Philippe Panet
Encyclopedia
Philippe Panet was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born at Quebec City
in 1791, the son of Jean-Antoine Panet
, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
. He began to article in law with his father, but served as a captain in the Quebec militia during the War of 1812
and took part in the Battle of Châteauguay
in 1813. He remained in the militia, later becoming lieutenant-colonel.
In 1816, Panet was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Northumberland and served until 1824, when he was unable to run due to poor health. He completed his training in law and was called to the bar in 1817. In 1819, he married Luce, the daughter of seigneur
Pierre Casgrain. In 1830, he was elected to represent Montmorency; he was appointed to the Executive Council in 1831. In the same year, he was named King's Counsel.
Panet resigned his seat in 1832 to accept an appointment as judge in the Court of King's Bench for Quebec district. He served on the Executive Council again in 1838. During the Lower Canada Rebellion
, Panet earned the ire of the British
authorities by declaring the suspension of habeas corpus
by the Special Council
in 1838 unconstitutional. Panet and Elzéar Bédard
were suspended from their duties as judge by colonial administrator Sir John Colborne
. Panet was reinstated as a judge in the Court of Queen’s Bench in 1840. He was a member of the Court of Appeal from 1850 until his death at Quebec City in 1855.
His brother Louis
later became a member of the Canadian Senate and his brother Charles was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.
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...
.
He was born at 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 1791, the son of Jean-Antoine Panet
Jean-Antoine Panet
Jean-Antoine Panet was a notary, lawyer, judge, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Quebec in 1751, the son of Jean-Claude Panet. He served in the militia defending the town of Quebec during the American Revolution and he later attained the rank of ieutenant-colonel in the...
, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
Petit Séminaire de Québec
Le Petit Séminaire de Québec is a private French-language Roman Catholic secondary school in the Vieux-Québec area of Quebec City which was originally part of the Séminaire de Québec...
. He began to article in law with his father, but served as a captain in the Quebec militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and took part in the Battle of Châteauguay
Battle of Chateauguay
The Battle of the Chateauguay was a battle of the War of 1812. On 26 October 1813, a force consisting of about 1,630 French Canadian regulars and militia and Mohawk warriors under Charles de Salaberry repulsed an American force of about 4,000 attempting to invade Canada.The Chateauguay was one of...
in 1813. He remained in the militia, later becoming lieutenant-colonel.
In 1816, Panet was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for Northumberland and served until 1824, when he was unable to run due to poor health. He completed his training in law and was called to the bar in 1817. In 1819, he married Luce, the daughter of seigneur
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
Pierre Casgrain. In 1830, he was elected to represent Montmorency; he was appointed to the Executive Council in 1831. In the same year, he was named King's Counsel.
Panet resigned his seat in 1832 to accept an appointment as judge in the Court of King's Bench for Quebec district. He served on the Executive Council again in 1838. During the Lower Canada Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion
The Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
, Panet earned the ire of the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
authorities by declaring the suspension of habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
by the Special Council
Special Council of Lower Canada
The Special Council of Lower Canada was an appointed body which administered Lower Canada until the Union Act of 1840 created the Province of Canada. Following the Lower Canada Rebellion, on March 27, 1838, the Constitutional Act of 1791 was suspended and both the Legislative Assembly and...
in 1838 unconstitutional. Panet and Elzéar Bédard
Elzéar Bédard
Elzéar Bédard was a lawyer and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. He later became a judge.He was born at Quebec City in 1799, the son of Pierre-Stanislas Bédard...
were suspended from their duties as judge by colonial administrator Sir John Colborne
John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton
Field Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, PC was a British field marshal and colonial governor.-Early service:...
. Panet was reinstated as a judge in the Court of Queen’s Bench in 1840. He was a member of the Court of Appeal from 1850 until his death at Quebec City in 1855.
His brother Louis
Louis Panet
Louis Panet was a notary and political figure in Quebec. He sat for La Salle division in the Senate of Canada from 1871 to 1874...
later became a member of the Canadian Senate and his brother Charles was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.