George-Étienne Cartier

Sir George -Étienne Cartier, KCMG, PC ( born September 6, 1814 Saint -Antoine- sur -Richelieu, Lower Canada (Quebec ); † May 20, 1873 in London, United Kingdom ) was a Canadian francophone politicians. Between 1857 and 1862 he was the prime minister of the province of Canada. Cartier promoted the construction of railways, is considered one of the Fathers of Confederation of the pioneers of the Canadian federal government established in 1867. Its main merit is the integration of French-speaking province of Quebec in the predominantly English-speaking Canada. From 1867 until his death, he was Canada's first Secretary of Defense.

Biography

Early years

Cartier was born into a wealthy family of grain merchants. The English form of his first given name is due to the fact that he in honor of British King George III. George was called. He was educated at the Collège de Montréal, a Catholic boarding school. In his time, yet there were no law schools so that future lawyers after passing the entrance exams, acquire their knowledge as employees of an established lawyer. 1835 Cartier received approval. He became involved in the movement of the Patriotes, called the liberal and democratic reforms in Lower Canada. In 1834 he was one of the founding members of the Société Saint -Jean -Baptiste de Montréal, which works to this day for the preservation of French-Canadian culture; 1854/55 he was its president.

Inspired by the reformer Louis -Joseph Papineau, Cartier joined the paramilitary organization Société des Fils de la Liberté. He participated during the low- Canada Rebellion of 1837 at the Battle of Saint- Denis, in which the British troops were repulsed. Shortly thereafter, he was forced to flee into exile to avoid arrest after Vermont. A general amnesty Cartier in 1839, to return to Montreal and resume his duties as a lawyer. He became politically active and directed the election campaigns of Louis- Hippolyte La Fontaine.

Political career in the Province of Canada

1848 Cartier won a by-election and moved into the Parliament of the Province of Canada. It dealt mainly with the expansion of the railway network and presided over the railway Commission. In 1852 he introduced a bill that led to the founding of the Grand Trunk Railway. In January 1855 Cartier was appointed to the government, where he took over the office of the provincial secretary for Lower Canada. As of May 1856, he served as Attorney General.

Following the resignation of Étienne- Paschal Taché Cartier was elected on 26 November 1857, new co- Prime Minister, together with the charge of Upper Canada Sir John A. Macdonald. This office he held until 24 May 1862. During this period he remained active as Attorney General. In August 1858 there was a government crisis, as the Parliament Queen Victoria's decision to make Ottawa the new permanent capital, did not want to endorse and the Macdonald -Cartier government, which had given her the recommendation that crashed with a vote of no confidence. The new government but held only four days, after which Cartier and Macdonald again took over the government.

Cartier saw in a merger of the British colonies to a common state the best way to carry out political reforms. He also wanted by pushing back the U.S. expansionism, fearing marginalization of French-Canadian culture. He presented in 1858 in London by the British government with a proposal, which was, however, for the time being ignored. He played a leading role in reforming the legal system, which in Lower Canada, the era of the semi- feudal system of rule ended, leading to the adoption of the Civil Code in the later province of Quebec.

In February 1864 Cartier held a 13 -hour speech in which he criticized the entire policy of the government violently as leader of the opposition in Parliament. John Sandfield Macdonald and Antoine -Aimé Dorion were then returned as co- prime minister. He declined to be appointed by the Governor General as the new head of government, but took as Attorney General in the government of a seat. Together with Sir John A. Macdonald and George Brown led Cartier to the Grand Coalition, which worked towards a union of the British colonies. He took part in the conferences in Charlottetown, Quebec and London, where his ideas for a federal state were supported.

Minister of Defence

After the establishment of the Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867 Cartier Macdonald's first government belonged to and was appointed Minister of Militia and Defence. Dual mandates at the federal and provincial levels were still allowed, and he was also elected to the Parliament of the Province of Quebec, both in the House of Commons. Cartier's importance went beyond those of a simple addition minister. As right-hand man of Prime Minister Macdonald, he was mainly responsible for the negotiations with Great Britain and the Hudson's Bay Company for the purchase of Rupert's land and the Northwest Territory by the Canadian government. He also participated in the negotiations that led to the accession of the provinces of Manitoba and British Columbia. In 1872 he brought a bill to the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

At the general election in 1872 Cartier lost his House seat to Louis - Amable Jetté. Since the elections were held on various dates, he decided, in the province of Manitoba in the constituency of Provencher to compete. The two other candidates, including Louis Riel, the leader of the Red River Rebellion, withdrew. Cartier was then elected by acclamation, without having the constituency ever visited. Above all, his promise to push for amnesty Riels likely to have contributed to it.

In April 1873 it was revealed that the federal government had accepted in return for the award of the contract for the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway to a consortium led by Hugh Allan bribes. Cartier himself had also received a large sum of money, but the impact of the Pacific scandal he did not live. Just six months earlier, he had traveled to London to be treated a severe kidney problems. He died on 20 May 1873 aged 58 years. The body was brought to Canada and was buried in Montreal in the cemetery of Notre- Dame-des- Neiges.

Highway 401, the country's main highway, named Macdonald -Cartier Freeway. Also, after these two founding fathers of Canada Ottawa Macdonald- Cartier International Airport and the Macdonald- Cartier Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau are named. The name Cartier carry numerous roads and schools as well as a metro station in the city of Laval. In Montreal, the George -Étienne Cartier Monument and the George -Étienne Cartier House remember him.