Charles Doherty
Encyclopedia
Charles Joseph Doherty, PC
, KC (May 11, 1855 – July 28, 1931) was a Canadian
politician and jurist.
Born in Montreal
, Quebec
, the son of Marcus Doherty, a judge of the Supreme Court for the Province of Quebec and Elizabeth (O'Halloran) Doherty, Doherty was educated at St. Mary's (Jesuit) College and received a Bachelor of Laws degree from McGill University
in 1876 winning the Elizabeth Torrance Gold Medal, awarded to the student who completes the program with the most distinguished standing upon graduation. In 1885 he served as a Lieutenant with the 65th Battalion, Mount Royal Rifles in the Northwest Rebellion. He was created a King's Counsel in 1887.
Doherty was a lawyer
and also taught civil and International law
at McGill University
prior to being appointed a judge on the Quebec Superior Court
from 1891 until 1906.
He was a defeated candidate for the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
for the electoral district of Montreal West in the 1881 election
and again for Montreal Centre in the 1886 election
. He was elected as the Conservative candidate to the Canadian House of Commons
for the electoral district of St. Anne in the 1908 federal election
. When the Tories won the 1911 election
, the new Prime Minister
, Sir Robert Borden
, brought Doherty into the Canadian Cabinet as Minister of Justice
. At the end of World War I
, Doherty was one of the Canadian delegates to the Versailles Peace Conference, and served as Canadian delegate to the League of Nations
from 1920 to 1922. Doherty remained Minister of Justice in the government of Arthur Meighen
until its defeat in 1921.
Doherty also played a leading role in the creation of the Canadian Bar Association
in 1912 and served as its president in 1914. He was appointed to the Imperial Privy Council in the 1920 New Year Honours
for his service at Versailles, allowing him to use the title of "The Right Honourable".
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, KC (May 11, 1855 – July 28, 1931) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and jurist.
Born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, 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....
, the son of Marcus Doherty, a judge of the Supreme Court for the Province of Quebec and Elizabeth (O'Halloran) Doherty, Doherty was educated at St. Mary's (Jesuit) College and received a Bachelor of Laws degree from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1876 winning the Elizabeth Torrance Gold Medal, awarded to the student who completes the program with the most distinguished standing upon graduation. In 1885 he served as a Lieutenant with the 65th Battalion, Mount Royal Rifles in the Northwest Rebellion. He was created a King's Counsel in 1887.
Doherty was a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and also taught civil and International law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
prior to being appointed a judge on the Quebec Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
from 1891 until 1906.
He was a defeated candidate for the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
for the electoral district of Montreal West in the 1881 election
Quebec general election, 1881
The Quebec general election of 1881 was held on December 2, 1881 to elect members of the 5th Legislative Assembly for the Province of Quebec, Canada...
and again for Montreal Centre in the 1886 election
Quebec general election, 1886
The Quebec general election of 1886 on October 14, 1886 to elect members of the 6th Legislative Assembly for the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Parti libéral du Québec, led by Honoré Mercier, won a majority of seats against the Parti conservateur du Québec, led by John Jones Ross.The...
. He was elected as the Conservative candidate to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for the electoral district of St. Anne in the 1908 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1908
The Canadian federal election of 1908 was held on October 26 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 11th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier's Liberal Party of Canada was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term in government with a majority government...
. When the Tories won the 1911 election
Canadian federal election, 1911
The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Canada.-Summary:...
, the new 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...
, Sir Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
, brought Doherty into the Canadian Cabinet as Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
. At the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Doherty was one of the Canadian delegates to the Versailles Peace Conference, and served as Canadian delegate to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
from 1920 to 1922. Doherty remained Minister of Justice in the government of Arthur Meighen
Arthur Meighen
Arthur Meighen, PC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served two terms as the ninth Prime Minister of Canada: from July 10, 1920 to December 29, 1921; and from June 29 to September 25, 1926. He was the first Prime Minister born after Confederation, and the only one to represent a riding...
until its defeat in 1921.
Doherty also played a leading role in the creation of the Canadian Bar Association
Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada.-History:The Association's first Annual Meeting was held in Montreal in 1896. However, the CBA has been in continuous existence in its present form since 1914...
in 1912 and served as its president in 1914. He was appointed to the Imperial Privy Council in the 1920 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
for his service at Versailles, allowing him to use the title of "The Right Honourable".
External links
- Charles Joseph Doherty at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...