Parti National (Quebec)
Encyclopedia
The Parti National was the name taken by the Liberal Party of Quebec, Canada
, under the premiership of Honoré Mercier
.
. Many French-speaking Catholics
resented the way the federal government of Sir John A. Macdonald
had Riel hanged for treason. Mercier proposed to create a broader coalition which would include Conservative dissidents as well as his Liberal base. In the following days 50,000 people gathered in the Champ de Mars in Montreal
to hear Mercier voice their support for Riel.
The Parti National, which was not officially affiliated to any federal party, promised to use the influence of the provincial government protect the autonomy
of Quebec
and of its French-speaking and Catholic identity.
in the 1886 provincial election
and took office in January 1887. It won a landslide victory
in the 1890 election
, doing poorly only in the Mauricie
area where it was opposed by Ultramontan
Catholic
Bishop
Louis-François Richer Laflèche
.
Its achievements include:
. Mercier stepped down as party leader and the Liberals were overwhelmingly defeated in the 1892 election
.
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...
, under the premiership of Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier was a lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the ninth Premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887 to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Liberal Party ....
.
Origin and beliefs
It was founded on November 17, 1885, the day following the execution of Métis Leader 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....
. Many French-speaking Catholics
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
resented the way the federal government of Sir 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...
had Riel hanged for treason. Mercier proposed to create a broader coalition which would include Conservative dissidents as well as his Liberal base. In the following days 50,000 people gathered in the Champ de Mars 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...
to hear Mercier voice their support for Riel.
The Parti National, which was not officially affiliated to any federal party, promised to use the influence of the provincial government protect the autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
of 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....
and of its French-speaking and Catholic identity.
Rise to power
The party won a narrow majority of seats 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...
in the 1886 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1886
The Quebec general election of 1886 on October 14, 1886 to elect members of the 6th Legislative Assembly for the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Parti libéral du Québec, led by Honoré Mercier, won a majority of seats against the Parti conservateur du Québec, led by John Jones Ross.The...
and took office in January 1887. It won a landslide victory
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
in the 1890 election
Quebec general election, 1890
The Quebec general election of 1890 was held on June 17, 1890 to elect members of the 7th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Honoré Mercier, was re-elected, defeating the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Louis-Olivier Taillon.A...
, doing poorly only in the Mauricie
Mauricie
Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
area where it was opposed by Ultramontan
Ultramontanism
Ultramontanism is a religious philosophy within the Roman Catholic community that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Louis-François Richer Laflèche
Louis-François Richer Laflèche
Louis-François Laflèche, , was a Catholic bishop of the diocese of Trois-Rivières, in the province of Quebec, Canada.-Early life and career:...
.
Its achievements include:
- Organizing the first interprovincial conference in Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , 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 1887 - Passing the Jesuit Estates Act, which gave the order $400,000 in compensation for loss of property confiscated by the government decades earlier
- Establishing a department of Agriculture and Colonization in 1887 and appointing Curé LabelleAntoine LabelleFrançois-Xavier-Antoine Labelle was a Roman Catholic priest and the person principally responsible for the settlement of the Laurentians...
as its deputy minister - Expanding the railroad to support the migration of urban residents to rural parts of Quebec, such as the LaurentidesLaurentides (region)The Laurentides is a region of Quebec. While it is often called the Laurentians in English, the region includes only part of the Laurentian mountains...
and Gaspésie - Creating night schools, starting in 1889
Decline
With only 18 months served in its second term of office, the National Party was caught in a corruption scandal and removed from office by Quebec Lieutenant-governor Auguste-Réal AngersAuguste-Réal Angers
Sir Auguste-Réal Angers, KCB, PC was a Canadian judge and parliamentarian, holding seats both as a member of the Canadian House of Commons, and as a Senator...
. Mercier stepped down as party leader and the Liberals were overwhelmingly defeated in the 1892 election
Quebec general election, 1892
In the Quebec general election of 1892 on March 8, 1892 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Conservative Party, led by Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville, defeated the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Honoré Mercier.Mercier had been...
.
Other Partis Nationaux
- Mercier had tried to create a "Parti national" in 1872. This first attempt seems to have been short-lived and fruitless.
- Nationalist politicians René ChaloultRené ChaloultRené Chaloult was a nationalist politician in Quebec, Canada.-Political career:Chaloult first won a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec as a Union Nationale candidate in the 1936 election in the district of Kamouraska...
, Oscar DrouinOscar DrouinOscar Drouin was a politician in Quebec, Canada.-Member of the legislature:Drouin won a by-election in 1928 and became the Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the district of Québec-Est...
, Joseph-Ernest GrégoireJoseph-Ernest GrégoireJoseph-Ernest Grégoire was a French Canadian politician.-Background:He was born in Disraeli, Quebec on July 31, 1886. He was an attorney and a professor. He also was the father of Gilles Grégoire, a co-founder of the Parti Québécois....
, Philippe HamelPhilippe HamelPhilippe Hamel was a nationalist and progressive politician in Quebec, Canada.-Member of the legislature:Hamel entered politics to achieve the nationalization of all privately-owned electric companies...
and Adolphe MarcouxAdolphe MarcouxAdolphe Marcoux was a physician and a nationalist politician in Quebec, Canada.Marcoux won a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec as a Union Nationale candidate in the 1936 election in the district of Quebec County...
announced the creation of a "Parti National" in 1937, after they had leftCrossing the floorIn politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
the Union Nationale. It seems that this effort was abandoned briefly after. Chalout and Drouin ran as Liberals in the 1939 electionQuebec general election, 1939The Quebec general election of 1939 was held on October 25, 1939 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
.
See also
- Politics of QuebecPolitics of QuebecThe politics of Quebec are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital of the province is Quebec City, where the Lieutenant Governor, Premier, the legislature, and cabinet reside.The...
- National Assembly of QuebecNational Assembly of QuebecThe National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
- List of Quebec general elections
- 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....
- List of political parties in Quebec
- Liberal Party of Quebec