Francis Evanturel
Encyclopedia
François-Eugène-Alfred Évanturel (August 31, 1846 – November 15, 1908) was speaker of the Legislature of Ontario
in 1897-1902 and served as Liberal
MLA for Prescott
from 1886 to 1904. His name also appears in an anglicized form as Francis Evanturel.
He was born at Quebec City
in 1846, the son of François Évanturel
, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
and the Université Laval
. He was called to the Lower Canada bar in 1871 and set up practice at Quebec. In 1873, he married Maria Victoria Louisa Lee. The following year, he went to Ottawa
, where he was employed in the secretariat of the Minister of Public Works. After working with the Post Office Department, he moved to Alfred, Ontario in 1881. He became a strong proponent for Francophone
rights in the province and was particularly opposed to the policy of English-only schools supported by the provincial Conservative
s. In 1886, he established a weekly newspaper L'Interprète in Alfred. In 1892, the paper was purchased by Henri Bourassa
and relocated to Montebello, Quebec
. He was made speaker in the legislature as a result of pressure from Wilfrid Laurier
and became the first and, to date, the only Francophone to occupy that post. In 1904, he became a minister without portfolio in the provincial cabinet, thus becoming the first Francophone cabinet minister in the province.
He died in Alfred in 1908.
His son Gustave
served in both the House of Commons and the Ontario assembly.
The township of Evanturel
took its name from Évanturel.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1897-1902 and served as Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
MLA for Prescott
Prescott (electoral district)
Prescott was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1953. It wasd located in the province of Ontario...
from 1886 to 1904. His name also appears in an anglicized form as Francis Evanturel.
He was born at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in 1846, the son of François Évanturel
François Évanturel
François Évanturel was a Quebec lawyer, journalist and political figure.He was born in Quebec City in 1821, the son of a soldier in Napoleon's army who had joined the British Army after having been taken prisoner. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Quebec, articled in law with René-Édouard Caron...
, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
Petit Séminaire de Québec
Le Petit Séminaire de Québec is a private French-language Roman Catholic secondary school in the Vieux-Québec area of Quebec City which was originally part of the Séminaire de Québec...
and the Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
. He was called to the Lower Canada bar in 1871 and set up practice at Quebec. In 1873, he married Maria Victoria Louisa Lee. The following year, he went to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, where he was employed in the secretariat of the Minister of Public Works. After working with the Post Office Department, he moved to Alfred, Ontario in 1881. He became a strong proponent for Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
rights in the province and was particularly opposed to the policy of English-only schools supported by the provincial Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
s. In 1886, he established a weekly newspaper L'Interprète in Alfred. In 1892, the paper was purchased by Henri Bourassa
Henri Bourassa
Joseph-Napoléon-Henri Bourassa was a French Canadian political leader and publisher. He is seen by many as an ideological father of Canadian nationalism....
and relocated to Montebello, Quebec
Montebello, Quebec
Montebello is a municipality located in the Papineau Regional County Municipality of Western Quebec . As of the 2001 census, there were 1,039 permanent residents. The village has a total area of , and is located at the eastern edge of Canada's National Capital Region.The village is world famous for...
. He was made speaker in the legislature as a result of pressure from Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
and became the first and, to date, the only Francophone to occupy that post. In 1904, he became a minister without portfolio in the provincial cabinet, thus becoming the first Francophone cabinet minister in the province.
He died in Alfred in 1908.
His son Gustave
Gustave Évanturel
Gustave Évanturel was an Ontario notary and political figure. He represented Prescott in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1911 to 1923 as a Liberal and Independent Liberal and in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member in 1925.He was born in Ottawa in 1879, the son of...
served in both the House of Commons and the Ontario assembly.
The township of Evanturel
Evanturel, Ontario
Evanturel is a township in Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada. It almost completely surrounds the town of Englehart. The main settlement in Evanturel is the community of Heaslip....
took its name from Évanturel.