Joseph Dubuc
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Dubuc was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and judge who was born in Lower Canada
and became an important political figure from Manitoba
.
. This connection would shape his political life in the future. He received a Bachelor of Common Law degree from McGill College in 1869 and was called to the Lower Canada bar the same year.
In January 1870, Riel called on him to help with the new provisional government
that had been established as part of the Red River Rebellion
. Dubuc left for Manitoba in June and, upon his arrival in the Red River area, became friends with Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché
who dissuaded him of his doubts. He wrote articles for the Montreal newspaper La Minerve explaining the position of the Métis
and encouraging francophones to settle in the Canadian West. In 1871, he was accepted into the Manitoba bar. Following the end of the rebellion Dubuc established a law practice in Winnipeg
and was editor a French-language weekly, Le Métis, aimed at the Métis population.
He had a son Lucien Dubuc
who went on to become a famous Judge.
when elections were held in 1870 at the Baie St-Paul riding. He persuaded Riel to run for the Canadian House of Commons
in 1872 and was almost beaten to death in the ensuing riots.
Dubuc worked to preserve the alliance between French Canadians and Métis. Politically he was a Conservative and ultramontane (supporter of the clergy). He served as attorney-general in the government of Marc-Amable Girard
in 1872 but only served for a few months until the Girard ministry fell and was replaced by one formed by Robert Atkinson Davis
, In March 1875, Dubuc was chosen Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
serving until 1878. He also served on the Council of the North-West Territories
from 1872 to 1876.
Dubuc resigned from the provincial legislature was acclaimed in Provencher in the federal election of 1878 but left the House of Commons
the next year to accept a judicial appointment on the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba
.
He grew estranged from Riel calling him a "dangerous maniac" following the Second Riel Rebellion.
's move to reduce French-language rights and make English the sole language of the province during the Manitoba Schools Question
debate and was a dissenting judge in the case of Barrett v. City of Winnipeg where the majority of the court ruled that the government had a right to establish a public school system to the detriment of French-language Catholic schools.
In 1903, he became chief justice
of Manitoba and retired from the bench in 1909. In 1912 he was knighted
, the first western French Canadian to be so designated.
Dubuc died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on 7 January 1914. Dubuc Street in Winnipeg was named in his honour.
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...
and became an important political figure from 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...
.
Early life
Dubuc was from a large family and irregularly school because of family responsibilities. He spent some time in the United States and learned English while working in a factory. Upon returning to Quebec, he completed military school in Montreal in November 1866. He further engaged in formal studies, latterly at the Petit Séminaire de Montreal, where he made friends with Louis RielLouis 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....
. This connection would shape his political life in the future. He received a Bachelor of Common Law degree from McGill College in 1869 and was called to the Lower Canada bar the same year.
In January 1870, Riel called on him to help with the new provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
that had been established as part of the Red River Rebellion
Red River Rebellion
The Red River Rebellion or Red River Resistance was the sequence of events related to the 1869 establishment of a provisional government by the Métis leader Louis Riel and his followers at the Red River Settlement, in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba.The Rebellion was the first crisis...
. Dubuc left for Manitoba in June and, upon his arrival in the Red River area, became friends with Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché was a Roman Catholic priest, missionary of the Oblate order, author and the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface in the Canadian province of Manitoba.In late 1844 Taché entered the Oblate novitiate...
who dissuaded him of his doubts. He wrote articles for the Montreal newspaper La Minerve explaining the position of the Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
and encouraging francophones to settle in the Canadian West. In 1871, he was accepted into the Manitoba bar. Following the end of the rebellion Dubuc established a law practice in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
and was editor a French-language weekly, Le Métis, aimed at the Métis population.
He had a son Lucien Dubuc
Lucien Dubuc
Lucien Dubuc was a lawyer, judge and briefly a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada.-Early life:Lucien Dubuc's father was Joseph Dubuc who was a prominent Canadian federal and provincial politician as well a pioneer lawyer.-Political career:...
who went on to become a famous Judge.
Political career
He was acclaimed to the first provincial legislatureLegislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
when elections were held in 1870 at the Baie St-Paul riding. He persuaded Riel to run for 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...
in 1872 and was almost beaten to death in the ensuing riots.
Dubuc worked to preserve the alliance between French Canadians and Métis. Politically he was a Conservative and ultramontane (supporter of the clergy). He served as attorney-general in the government of Marc-Amable Girard
Marc-Amable Girard
Marc-Amable Girard was the second Premier of the Western Canadian province of Manitoba, and the first Franco-Manitoban to hold that post. The Canadian Parliamentary Guide lists Girard as having been Premier from 1871 to 1872, but he did not have this title at the time and was not the government...
in 1872 but only served for a few months until the Girard ministry fell and was replaced by one formed by Robert Atkinson Davis
Robert Atkinson Davis
Robert Atkinson Davis was a businessman and Manitoba politician who served as the fourth Premier of Manitoba....
, In March 1875, Dubuc was chosen Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba is the presiding officer of the provincial legislature.-List of Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba:-References:* *...
serving until 1878. He also served on the Council of the North-West Territories
Temporary North-West Council
The Temporary North-West Council more formally known as the Council of the Northwest Territories and by its short name as the North-West Council lasted from the creation of Northwest Territories, Canada, in 1870 until it was dissolved in 1876...
from 1872 to 1876.
Dubuc resigned from the provincial legislature was acclaimed in Provencher in the federal election of 1878 but left the 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...
the next year to accept a judicial appointment on the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba
Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba
The Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba is the superior court of the Canadian province of Manitoba...
.
He grew estranged from Riel calling him a "dangerous maniac" following the Second Riel Rebellion.
Late life
Dubuc unsuccessfully opposed the government of Thomas GreenwayThomas Greenway
For the American character actor , see Tom Greenway.Thomas Greenway was a politician, merchant and farmer. He served as the seventh Premier of Manitoba, Canada, from 1888 to 1900...
's move to reduce French-language rights and make English the sole language of the province during the Manitoba Schools Question
Manitoba Schools Question
The Manitoba Schools Question was a political crisis in the Canadian Province of Manitoba that occurred late in the 19th century, involving publicly funded separate schools for Roman Catholics and Protestants...
debate and was a dissenting judge in the case of Barrett v. City of Winnipeg where the majority of the court ruled that the government had a right to establish a public school system to the detriment of French-language Catholic schools.
In 1903, he became chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of Manitoba and retired from the bench in 1909. In 1912 he was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
, the first western French Canadian to be so designated.
Dubuc died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on 7 January 1914. Dubuc Street in Winnipeg was named in his honour.