Sir George-Étienne Cartier, son of Jacques Cartier III, grandson of Jacques Cartier II, and great-grandson of Jacques Cartier I; no relation to explorer Jacques Cartier.[1]
Montreal lawyer and politician George-Étienne Cartier was born 350 years after Jacques Cartier, the St. Lawrence River navigator and French settler. Before moving to Montreal, Sir Cartier grew up in Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, a small town near Montreal where his family had lived for three generations.
As an adult, he enjoyed Montreal’s elite social scene and apparently loved the sound of his own voice. In fact, he once spoke for 13 hours in Parliament.[2] At both English and French social events, he would entertain guests by singing songs he wrote himself.
Although Sir John A. Macdonald is often hailed as the architect of Canada, Sir Cartier may have been the stronger force driving Confederation.[3] Even Macdonald is reported to have stated that Cartier, his co-premier of the Province of Canada, was the true Father of Confederation.[4]
Political and Legal Career
Cartier articled as a law student with MLA Edouard Rodier, member of the Patriote (rebel) Party, but delved into politics even before he was admitted to the Bar of Lower Canada in 1835. He worked to elect to legislature Patriote Party members Louis-Joseph Papineau and Robert Nelson; later joining them in the 1837-1839 Papineau Rebellion.[5] Cartier was charged with treason for his part in the failed rebellion and took exile in the United States. He returned after both swearing his allegiance to the Queen and when the colonial governor annulled the charges.[6] Unfortunately, he remained “a politically incorrect personage” and never shared the same level of praise in Quebec as does Jacques Cartier or in Canada as does Macdonald.[7]
Cartier nevertheless had a remarkable political career. He was elected in 1848 to the Legislative Assembly and strongly represented his constituents and French Canada.[8] He rewrote property laws, created a modern civil code, set up primary schools for Catholics and Protestants, oversaw the Hudson’s Bay Company negotiations to purchase Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory, and helped negotiate the creation of the province of Manitoba.[9]
Conflict of Interest
Sir John A., even with his reputation for imbibement, was perhaps a more suitable choice to embody the legacy as Canada’s Father of Confederation. Cartier further fell from favour in 1873 when he was implicated in the Pacific Scandal, a “cash-for-contracts” scheme where he accepted political donations from his railway promoter client.[10] Cartier acted as legal counsel for the Grand Trunk Railway and prevented US railways from taking over the Canadian Pacific Railway project. However, his political campaign was largely funded by this client, which received the government railway contract.[11] This ended his political career. He died later that year of a kidney illness.[12]
Confederation
Despite, or perhaps due to, Cartier’s commitment to French-Canadian nationality, Confederation was a high priority for him.[13] Confederation was a means to unite Upper and Lower Canada without assimilating the French settlers into English culture; to unite the British colonies in defence against the US; and to develop the intercolonial and pacific railways without US intervention.[14] Cartier took part in the London, Quebec, and Charlottetown Conferences to convince the Queen and other lawmakers that Confederation was the right decision. In 1867, as Macdonald became the first Prime Minister of Canada, Cartier became the first Minister of Militia and Defence and occasionally stood in for Prime Minister Macdonald when necessary.[15]
Clearly, Cartier had a voice that could not be silenced—while he lived. Whether he was singing to entertain his friends, rallying votes, or negotiating political instruments that would shape the political boundaries of the country, people listened to him. Unfortunately, his two political transgressions likely downgraded his legacy in the history books.
This lesser-known Father of Confederation wraps up this week’s posts. Next week, we’ll tell you about the Ice on Whyte festival that celebrates Canada 150. In a few more weeks, we’ll write about the Women of Confederation, including Sir Cartier’s long-time lover, Luce Cuvillier. Stay tuned!
[1] “Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site of Canada,” National Historic Sites (4 March 2014), online: Parks Canada <www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/qc/etiennecartier/natcul/natcul1.aspx> [Parks Canada].
[2] “Fathers of Confederation: George-[É]tienne Cartier”, Canada: A Peoples History, CBC (2001), online: CBC <http://www.cbc.ca/history/EPCONTENTSE1EP8CH3PA2LE.html> [CBC].
[3] Ibid; Alastair Sweeny, “Confederation’s True Father? George-Étienne Cartier” (3 January 2014), online: The Globe and Mail <www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/confederations-true-father-george-etienne-cartier/article16177890/>.
[4] Sweeny, ibid.
[5] Parks Canada, supra note 1.
[6] CBC, supra note 2.
[7] Sweeny, supra note 3. If you ever go to Montreal, you must visit Place Jacques-Cartier: www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/tour/etape6/eng/6fena.htm. It’s beautiful.
[8] CBC, supra note 2.
[9] CBC, supra note 2; People: Sir George-Étienne Cartier, Library and Archives Canada (2 May 2005), online: Government of Canada <https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.12-e.html> [Library and Archives].
[10] Library and Archives, ibid.
[11] Sweeny, supra note 3.
[12] “Confederation: George-Étienne Cartier,” A Country by Consent, online: Canada History Project <www.canadahistoryproject.ca/1867/1867-07-ge-cartier.html>.
[13] Parks Canada, supra note 1.
[14] Sweeny, supra note 3.
[15] Parks Canada, supra note 1.
Recent Comments