Charles Gérin-Lajoie
Encyclopedia
Charles Gérin-Lajoie was a Quebec
businessman and political figure. He represented Saint-Maurice in the Canadian House of Commons
as a Liberal
member from 1874 to 1878.
He was born André-Charles Gérin-Lajoie at Yamachiche
, Lower Canada
in 1824, the grandson of Charles Caron
. He studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet. He owned mills and a factory at Yamachiche. In 1863, Gérin-Lajoie was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Saint-Maurice
as a member of the Parti rouge
. He opposed Confederation
, but was elected to the federal parliament in 1874 running as a Liberal. In 1878, he was named superintendent of Public Works for Saint-Maurice and he served in that function until his death at Trois-Rivières
in 1895.
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....
businessman and political figure. He represented Saint-Maurice in 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...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
member from 1874 to 1878.
He was born André-Charles Gérin-Lajoie at Yamachiche
Yamachiche, Quebec
Yamachiche is a municipality in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada.-Etymology:The name Yamachiche was first used to identify the Little Yamachiche River which runs through the town. It came from the Native American words iyamitaw and achichki...
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1824, the grandson of Charles Caron
Charles Caron
Charles Caron was a farmer and political figure in Lower Canada. He signed his name Charle Caront....
. He studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet. He owned mills and a factory at Yamachiche. In 1863, Gérin-Lajoie was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for Saint-Maurice
Saint-Maurice (Province of Canada)
Under the Union regime , the district of Saint-Maurice was re-established. Its boundaries, which roughly covered the current Mauricie area except for the city of Trois-Rivières, were reduced when the district of Maskinongé was created in 1853...
as a member of the Parti rouge
Parti rouge
The Parti rouge was formed in the Province of Quebec, around 1848 by radical French-Canadians inspired by the ideas of Louis-Joseph Papineau, the Institut canadien de Montréal, and the reformist movement led by the Parti patriote of the 1830s.The party was a successor to the Parti patriote...
. He opposed Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, but was elected to the federal parliament in 1874 running as a Liberal. In 1878, he was named superintendent of Public Works for Saint-Maurice and he served in that function until his death at Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
in 1895.