George-Étienne Cartier
Encyclopedia
Sir George-Étienne Cartier, 1st Baronet, PC
was a French-Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation.
The English
spelling of the name, George, instead of Georges, the usual French
spelling, is explained by his having been named in honour of King George III
.
In the years leading up to Confederation
, Cartier was a dominant figure in the politics of Canada East
as leader of the Parti Bleu
. In 1838 he returned to Montreal
after a year in exile for his role in the anti-government rebellion. Cartier had several reasons for supporting Confederation, notably his fear of American expansion. He officially entered politics in 1848. During his long career he promoted the establishment of the Civil Code
as the formal law of Canada East. He also promoted the introduction of primary education
in the province. He died in London
, England
on May 20, 1873.
, Quebec
(then known as Lower Canada
). Cartier was educated and was called to the bar
in 1835 where he began to practise his profession. He was also involved in the railway business, and Grand Trunk Railway
was one of his legal clients.
Early in his career, Cartier was inspired by Louis-Joseph Papineau
. Through this connection, Cartier became a member of the Société des Fils de la Liberté
(“Sons of Liberty”) and took part in the Lower Canada Rebellion
of 1837 at the Battle of St-Denis. For his part in the uprising, Cartier was exile
d and he took temporary refuge in Vermont
. However, he was allowed to return to Montreal in 1838 to resume his law practice.
On his return to Lower Canada in 1839, which was now Canada East
of the Province of Canada
, Cartier resumed his law practice. He was a member of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
and became active in politics as campaign manager of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
. In 1848, Cartier gave up his law practice and ran for office as a Reformer and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
.
During his time in the Union parliament, Cartier introduced a bill
in 1852 for the creation of the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada. In 1854 Cartier was appointed to cabinet
. From 1857 to 1862 he served alongside John A. Macdonald
as co-premier of the united province
. Cartier was a loyal friend of Macdonald, with whom he created the Great Coalition
with George Brown
in 1864. The purpose of the Great Coalition was to end the political instability in the province, which had six governments in as many years.
The Great Coalition was one of the first steps in the movement towards Confederation
. He attended all three of the conferences convened for this purpose: Quebec
, Charlottetown
, and London. Cartier was largely responsible for gaining French-Canadian support for union.
Cartier also played a leading role in pushing through legislative reform that effectively abolished the semi-feudal seigneurial system
of land ownership in Lower Canada, turning its legislative council into an elected body of representatives, and pushed successfully for the adoption of the Civil Code
within the province.
, Macdonald became Prime Minister
and Cartier was his Minister of Militia and Defence. As the law of the time allowed membership in both the federal and provincial governments, Cartier ran in the 1867 Quebec provincial election
. Cartier was elected as a Conservative
supporter of the Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
government. As a result, Cartier was both a member of the Parliament of Canada
and the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
.
Federally, Cartier represented Montreal East
following the conclusion of Canada's first election on 20 September 1867. At the next federal election on August 1872, he was defeated by Louis-Amable Jetté
while seeking a second term in Montreal East in the face of the Pacific Scandal
. The following month Cartier was acclaimed the victor in the Manitoba
riding
of Provencher
after Louis Riel
and Henry James Clarke resigned as candidates there. It is notable that Cartier had intended to support an amnesty for Riel for his role in setting up a Provisional government in the Northwest but that the Conservative government ended up reneging on its promise to secure amnesty for the Metis leader.
During his tenure in Ottawa
, Cartier was responsible for the negotiations with Britain
and the Hudson's Bay Company
for the purchase of Rupert's Land
and the North-Western Territory
by Canada. Cartier was also an active participant in the negotiations that lead to the creation of the province of Manitoba and the entry of British Columbia
into Confederation. In keeping with his ties to the railways, in 1872 Cartier introduced a bill for the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway
.
, a kidney disease. After the 1872 election
, Cartier traveled to London
hoping to find a cure. His health did not improve and he died in London on May 20, 1873 at the age of 58. He was unable to pay a visit to his Manitoba riding where he was acclaimed a Member of Parliament. His body was brought back to Canada, and interred in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Montreal
, following a public funeral procession.
on June 16th, 1846. The couple had three children, all girls, one of whom died in infancy, and
one in 1886. After she was widowed, Lady Cartier enjoyed a pension of $1,200 in recognition of her husband's services. When the eldest daughter, Josephine Cartier died in March 1886, her request her remains were brought to Montreal and interred alongside those of her father. Lady Cartier and their surviving daughter, Hortense, lived in Cannes, France, until Lady Cartier died on February 27th, 1898. She was buried in Montreal alongside her husband and daughter, in Cote des Neiges Cemetery. In 1892 Lady Cartier presented a marble bust of her husband to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec.
) into the Confederation is Cartier's most significant contribution to his country. Following the rebellions in 1837/1838 and the Durham Report, Upper and Lower Canada were merged into a single colony. Great Britain
had begun to loosen its ties to the North American colonies. The United States
was becoming more and more powerful, and represented a threat to Canada. In 1864, George Brown, leader of the Clear Grits in Canada West (Ontario
), proposed an alliance with the Conservatives of Macdonald and Cartier. In 1867, following a series of discussions and conferences (at Charlottetown
and Quebec), the alliance known as the Grand Coalition succeeded in forging the agreement which gave birth to the Confederation. From this time onwards, the new federal government convened in Ottawa. In 1834 he contributed to founding the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste patriotic society, where he sang his famous poem Ô Canada, mon pays! mes amours!
(not to be confused with the national anthem of Canada).
, of Montreal, in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom by Queen Victoria in 1868. Since he had no legal heirs, the Cartier baronetage became extinct on his death. In addition, he had the prenomial "The Honourable
" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
on 1 July 1867.
Ontario's Macdonald-Cartier Freeway (Hwy 401)
is named after Cartier and fellow Father of Confederation John A. Macdonald
, as are Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
and the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
, linking Ottawa, Ontario with Gatineau
, Quebec. The former Macdonald-Cartier High School of Saint-Hubert
, Quebec, was named after John A. Macdonald and Cartier, which has merged and became Heritage Regional High School
.
Cartier's residence in Montreal, at 458 Notre-Dame Street East, is now the Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site
dedicated to his life and achievements. It also serves to recall the architectural heritage and lifestyles of the upper middle class of 19th century Montreal.
In 1931, Canada Post
issued a ten cent postage stamp
with Cartier's portrait surrounded by the national symbol, the maple leaf
.
Numerous streets in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada have been named for Cartier, as has the Montreal Metro
's Cartier
station in Laval, Quebec
.
Three schools have been named in his honour:
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,...
was a French-Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation.
The English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
spelling of the name, George, instead of Georges, the usual French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
spelling, is explained by his having been named in honour of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
.
In the years leading up to 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...
, Cartier was a dominant figure in the politics of Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
as leader of the Parti Bleu
Parti bleu
The Parti bleu was a moderate political group in Quebec, Canada that emerged in 1854. It was based on the moderate reformist views of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, and was a rival to the radical Parti rouge....
. In 1838 he returned to 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...
after a year in exile for his role in the anti-government rebellion. Cartier had several reasons for supporting Confederation, notably his fear of American expansion. He officially entered politics in 1848. During his long career he promoted the establishment of the Civil Code
Civil code
A civil code is a systematic collection of laws designed to comprehensively deal with the core areas of private law. A jurisdiction that has a civil code generally also has a code of civil procedure...
as the formal law of Canada East. He also promoted the introduction of primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in the province. He died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on May 20, 1873.
Early career
George-Étienne Cartier was born on September 6, 1814 in Saint-Antoine-sur-RichelieuSaint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu is a municipality in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La Vallée-du-Richelieu. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 1,594.-Population:Population trend...
, 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....
(then known as 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...
). Cartier was educated and was called to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1835 where he began to practise his profession. He was also involved in the railway business, and Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
was one of his legal clients.
Early in his career, Cartier was inspired by Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau , born in Montreal, Quebec, was a politician, lawyer, and the landlord of the seigneurie de la Petite-Nation. He was the leader of the reformist Patriote movement before the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–1838. His father was Joseph Papineau, also a famous politician in Quebec...
. Through this connection, Cartier became a member of the Société des Fils de la Liberté
Société des Fils de la Liberté
The Société des Fils de la Liberté was a paramilitary organization founded in August of 1837 in Lower Canada by young supporters of the Parti patriote who became impatient with the pace of progress of the movement for constitutional and parliamentary reforms...
(“Sons of Liberty”) and took part in the Lower Canada Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion
The Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
of 1837 at the Battle of St-Denis. For his part in the uprising, Cartier was exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d and he took temporary refuge in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. However, he was allowed to return to Montreal in 1838 to resume his law practice.
On his return to Lower Canada in 1839, which was now Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
of the Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
, Cartier resumed his law practice. He was a member of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society is an institution in Quebec dedicated to the protection of Quebec francophone interests and to the promotion of Quebec Sovereignism. Its current President is Mario Beaulieu....
and became active in politics as campaign manager of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
Sir Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine , 1st Baronet, KCMG was the first Canadian to become Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada and the first head of a responsible government in Canada. He was born in Boucherville, Lower Canada in 1807...
. In 1848, Cartier gave up his law practice and ran for office as a Reformer and 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...
.
During his time in the Union parliament, Cartier introduced a bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
in 1852 for the creation of the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada. In 1854 Cartier was appointed to 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 :...
. From 1857 to 1862 he served alongside John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
as co-premier of the united province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
. Cartier was a loyal friend of Macdonald, with whom he created the Great Coalition
Great Coalition
The Great Coalition was a grand coalition of the political parties of the two Canadas in 1864. The previous collapse after only three months of a coalition government formed by George-Étienne Cartier, George Brown and John A. MacDonald. The Great Coalition was formed to stop the political deadlock...
with George Brown
George Brown (Canadian politician)
George Brown was a Scottish-born Canadian journalist, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation...
in 1864. The purpose of the Great Coalition was to end the political instability in the province, which had six governments in as many years.
The Great Coalition was one of the first steps in the movement towards 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...
. He attended all three of the conferences convened for this purpose: Quebec
Quebec Conference, 1864
The Quebec Conference was the second meeting held in 1864 to discuss Canadian Confederation.The 16 delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island had agreed at the close of the Charlottetown Conference to meet again at Quebec City October 1864...
, Charlottetown
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
, and London. Cartier was largely responsible for gaining French-Canadian support for union.
Cartier also played a leading role in pushing through legislative reform that effectively abolished the semi-feudal seigneurial system
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
of land ownership in Lower Canada, turning its legislative council into an elected body of representatives, and pushed successfully for the adoption of the Civil Code
Civil Code of Lower Canada
Civil Code of Lower Canada was the civil code in force in Lower Canada from July 1, 1866 to June 30, 1867 and in Quebec from July 1, 1867 to December 31, 1993...
within the province.
Political life in Dominion of Canada
Upon the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867Constitution Act, 1867
The Constitution Act, 1867 , is a major part of Canada's Constitution. The Act created a federal dominion and defines much of the operation of the Government of Canada, including its federal structure, the House of Commons, the Senate, the justice system, and the taxation system...
, Macdonald became Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and Cartier was his Minister of Militia and Defence. As the law of the time allowed membership in both the federal and provincial governments, Cartier ran in the 1867 Quebec provincial election
Quebec general election, 1867
The Quebec general election of 1867 was held in August and September of 1867 to elect members of the 1st Legislative Assembly for the Province of Quebec, Canada...
. Cartier was elected as a Conservative
Parti conservateur du Québec
The Parti conservateur du Québec was a political party in Quebec, Canada.-Origins:The party originated as the Parti bleu which was formed around 1850 by the followers of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine...
supporter of the Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau , born in Charlesbourg, near Quebec City, was the first Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec following the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. He led a Conservative Party government. He was also the Minister of Education and Provincial Secretary...
government. As a result, Cartier was both a member of the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
and 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...
.
Federally, Cartier represented Montreal East
Montreal East (electoral district)
Montreal East was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1892.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867. It consisted of the St. Lewis Ward, St. James Ward and the St. Mary's Ward. It was abolished in 1892...
following the conclusion of Canada's first election on 20 September 1867. At the next federal election on August 1872, he was defeated by Louis-Amable Jetté
Louis-Amable Jetté
Sir Louis-Amable Jetté, was a Canadian lawyer, politician, judge, professor, and the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. He was born in L'Assomption, Lower Canada in 1836....
while seeking a second term in Montreal East in the face of the Pacific Scandal
Pacific Scandal
The Pacific Scandal was a political scandal in Canada involving allegations of bribes being accepted by the Conservative government in the attempts of private interests to influence the bidding for a national rail contract...
. The following month Cartier was acclaimed the victor in the Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Provencher
Provencher (electoral district)
Provencher is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1871. It is largely a rural district, the largest community being the city of Steinbach, Manitoba.-Demographics:-History:...
after Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
and Henry James Clarke resigned as candidates there. It is notable that Cartier had intended to support an amnesty for Riel for his role in setting up a Provisional government in the Northwest but that the Conservative government ended up reneging on its promise to secure amnesty for the Metis leader.
During his tenure in 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...
, Cartier was responsible for the negotiations with Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
for the purchase of Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
and the North-Western Territory
North-Western Territory
The North-Western Territory was a region of British North America until 1870. Named for where it lay in relation to Rupert's Land, the territory at its greatest extent covered what is now Yukon, mainland Northwest Territories, northwestern mainland Nunavut, northwestern Saskatchewan, northern...
by Canada. Cartier was also an active participant in the negotiations that lead to the creation of the province of Manitoba and the entry of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
into Confederation. In keeping with his ties to the railways, in 1872 Cartier introduced a bill for the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
.
Illness
In 1871, Cartier experienced the first symptom of Bright's DiseaseBright's disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
, a kidney disease. After the 1872 election
Canadian federal election, 1872
The Canadian federal election of 1872 was held from July 20 to October 12, 1872, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 2nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Sir John A...
, Cartier traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
hoping to find a cure. His health did not improve and he died in London on May 20, 1873 at the age of 58. He was unable to pay a visit to his Manitoba riding where he was acclaimed a Member of Parliament. His body was brought back to Canada, and interred in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges 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...
, following a public funeral procession.
Family
George-Étienne Cartier married Hortense Fabre, daughter of E. R. Fabre, former Mayor of Montreal,on June 16th, 1846. The couple had three children, all girls, one of whom died in infancy, and
one in 1886. After she was widowed, Lady Cartier enjoyed a pension of $1,200 in recognition of her husband's services. When the eldest daughter, Josephine Cartier died in March 1886, her request her remains were brought to Montreal and interred alongside those of her father. Lady Cartier and their surviving daughter, Hortense, lived in Cannes, France, until Lady Cartier died on February 27th, 1898. She was buried in Montreal alongside her husband and daughter, in Cote des Neiges Cemetery. In 1892 Lady Cartier presented a marble bust of her husband to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec.
Legacy
The entry of Canada East (QuebecQuebec
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....
) into the Confederation is Cartier's most significant contribution to his country. Following the rebellions in 1837/1838 and the Durham Report, Upper and Lower Canada were merged into a single colony. Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
had begun to loosen its ties to the North American colonies. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was becoming more and more powerful, and represented a threat to Canada. In 1864, George Brown, leader of the Clear Grits in Canada West (Ontario
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....
), proposed an alliance with the Conservatives of Macdonald and Cartier. In 1867, following a series of discussions and conferences (at Charlottetown
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
and Quebec), the alliance known as the Grand Coalition succeeded in forging the agreement which gave birth to the Confederation. From this time onwards, the new federal government convened in Ottawa. In 1834 he contributed to founding the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste patriotic society, where he sang his famous poem Ô Canada, mon pays! mes amours!
Ô Canada! mon pays, mes amours
The lyrics to "Ô Canada! mon pays, mes amours", a French-Canadian song, were written by George-Étienne Cartier, and are not to be confused with the other O Canada , which today is the official anthem of Canada. They were first sung in 1834, during a patriotic banquet of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste...
(not to be confused with the national anthem of Canada).
Honours and memorials
To celebrate the part he played in the country’s development, he was created a baronetBaronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, of Montreal, in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom by Queen Victoria in 1868. Since he had no legal heirs, the Cartier baronetage became extinct on his death. In addition, he had the prenomial "The Honourable
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
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,...
on 1 July 1867.
Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
is named after Cartier and fellow Father of Confederation John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
, as are Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport or Macdonald-Cartier International Airport , in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is named after Sirs John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier...
and the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
The Macdonald-Cartier Bridge is a bridge connecting Ottawa, Ontario, to Gatineau, Quebec. The bridge is a 618 m long continuous steel box girder bridge and carries six lanes of traffic. It links King Edward Avenue and Sussex Drive in Ottawa with Autoroute 5 in Quebec...
, linking Ottawa, Ontario with Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
, Quebec. The former Macdonald-Cartier High School of Saint-Hubert
Saint-Hubert, Quebec
Saint-Hubert is a borough in the city of Longueuil, located in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada. It had been a separate city prior to January 1, 2002, when it along with several other neighbouring south shore municipalities were merged into Longueuil. According to the Quebec Statistics...
, Quebec, was named after John A. Macdonald and Cartier, which has merged and became Heritage Regional High School
Heritage Regional High School
Heritage Regional High School is a public secondary school located in Saint-Hubert, Quebec. Prior to being known as Heritage, the school was known as MacDonald-Cartier High School.-H.R.T.V:...
.
Cartier's residence in Montreal, at 458 Notre-Dame Street East, is now the Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site
Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site
The Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site is an historic house museum in Old Montreal commemorating the life and accomplishments of Sir George-Étienne Cartier...
dedicated to his life and achievements. It also serves to recall the architectural heritage and lifestyles of the upper middle class of 19th century Montreal.
In 1931, Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
issued a ten cent postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
with Cartier's portrait surrounded by the national symbol, the maple leaf
Maple leaf
The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree, and is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada.-Use in Canada:At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of New France had attained a population of about 18,000...
.
Numerous streets in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada have been named for Cartier, as has the Montreal Metro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
's Cartier
Cartier (Montreal Metro)
Cartier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Pont-Viau, Laval, Quebec, Canada . It is part of an extension of the line into Laval and opened on April 28, 2007.- Architecture :It is a normal...
station in Laval, Quebec
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
.
Three schools have been named in his honour:
- George-Étienne Cartier French Catholic primary school in Ottawa, Ontario.
- George-Étienne-Cartier French preschool in Longueuil, Quebec
- George-Étienne Cartier French Catholic primary school in Toronto, Ontario
External links
- The Privy Council Office
- The Parks Canada Agency
- Extensive biographies, documents and studies on George-Étienne Cartier from Marianopolis College
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Entry in The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Alastair Sweeny, George-Étienne Cartier: A Biography Web version
Biographies
- Alastair SweenyAlastair SweenyAlastair Sweeny is a Canadian publisher, historian, and author. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he attended St. Andrew's College, received a Bachelors degree from the Trinity College in the University of Toronto, and a Master of Letters and Doctor of Philosophy from Trinity College, Dublin.Sweeny has...
, George-Étienne Cartier: A Biography (1976, Introduction by W.L. MortonW.L. MortonWilliam Lewis Morton, OC was a noted Canadian historian who specialized in the development of the Canadian west. He was born in Gladstone, Manitoba. He won a Rhodes Scholarship and attended Oxford University where he studied history...
) ISBN 0-7710-8363-7