Jacques Grenier

Jacques Grenier ( born January 20, 1823 in Berthierville, Lower Canada, † March 5, 1909 in Montreal ) was a Canadian politician and businessman. From 1889 to 1891 he was mayor of the city of Montreal.

Biography

The son of a sailor moved at the age of 16 years according to Sorel, to work for a dealer. From 1844, he worked in Montreal as a clerk. Some years later, Grenier made ​​independent and established a wholesale operation for textile goods. It expanded rapidly and went in 1858 a partnership with Pierre -Paul Martin a, prompting the company was named Grenier & Martin. With his nephew Jacques- Hercule Giroux he went in 1865 a new partnership, from which the Jacques Grenier & Co. was formed. Grenier practiced in dominated by Anglophones Montreal business community of great influence. He was financially involved not only in several textile plants, but also to a telephone and a railway company.

Grenier was from 1857 to 1866 and from 1872 to 1889 at the Montreal City Council and chaired several committees (police, water works, finance). In 1878 he ran for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec. Despite the backing of prominent liberal politicians such as Honoré Mercier and Louis - Amable Jetté he lost almost the conservative incumbent Louis -Olivier Taillon. 1889 Grenier was elected mayor of Montreal and held this office for two years held until he was defeated in 1891 James McShane. Since 1885 he had been Governor of the Banque du Peuple. Ten years later, however, had this financial institution to be liquidated due to failed risky business. The commission of inquiry subsequently used came to the conclusion that Grenier and the other Boards of Directors supervises the management insufficient.