Jacob Nicol
Encyclopedia
Jacob Nicol was a Canadian
lawyer, newspaper publisher, and politician.
, Quebec
, the son of Philip Nicol, farmer and tool manufacturer, and Sophie Cloutier, Nicol was educated at Feller College
, McMaster University
, and Université Laval à Québec. He studied law with Henry Thomas Duffy and Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1904 and was created a King's Counsel in 1912.
for the District of St. Francis. From 1921 to 1931, he was a member the Board of Education of the Province of Quebec.
in Quebec City from 1927 to 1948, L'Événement in 1936, L'Événement-Journal from 1938 to 1948, and Le Nouvelliste de Trois-Rivières until 1951. He also an owner of radio stations CHLN and CHLT. From 1945 to 1955, he was a director and vice-president at the National Bank of Canada
.
for the district of Richmond
in a 1921 by-election. A Quebec Liberal, he was re-elected in Compton
in 1923 and 1927. He was a Minister of Municipal Affairs in the cabinet of Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
from 1921 to 1924. He was the Provincial Treasurer
from 1921 to 1929. In 1929, he was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec
for the division of Bedford. He was speaker from 1930 to 1934 and leader of the government from 1934 to 1936. In 1934, he was a minister without portfolio in the cabinet of Taschereau. In 1944, he was summoned to the Senate of Canada for the division of Bedford on the advice of William Lyon Mackenzie King
. He held both posts until his death.
in 1948.
He died in Sherbrooke in 1958.
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...
lawyer, newspaper publisher, and politician.
Early life
Born in Roxton PondRoxton Pond, Quebec
Roxton Pond is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 3,599...
, 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 Philip Nicol, farmer and tool manufacturer, and Sophie Cloutier, Nicol was educated at Feller College
Feller College
Feller College, also known as Institute Feller, was a co-educational boarding school founded in 1836 by Mme. Henriette Feller, a Swiss Protestant Missionary, who intended to save the French speaking Quebec population from "the idolatry of Catholicism"....
, McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, and Université Laval à Québec. He studied law with Henry Thomas Duffy and Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau was a the 14th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1920 to 1936. He was elected four times, the first in 1900, in the riding of Montmorency. He was also a member of the Parti libéral du Québec...
. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1904 and was created a King's Counsel in 1912.
Law career
He practiced law in Sherbrooke, Quebec with Wilfrid Lazure and Silfrid Couture until 1935. From 1906 to 1921, he was a crown attorneyCrown attorney
Crown Attorneys or Crown Counsel are the prosecutors in the legal system of Canada.Crown Attorneys represent the Crown and act as prosecutor in proceedings under the Criminal Code of Canada...
for the District of St. Francis. From 1921 to 1931, he was a member the Board of Education of the Province of Quebec.
Newspaper owner
In 1910, he was one of the founders of the newspaper La Tribune in Sherbrooke, where he remained an owner until 1955. He was also an owner of the Le SoleilLe Soleil
Le Soleil is a French-language daily newspaper in Quebec City, Quebec. It was founded on December 28, 1896 and is published in compact format since April 2006...
in Quebec City from 1927 to 1948, L'Événement in 1936, L'Événement-Journal from 1938 to 1948, and Le Nouvelliste de Trois-Rivières until 1951. He also an owner of radio stations CHLN and CHLT. From 1945 to 1955, he was a director and vice-president at the National Bank of Canada
National Bank of Canada
National Bank of Canada is the 6th largest bank and 8th largest financial institution in Canada. The bank's headquarters are in Montreal, Quebec....
.
Political career
He was acclaimed to the Legislative Assembly of QuebecLegislative 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 district of Richmond
Richmond (Quebec provincial electoral district)
Richmond is a provincial electoral riding in Quebec, Canada. Located in the Estrie region, the district was created in 1890. Between 1867 and 1890, it was part of the riding of Richmond et Wolfe...
in a 1921 by-election. A Quebec Liberal, he was re-elected in Compton
Compton (provincial electoral district)
Compton was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of Quebec. Located in the Estrie region, the riding existed from 1867 to 1972 before it was merged with Mégantic to form the Mégantic-Compton riding.-Members of Legislative Assembly:...
in 1923 and 1927. He was a Minister of Municipal Affairs in the cabinet of Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau was a the 14th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1920 to 1936. He was elected four times, the first in 1900, in the riding of Montmorency. He was also a member of the Parti libéral du Québec...
from 1921 to 1924. He was the Provincial Treasurer
Provincial Treasurer
In Canadian politics the Provincial Treasurer is a senior protfolio in the Executive Council of provincial governments. The position is the provincial equivalent of the Minister of Finance and is responsible for setting the provincial budget. In most provinces the title of the position has changed...
from 1921 to 1929. In 1929, he was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec
Legislative Council of Quebec
From 1867 until 1968, the Legislative Council of Quebec was the unelected upper house of the bicameral legislature in the Canadian province of Quebec...
for the division of Bedford. He was speaker from 1930 to 1934 and leader of the government from 1934 to 1936. In 1934, he was a minister without portfolio in the cabinet of Taschereau. In 1944, he was summoned to the Senate of Canada for the division of Bedford on the advice of William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
. He held both posts until his death.
Honours
He received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Bishop's College in 1927, McMaster University in 1928, and Laval University in 1952. He was made a Knight of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1948.
He died in Sherbrooke in 1958.