famous by exposing the Taschereau cabinet's misdeeds before the Accounts Committee of the Legislative Assembly.
Premier Taschereau resigned after his brother Antoine admitted to the Accounts Committee that he had deposited the interest on funds belonging to the Legislative Assembly into his personal bank account. With the election of the Union Nationale in 1936, the Liberal rule which had lasted for 40 years came to a halt.
The premier served on the boards of a number of major companies, including: Barclays Bank (Canada) Ltd.
, Caisse d'économie, Molson Bank
, Canadian Investments Funds, Bank of Montreal
, Royal Trust Company, Sun Life Assurance, Metropolitan Life Assurance Co., Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Co., Pioneer Insurance Co., Globe Indemnity Co. and the Manitoba Liverpool Insurance Co..
Taschereau was not re-elected after 1936 because numerous corruption scandals.
On his passing in Quebec City
in 1952, Taschereau was interred in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont
in Sainte-Foy, Quebec
.
Taschereau's story was documented by author Bernard L. Vigod in his 1986 book, Quebec Before Duplessis - The Political Career of Louis-Alexandre Taschereau.
, 1927 election
, 1931 election
and 1935 election
and resigned in 1936.
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....
of the Canadian province of Quebec
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....
from 1920 to 1936. He was elected four times, the first in 1900, in the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Montmorency. He was also a member of the Parti libéral du Québec
Parti libéral du Québec
The Quebec Liberal Party is a centre-right political party in Quebec. It has been independent of the federal Liberal Party of Canada since 1955....
. He was the first Premier to be born after 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...
, which became effective July 1, 1867.
Born in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, the son of Jean-Thomas Taschereau
Jean-Thomas Taschereau (jurist)
Jean-Thomas Taschereau was a Canadian lawyer and judge.Born in Quebec City, Lower Canada , the son of...
, lawyer and judge at the Supreme Court, and Marie-Louise-Joséphine Caron.
He received a law degree from Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
and was admitted to the Barreau du Quebec
Barreau du Quebec
The Bar of Quebec is the provincial law society for lawyers in Quebec, Canada...
on July 9, 1889. After entering political life, he served as chief lieutenant in the Liberal government of Sir 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...
. He practised his profession in the law firm of Charles Fitzpatrick and Simon-Napoléon Parent. He was also journalist at the Action Libérale and president and vice-president of the Banque d'Economie de Québec.
Politics
A Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1900 onwards, he served as Premier Lomer Gouin's Minister of Public Works from 1907 to 1919. Elected Premier in 1920, at a time when the North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n economy began experiencing difficulties that ultimately led to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, he opposed U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
social democratic policies, saying he could not tell if it was fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
or communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. Instead, he vigorously encouraged the development by private enterprise of the massive forests and the mineral resources of what had been the Ungava Region
District of Ungava
The District of Ungava was a regional administrative district of Canada's Northwest Territories from 1895 to 1912. It covered the northern portion of what is today Quebec, the interior of Labrador and the offshore islands to the west and north, which are now part of the Nunavut.The continental...
and Nunavik
Nunavik
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec...
that the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
had added to the Province of Quebec.
A pioneer in advocating the exploitation of the huge hydraulic potential the waterways of the new Quebec, Taschereau understood the limited capital available in a sparsely populated Canada, and actively tried to bring in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
investment to develop Quebec's industrial potential and try to stop mass emigration south of the border.
His policies challenged the traditional agrarian
Agrarian society
An agrarian society is a society that depends on agriculture as its primary means for support and sustenance. The society acknowledges other means of livelihood and work habits but stresses the importance of agriculture and farming, and was the most common form of socio-economic oganization for...
society that the dominance and influence of the Roman Catholic Church
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...
had been able to maintain in Quebec longer than elsewhere in North America. The Liberals of Taschereau were primarily opposed by ultramontane nationalists such as Henri Bourassa
Henri Bourassa
Joseph-Napoléon-Henri Bourassa was a French Canadian political leader and publisher. He is seen by many as an ideological father of Canadian nationalism....
, editor of 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....
, and Roman Catholic priest Lionel Groulx
Lionel Groulx
Lionel-Adolphe Groulx was a Roman Catholic priest, historian and Quebec nationalist. -Early life and ordination:Groulx was born at Chenaux, Quebec, Canada, the son of a farmer and lumberjack, and died in Vaudreuil, Quebec. After his seminary training and studies in Europe, he taught at Valleyfield...
, editor of L'action canadienne-française.
Separate school
In Canada, separate school refers to a particular type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces and statutory status in three territories...
system as an example of an undermining of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. As a result of the opposition, the Jewish leadership did not push the issue when Taschereau was forced to repeal the Act and submit a compromise which he had the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church examine and approve beforehand. In the resulting bill, Jews were sent back into the Protestant system, and the Jewish board had no power beyond the right to negotiate a deal with the Protestant School board.
Another policy of Taschereau involved the alcohol trade. It consisted of providing the government of Quebec with a monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
on the sale of liquor and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
during the era of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Taschereau created the Beaux-Arts schools in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and 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...
and subsidized scientific and literary works. He was awarded France's Legion of Honor, the Order of Leopold (Belgium), and made a Commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium
Order of the Crown
The Order of the Crown is the name of a number of decorations issued by several countries. The following nations either presently, or in the past, have issued Orders of the Crown:* Order of the Crown * Order of the Crown of India...
.
In the later years of his premiership, discontent inside the Liberal Party became evident. The more "radical" left wing of the party left the Liberals and formed a new party, the Action libérale nationale
Action libérale nationale
The Action libérale nationale was a short-lived provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. It was founded during the Great Depression and led by Paul Gouin. The ALN played an important role in the foundation of the Union Nationale.-Origin and beliefs:The party was created in 1934 by...
. Paul Gouin
Paul Gouin
Paul Gouin was a politician in Quebec, Canada. was the son of Lomer Gouin and the grandson of Honoré Mercier...
, the son of 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...
and grandson of Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier was a lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the ninth Premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887 to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Liberal Party ....
, joined this new party. Later, the Action Libérale Nationale merged with the Conservative Party of Quebec to form the Union Nationale party under the leadership of Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
, who had become famous by exposing the Taschereau cabinet's misdeeds before the Accounts Committee of the Legislative Assembly.
Premier Taschereau resigned after his brother Antoine admitted to the Accounts Committee that he had deposited the interest on funds belonging to the Legislative Assembly into his personal bank account. With the election of the Union Nationale in 1936, the Liberal rule which had lasted for 40 years came to a halt.
The premier served on the boards of a number of major companies, including: Barclays Bank (Canada) Ltd.
Barclays Bank Canada
-1929-1956:Barclays Bank of Canada was a unit of Barclays Bank PLC. The Canadian unit was incorporated in 1929 in Montreal, QC with office later established in Toronto.Like the other Canadian chartered banks, it issued its own paper money...
, Caisse d'économie, Molson Bank
Molson Bank
The Molson Bank was a Canadian bank founded in Montreal, Quebec, by brothers William and John Molson, Jr...
, Canadian Investments Funds, Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
, Royal Trust Company, Sun Life Assurance, Metropolitan Life Assurance Co., Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Co., Pioneer Insurance Co., Globe Indemnity Co. and the Manitoba Liverpool Insurance Co..
Taschereau was not re-elected after 1936 because numerous corruption scandals.
On his passing in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in 1952, Taschereau was interred in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont
Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont
The Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont is located at 2176 avenue Chapdelaine in Quebec City in the province of Quebec, Canada. The cemetery was built between 1857 and 1859.-Notable interments:...
in Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Sainte-Foy is a former city in central Quebec, Canada on the Saint Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. Most of Sainte-Foy is in the Borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge....
.
Taschereau's story was documented by author Bernard L. Vigod in his 1986 book, Quebec Before Duplessis - The Political Career of Louis-Alexandre Taschereau.
Elections as party leader
He won the 1923 electionQuebec general election, 1923
The Quebec general election of 1923 was held on February 5, 1923 to elect members of the 16th Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Louis-Alexandre Taschereau, was re-elected, defeating the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Arthur Sauvé.It was the first...
, 1927 election
Quebec general election, 1927
The Quebec general election of 1927 was held on May 16, 1927 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Louis-Alexandre Taschereau, was re-elected, defeating the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Arthur Sauvé.It was the...
, 1931 election
Quebec general election, 1931
The Quebec general election of 1931 was held on August 24, 1931 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Louis-Alexandre Taschereau, was re-elected, defeating the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Camillien Houde.It...
and 1935 election
Quebec general election, 1935
The Quebec general election of 1935 was held on November 25, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
and resigned in 1936.
See also
- Politics of QuebecPolitics of QuebecThe politics of Quebec are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital of the province is Quebec City, where the Lieutenant Governor, Premier, the legislature, and cabinet reside.The...
- List of Quebec general elections
- Timeline of Quebec historyTimeline of Quebec historyThis article presents a detailed timeline of Quebec history. Events taking place outside Quebec, for example in English Canada, the United States, Britain or France, may be included when they are considered to have had a significant impact on Quebec's history....