Sir Joseph Dubuc(26 December 1840 – 7 January 1914), was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and judge who was born inLower Canadaand became an important political figure fromManitoba.
Sir Joseph Dubuc | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theCanadian Parliament forProvencher | |
| Assumed office 1879 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Bannatyne |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Royal |
| Member of theLegislative Assembly of Manitobafor Baie St-Paul | |
| In office 1870–1874 | |
| Member of theLegislative Assembly of Manitobafor St. Norbert | |
| In office 1874–1878 | |
| 3rdSpeaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba | |
| In office March 31, 1875 – December 1878 | |
| Preceded by | Curtis Bird |
| Succeeded by | John Sifton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 December 1840 Sainte-Martine,near Châteauguay,Lower Canada |
| Died | 7 January 1914(aged 73) Los Angeles,California |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Maria Anna Hénault m. June 1872 |
| Children | Lucien Dubuc |
| Profession | lawyer |
| [1][2] | |
Early life
editDubuc was from a large family and was irregularly in school because of family responsibilities. He spent some time in the United States and learned English while working in a factory. Upon returning to Quebec, he completed military school in Montreal in November 1866.[1]He further engaged in formal studies, latterly at the Petit Séminaire de Montreal, where he made friends withLouis Riel.This connection would shape his political life in the future. He received aBachelor of Common Lawdegree fromMcGill Collegein 1869 and was called to the Lower Canada bar the same year.[1]
In January 1870, Riel called on him to help with the newprovisional governmentthat had been established as part of theRed River Rebellion.Dubuc left for Manitoba in June and, upon his arrival in the Red River area,[1]became friends with BishopAlexandre-Antonin Tachéwho dissuaded him of his doubts. He wrote articles for the Montreal newspaperLa Minerveexplaining the position of theMétisand encouraging francophones to settle in the Canadian West.[1]In 1871, he was accepted into the Manitoba bar.[1]Following the end of the rebellion Dubuc established a law practice inWinnipegand was editor a French-language weekly,Le Métis,aimed at the Métis population.[1]
He had a sonLucien Dubucwho went on to become a famous Judge.[3]
Political career
editHe was acclaimed to the firstprovincial legislaturewhen elections were held in 1870 at the Baie St-Paul riding.[1]He persuaded Riel to run for theHouse of Commons of Canadain 1872 and was almost beaten to death in the ensuing riots.
Dubuc worked to preserve the alliance between French Canadians and Métis. Politically he was aConservativeandultramontane(supporter of the clergy). He served as attorney-general in the government ofMarc-Amable Girardin 1872 but only served for a few months until the Girard ministry fell and was replaced by one formed byRobert Atkinson Davis,In March 1875, Dubuc was chosenSpeaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitobaserving until 1878.[1]He also served on theCouncil of the North-West Territoriesfrom 1872 to 1876.
Dubuc resigned from the provincial legislature was acclaimed in Provencher in the federal election of 1878[1]but left the House of Commons the next year to accept a judicial appointment on theCourt of Queen's Bench of Manitoba.
He grew estranged from Riel calling him a "dangerous maniac" following theSecond Riel Rebellion.[4]
Late life
editDubuc unsuccessfully opposed the government ofThomas Greenway's move to reduce French-language rights and make English the sole language of the province during theManitoba Schools Questiondebate and was a dissenting judge in the case of Barrett v. City of Winnipeg where the majority of the court ruled that the government had a right to establish a public school system to the detriment of French-language Catholic schools.
In 1903, he becamechief justiceof Manitoba and retired from the bench in 1909. In 1912 he wasknighted,the first western French Canadian to be so designated.[2]In retirement, he was given the right to retain the use of the title "The Honourable".
Dubuc died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on 7 January 1914. Dubuc Street in Winnipeg was named in his honour.[2]
References
edit- ^abcdefghijMackintosh, Charles H. (1879).Canadian Parliamentary Companion and Register.ISBN0-665-32951-2.
- ^abc"Joseph Dubuc (1840-1914)".Manitoba Historical Society. 13 December 2009.Retrieved9 June2010.
- ^Herzog, Lawrence (6 November 2003)."The Houses on Victoria Avenue".Vol. 21 No. 44.Real Estate Weekly. Archived fromthe originalon 24 February 2012.Retrieved9 June2010.
- ^Payment, Diane Paulette."Dubuc, Sir Joseph".Dictionary of Canadian Biography.Retrieved12 March2017.