Félix-Gabriel Marchand

Félix- Gabriel Marchand ( born January 9, 1832 in Saint -Jean -sur -Richelieu, Quebec, † September 25, 1900 in Quebec ) was a Canadian politician, notary, author and journalist. He was from 1867 until his death continuously deputy in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1892 to 1900 and was the chair of the Parti libéral du Québec held. May 24 1897 he reigned as prime minister the province of Quebec; He died in office.

Biography

The father was a wealthy French-Canadian lumber merchant, the mother had Scottish ancestors. Marchand was educated both in English and in French. He graduated from the seminary in Saint- Hyacinthe and underwent training as a notary. 1868 Marchand's political career began with his election to the city council of Saint -Jean -sur- Richelieu. In addition, he was president of the local agricultural society and chairman of the school board. Marchand 1860 founded the journal Le Franco - Canadien, who represented liberal ideas. In 1861 he formed as a reaction to the Trent affair, a -volunteer infantry militia and commanded them to 1880, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

1867 Marchand stepped up to the first elections to the National Assembly of Quebec and won the electoral district of Saint -Jean. He retained this seat in 33 years, eight times in a row, he was re-elected. The Liberals were in the first three decades mostly in opposition. Marchand's main concern was the strengthening of federalism. In 1874 his proposal to ban dual mandates at provincial and federal level, adopted in seventh start. Thus, the influence of the federal government should be reduced to the provincial legislation. Another important concern the intensification of internal colonization was (associated with infrastructure construction) to stem the exodus of French Canadians in the United States.

From March 1878 to October 1879 presented the Liberals under Henri- Gustave Joly de Lotbinière temporarily the government. During this time, Marchand was a member of the Cabinet as Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner for Crown Lands. Back in the opposition, he turned increasingly to writing. He specialized in comedies, fables and poems. From January 1887 to April 1892, during the reign of Honoré Mercier, Marchand was Speaker of the National Assembly. After Mercier had been canceled because of the Chaleur Bay scandal and the Liberals had clearly lost the elections of 1892, he took over the party chairmanship.

Marchand's goal as a leader of the opposition was to improve the tarnished reputation of the Liberal and draw those of the Conservatives in doubt. He repeatedly attacked the self-interest and opportunism of government, which he consistently called for the controversial tax policy as a " tax collector ". The Parti libéral du Québec won after five years a clear election victory and Marchand was sworn in on 24 May 1897 as the new prime minister. Shortly before, he had been elected President of the Royal Society of Canada; the following year he left this post.

As prime minister, pursued Marchand three objectives: a balanced budget, increased use of natural resources and the creation of a Ministry of Education. At that time, the education system of the province was entirely in the hands of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. The National Assembly passed a law, but still dominated by conservatives Legislative Council refused. The secularization of education should not succeed until 1964. Marchand was suffering from arteriosclerosis and had his duties to delegate more and more of his cabinet. Finally, he died on September 25, 1900 at the age of 68 years.

Works

• Fatenville (1869 )
• Erreur n'est pas compte ou les inconvenients d'une ressemblance (1872 )
• Un bonheur en attire un autre (1883 )
• Les travers du siècle (1884 )
• Le lauréat (1885 )
• Les faux brillants (1885 )
• L' aigle et la marmotte (1885 )
• Nos chagrins gros et nos petites misères (1889 )