Antoine Joseph Léger
Encyclopedia
Antoine Joseph Léger was a lawyer, author and political figure of Acadian
descent in New Brunswick
. He represented Westmorland County
in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
from 1925 to 1935 as a Conservative member and then represented the division of L'Acadie in the Senate of Canada from 1935 to 1950.
Léger was born in Memramcook, New Brunswick
. He was educated there and at the St. Joseph's College. Léger then attended the normal school
in Fredericton and worked for several months in Quebec
. He returned to New Brunswick to article in law with Alfred LaForest in Edmundston, was called to the Bar of New Brunswick in 1907 and set up practice in Moncton.
Antoine Léger ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
in 1917 but won in the 1925 New Brunswick general election
as a declared candidate in the Westmorland County
Electoral District for the then unofficial Progressive Conservative Party
. On September 14, 1925, new Premier
John B. M. Baxter
appointed him to his Cabinet
as the Provincial Secretary-Treasurer
(Minister of Finance). Léger held the position until July 16, 1935 when he was defeated in a bid for reelection.
On August 14, 1935, Canadian Prime Minister
Richard B. Bennett
appointed Antoine Léger to the Senate of Canada. Léger died in office at the age of 69.
He married twice, first to Alvina Léger. Widowed, he later married Marie Bourgeois (née Drisdelle).
Léger published Les grandes lignes de l'histoire de la Société l'Assomption, the history of an Acadian association, and wrote articles on Acadian history as well as several historical novels.
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
descent in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. He represented Westmorland County
Westmorland County, New Brunswick
Westmorland County is located in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. The county contains the fast-growing commercial centre of Moncton as well as its northern and eastern suburbs...
in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
from 1925 to 1935 as a Conservative member and then represented the division of L'Acadie in the Senate of Canada from 1935 to 1950.
Léger was born in Memramcook, New Brunswick
Memramcook, New Brunswick
Memramcook is a Canadian village in Westmorland County, New Brunswick. Located in south-eastern New Brunswick, the community is predominantly people of Acadian descent who speak the Chiac derivative of the French language....
. He was educated there and at the St. Joseph's College. Léger then attended the normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
in Fredericton and worked for several months in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He returned to New Brunswick to article in law with Alfred LaForest in Edmundston, was called to the Bar of New Brunswick in 1907 and set up practice in Moncton.
Antoine Léger ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
in 1917 but won in the 1925 New Brunswick general election
New Brunswick general election, 1925
The 16th New Brunswick general election was held on 10 August 1925, to elect 48 members to the 36th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Although political parties had no standing in law, thirty-seven MLAs declared themselves to be...
as a declared candidate in the Westmorland County
Westmorland County
Westmorland County may refer to more than one place:*Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada*Westmorland, England, now part of Cumbria...
Electoral District for the then unofficial Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right political party in New Brunswick, Canada. It has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony...
. On September 14, 1925, new Premier
Premier of New Brunswick
The Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
John B. M. Baxter
John Babington Macaulay Baxter
John Babington Macaulay Baxter, PC was a New Brunswick lawyer, jurist and the 19th Premier of the Canadian Province of New Brunswick....
appointed him to his Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
as the Provincial Secretary-Treasurer
Department of Finance (New Brunswick)
The Department of Finance is a part of the Government of New Brunswick. It is charged with New Brunswick's budgetary and tax policy and headed by the finance minister....
(Minister of Finance). Léger held the position until July 16, 1935 when he was defeated in a bid for reelection.
On August 14, 1935, Canadian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Richard B. Bennett
R. B. Bennett
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC, KC was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930, to October 23, 1935, during the worst of the Great Depression years...
appointed Antoine Léger to the Senate of Canada. Léger died in office at the age of 69.
He married twice, first to Alvina Léger. Widowed, he later married Marie Bourgeois (née Drisdelle).
Léger published Les grandes lignes de l'histoire de la Société l'Assomption, the history of an Acadian association, and wrote articles on Acadian history as well as several historical novels.