Le Canadien
Encyclopedia
Le Canadien was a French language
newspaper
published in Lower Canada
from November 22, 1806 to March 14, 1810. Its motto was: "Nos institutions, notre langue et nos droits" (Our institutions, our language, our rights). It was released every Saturday and the yearly subscription was of 10 chelins or shilling
s.
by lawyer Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
and associates François Blanchet
, Jean-Antoine Panet
, Jean-Thomas Taschereau
and Joseph Le Vasseur Borgia
. All were members of the Parliament of Lower Canada
at the time. The editor was Jean-Antoine Bouthillier. The newspaper quickly became the voice of the Parti canadien
in their battle against the English
party and the government of governor James Craig
.
On March 17, 1810, the press and the papers of the editorial office on rue Saint-François were seized by the government. The printer Charles Lefrançois
was imprisoned and a patrol searched the city for conspirators. The Quebec Mercury had previously insinuated that the French Canadian
s and the Americans
were plotting against England
. Two days later, no conspirators had been found. Bédard, Blanchet and Taschereau were arrested and also jailed.
The prisoners were refused habeas corpus
. While in prison, Bédard was nominated as member of parliament in the Surrey riding and elected at the general election of March 27, 1810. In 1811, MP Louis-Joseph Papineau
asked Governor Craig to clear Bédard of all charges. Governor Craig refused. Bédard was finally ordered out of prison at the end of the Legislative Assembly's session. He was never tried.
The newspaper published again a few times, with intermissions. Le Canadien disappeared on February 11, 1893, then owned by Joseph-Israël Tarte.
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...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in 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...
from November 22, 1806 to March 14, 1810. Its motto was: "Nos institutions, notre langue et nos droits" (Our institutions, our language, our rights). It was released every Saturday and the yearly subscription was of 10 chelins or shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s.
History
The newspaper was founded in Quebec CityQuebec 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...
by lawyer Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
Pierre-Stanislas Bédard was a lawyer, judge, journalist and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Charlesbourg in 1762, descended from French ancestors who had first arrived in New France before 1660. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec, articled in law and was called to the bar...
and associates François Blanchet
François Blanchet (physician)
François Blanchet was a physician, businessman, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud in 1776 and studied at the Petit Séminaire of Quebec. He went on to study medicine with James Fisher and then at Columbia College where he received a...
, Jean-Antoine Panet
Jean-Antoine Panet
Jean-Antoine Panet was a notary, lawyer, judge, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Quebec in 1751, the son of Jean-Claude Panet. He served in the militia defending the town of Quebec during the American Revolution and he later attained the rank of ieutenant-colonel in the...
, Jean-Thomas Taschereau
Jean-Thomas Taschereau (1778-1832)
Jean-Thomas Taschereau was a son of Gabriel-Elzéar Taschereau and Marie-Louise-Élizabeth Bazin. He was a seigneur, lawyer, judge and politician....
and Joseph Le Vasseur Borgia
Joseph Le Vasseur Borgia
Joseph Le Vasseur Borgia was a lawyer, newspaper owner and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Quebec in 1773, the son of a blacksmith, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. He articled as a lawyer, qualified to practice in 1800 and set up practice at Quebec. Le Vasseur Borgia...
. All were members of the Parliament of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
at the time. The editor was Jean-Antoine Bouthillier. The newspaper quickly became the voice of the Parti canadien
Parti canadien
The Parti canadien or Parti patriote was a political party in what is now Quebec founded by members of the liberal elite of Lower Canada at the beginning of the 19th century...
in their battle against 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...
party and the government of governor James Craig
James Henry Craig
General Sir James Henry Craig KB was a British military officer and colonial administrator.-Early life and military service:...
.
On March 17, 1810, the press and the papers of the editorial office on rue Saint-François were seized by the government. The printer Charles Lefrançois
Charles Lefrançois
Charles Lefrançois is a retired high jumper from Canada, who represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. He won the silver medal at the 1997 Summer Universiade. He is a seven-time national champion for Canada in the men's high jump event.-References:*...
was imprisoned and a patrol searched the city for conspirators. The Quebec Mercury had previously insinuated that the French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
s and the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were plotting against 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...
. Two days later, no conspirators had been found. Bédard, Blanchet and Taschereau were arrested and also jailed.
The prisoners were refused habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
. While in prison, Bédard was nominated as member of parliament in the Surrey riding and elected at the general election of March 27, 1810. In 1811, MP 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...
asked Governor Craig to clear Bédard of all charges. Governor Craig refused. Bédard was finally ordered out of prison at the end of the Legislative Assembly's session. He was never tried.
The newspaper published again a few times, with intermissions. Le Canadien disappeared on February 11, 1893, then owned by Joseph-Israël Tarte.
See also
- La MinerveLa MinerveLa Minerve was a newspaper founded in Montreal, Lower Canada by Augustin-Norbert Morin to promote the political goals of Louis-Joseph Papineau's Parti patriote. It was notably directed by Ludger Duvernay in its earlier years. It existed from 1826 to 1837, and again from 1842 to May 27, 1899...
- List of Quebec media
- Patriote movementPatriote movementThe Patriote movement was a political movement that existed in Lower Canada from the turning of the 19th century to the Patriote Rebellion of 1837 and 1838 and the subsequent Act of Union of 1840. It was politically embodied by the Parti patriote at the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada...
- History of QuebecHistory of QuebecQuebec has played a special role in Canadian history; it is the site where French settlers founded the colony of Canada in the 17th and 18th centuries.-Paleoindian Era :...
- Timeline of Quebec historyTimeline of Quebec historyThis article presents a detailed timeline of Quebec history. Events taking place outside Quebec, for example in English Canada, the United States, Britain or France, may be included when they are considered to have had a significant impact on Quebec's history....
External links
- Chronologie de l'histoire du Québec (in French)