Louis-Rodrigue Masson

Louis -François Rodrigue Masson -, PC ( born November 6, 1833 in Terrebonne, Lower Canada, † November 8, 1903 in Montreal) was a Canadian politician. He was from 1867 to 1882 Member of the Lower House ( including a little over a year as Canadian Minister of Defence ). By 1884 he was a senator, then until 1887, Vice Governor of the province of Quebec. In 1890 he returned to the Senate, where he served until 1903.

Biography

Father Joseph Masson was a politician who was one of the wealthiest businessmen Lower Canada and is considered the first French-Canadian millionaire. He allowed his son an excellent education; he sent him to the Georgetown College in Washington, DC and at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester (Massachusetts ). After the death of his father Masson moved to Montreal in 1847 and graduated from the Séminaire de Saint- Hyacinthe. In George-Étienne Cartier, he received a legal education and 1859 he was admitted to the bar. This profession he never exercised and managed instead the extensive properties of his family. In 1862 he joined the militia and rose to the Brigade Major.

Masson stepped up to the general election in 1867 and won the constituency Terrebonne by acclamation. In the House he stood up for the rights of Métis and Indians, for the equal rights of French Canadians and Catholics, as well as for the use of French as an official language. The Federal Cabinet of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald Masson was from October 1878 to January 1880 militia and defense, then President of the Privy Council. After the death of his wife he gave in July 1880 his ministerial post, in January 1882 he resigned as an MP.

Macdonald appointed Masson in September 1882 Senator. His party friends urged him in the following year to accept the successor Joseph -Alfred Mousseaus as Prime Minister of Quebec, but he showed no interest and instead recommended John Jones Ross ago. From March to October 1884 Masson was a member of the Legislative Council of Quebec. Governor General Lord Lansdowne sworn him on November 7, 1884 as the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. This representative office he held until October 24, 1887. On behalf of the Liberal Quebec provincial government of Honoré Mercier Masson negotiated in Rome with Pope Leo XIII. over compensation for the expropriation of goods of the Jesuits and could reach an agreement. In February 1890, Macdonald again Masson appointed senator. The upper house of the Canadian Parliament, he was a member until June 1903. Four months later he died.