Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière

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Sir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière

In office
March 8, 1878 – October 31, 1879
Preceded by Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville
Succeeded by Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau

Born December 5, 1829 (1829-12-05)
Épernay, France
Died November 16, 1908 (aged 78)
Quebec City, Canada
Political party Quebec Liberal Party

Sir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, PC (December 5, 1829November 16, 1908) was born Henry-Gustave Joly in Épernay, France. His father family was one of the traditional Huguenot families and his mother, a Catholic. First a Huguenot himself, Henri-Gustave converted to Anglicanism when he get married in 1856.

He served as Liberal Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, a federal Cabinet minister, and Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.

His father, Pierre-Gustave Joly, had married Julie-Christine Chartier de Lotbinière, who owned the seigneury of Lotbinière, in 1828. Henri-Gustave studied in Paris and inherited the title of seigneur of Lotbinière in 1860. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Lotbinière in 1861 as a moderate liberal, but was a member of the Parti rouge when he was re-elected in 1863.

Henri-Gustave Joly became Leader of the Quebec Liberals at the time of Confederation in 1867, and was the member for the federal riding of Lotbinière. He was re-elected in Lotbinière in the Canadian Election of 1872.

In 1878, Conservative premier Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville resigned on March 2 since he was about to be deposed by Lieutenant Governor Luc Letellier de Saint-Just. They had a conflict over railroad legislation which de Saint-Just deemed as unconstitutional. As a result, Joly became Premier on March 8, 1878.

In the May 1, 1878 election, the Liberals won one less seat than the Conservatives (there were also two independent Conservatives). However Joly remained in power in a minority government for about a year and half. His government was brought down by a motion of censure involving the defection of five Liberals (including future premier Edmund James Flynn) to the Conservatives. The Leader of the Opposition Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau was called to form a government on October 31, 1879.

Joly remained Liberal Party leader until 1883. In all, he spent about 17 years as Liberal leader, but served only briefly as Premier.

In 1883, Joly resigned as Liberal leader to make way for Honoré Mercier. He resigned as member of the Legislative Assembly in November 1885.

He added "de Lotbinière" (part of his mother's maiden name) to his name in 1888.

Joly de Lotbinière was once again elected to the federal House of Commons in the 1896 federal election, this time as the member from Portneuf. He served as a federal Cabinet minister from 1897 until he retired in 1900.

He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia in 1900 and served until 1906. He died in Quebec City in 1908. With his wife, Margaretta Josepha Gowen (July 25, 1837August 14, 1904), they had 11 children of which 7 reached adulthood. Seymour de Lotbiniere, who grew up in England and was an influential director of outside broadcasting at the BBC, was their grandson.

[edit] Elections as party leader

He won the 1878 election (the Liberals won one fewer seat than the Conservatives but he remained premier with the support of a few Conservatives). He lost the 1881 election.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Lewis Thomas Drummond (Parti rouge)
MLA, District of Lotbinière
1861-1867
Succeeded by
New constitution enacted in 1867
National Assembly of Quebec
Preceded by
Provincial district created in 1867
MLA, District of Lotbinière
1867-1885
Succeeded by
Édouard-Hippolyte Laliberté (Liberal)
Government offices
Preceded by
Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville (Conversative)
Premier of Quebec
8 March 187831 October 1879
Succeeded by
Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau (Conservative)
Parliament of Canada
Preceded by
None
Member of Parliament from Lotbinière
1867-1874
Succeeded by
Henry Bernier
Preceded by
Arthur Delisle
Member of Parliament from Portneuf
1896-1900
Succeeded by
Michel-Siméon Delisle