9th Premier of Quebec. A member of the Quebec Liberal Party, he served in this position from January 1887 until December 1891. Born in Saint-Athanase, Lower Canada (now part of the modern-day province of Quebec), he received his education at the Jesuit College Sainte-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and was called to the bar in April 1865. He was opposed to the Canadian Confederation, believing it would hurt French Canadians. In October 1872 he entered politics when he was elected to the Canadian Legislature for Rouville, serving until January 1874. He did not run again until 1878 and was defeated by Louis Tellier. The following year, he was named Solicitor General of Quebec but resigned later that year when he won a seat to the Quebec Legislative Assembly from the Saint-Hyacinthe district, serving until June 1890. In 1883 he became leader of the Quebec Liberal Party and was made Premier in January 1887, replacing Louis-Oliver Tallion. A strong nationalist, he was the first Quebec premier to defend the principle of provincial autonomy within the confederation, campaigning to abolish the federal government's claimed right to veto provincial legislation. In December 1891 he was dismissed following a report that implicated his government of diverting public funds, and was succeeded by Charles Boucher de Boucherville. He was tried and found not guilty; however his health began to fail and he died in Montreal at the age of 54. The Mercier Bridge that links the western part of the Island of Montreal with the South Shore of the St. Lawrence River is named in his honor.
9th Premier of Quebec. A member of the Quebec Liberal Party, he served in this position from January 1887 until December 1891. Born in Saint-Athanase, Lower Canada (now part of the modern-day province of Quebec), he received his education at the Jesuit College Sainte-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and was called to the bar in April 1865. He was opposed to the Canadian Confederation, believing it would hurt French Canadians. In October 1872 he entered politics when he was elected to the Canadian Legislature for Rouville, serving until January 1874. He did not run again until 1878 and was defeated by Louis Tellier. The following year, he was named Solicitor General of Quebec but resigned later that year when he won a seat to the Quebec Legislative Assembly from the Saint-Hyacinthe district, serving until June 1890. In 1883 he became leader of the Quebec Liberal Party and was made Premier in January 1887, replacing Louis-Oliver Tallion. A strong nationalist, he was the first Quebec premier to defend the principle of provincial autonomy within the confederation, campaigning to abolish the federal government's claimed right to veto provincial legislation. In December 1891 he was dismissed following a report that implicated his government of diverting public funds, and was succeeded by Charles Boucher de Boucherville. He was tried and found not guilty; however his health began to fail and he died in Montreal at the age of 54. The Mercier Bridge that links the western part of the Island of Montreal with the South Shore of the St. Lawrence River is named in his honor.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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