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Henri-Gustave de Lotbinière
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Sir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, PC (December 5, 1829 – November 16, 1908) was born Henry-Gustave Joly in Épernay, France. His father family was one of the traditional Huguenot families and his mother, a Catholic. First a Huguenot himself, Henri-Gustave converted to Anglicanism when he get married in 1856.
He served as Liberal Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, a federal Cabinet minister, and Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
His father, Pierre-Gustave Joly, had married Julie-Christine Chartier de Lotbinière, who owned the seigneury of Lotbinière, in 1828. Henri-Gustave studied in Paris and inherited the title of seigneur of Lotbinière in 1860. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Lotbinière in 1861 as a moderate liberal, but was a member of the Parti rouge when he was re-elected in 1863.
Henri-Gustave Joly became Leader of the Quebec Liberals at the time of Confederation in 1867, and was the member for the federal riding of Lotbinière. He was re-elected in Lotbinière in the Canadian Election of 1872.
In 1878, Conservative premier Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville resigned on March 2 since he was about to be deposed by Lieutenant Governor Luc Letellier de Saint-Just. They had a conflict over railroad legislation which de Saint-Just deemed as unconstitutional. As a result, Joly became Premier on March 8, 1878.
In the May 1, 1878 election, the Liberals won one fewer seat than the Conservatives (there were also two independent Conservatives). However Joly remained in power in a minority government for about a year and half. His government was brought down by a motion of censure involving the defection of five Liberals (including future premier Edmund James Flynn) to the Conservatives. The Leader of the Opposition Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau was called to form a government on October 31, 1879.
Joly remained Liberal Party leader until 1883. In all, he spent about 17 years as Liberal leader, but served only briefly as Premier.
In 1883, Joly resigned as Liberal leader to make way for Honoré Mercier. He resigned as member of the Legislative Assembly in November 1885.
He added "de Lotbinière" (part of his mother's maiden name) to his name in 1888.
Joly de Lotbinière was once again elected to the federal House of Commons in the 1896 federal election, this time as the member from Portneuf. He served as a federal Cabinet minister from 1897 until he retired in 1900.
In March of 1900 Sir Henri was invited along with J.R. Booth, William Little, Thomas Southworth and Dr. William Saunders by Elihu Stewart, Canada's chief inspector of timber and forestry, to create the Canadian Forestry Association. On March 8, 1900 these men met in the Railway Committee Room of the House of Commons in Ottawa, playing host to lumbermen, foresters, civil servants, railroad executives and others, all concerned about the survival and future use of Canada's forests. The CFA was truly a national organization, with every province represented, along with the districts of Assiniboia, Athabaska, Yukon and Keewatin.
Under the chairmanship of Sir Henri, delegates approved bylaws and constitution of the Canadian Forestry Association, Canada's oldest conservation organization. These early conservationists recognized that the whole field of renewable resources, the forests, waters, wildlife, soils and recreational values, were closely related. The CFA's mission continues to be to promote the protection and wise use of Canada's forest, water and wildlife resources.
His participation as the first president of the Canadian Forestry Association was not altered by his ongoing political activity. He continued to press new ideas for forestry. He presented a paper in 1906 that called for the forest sector to consider conversion to the metric measurement system, a change that would not come to fruition until the 1980s in Canada.
At the 1905 annual meeting of the Canadian Forestry Association in Québec City, condolences were expressed to Sir Henri on the passing in 1904 of his wife. To quote the proceedings: "Then we must all regret the affliction that has come to our honoured president, Sir Henri Joly de Lotbinière and his family in the death of Lady Joly. We all love Sir Henri, and we believe that his name will be remembered for the good work he has done as long as trees grow in this country. He has our sincere sympathy in the afflication that has befallen him."
He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia in 1900 and served until 1906. He died in Quebec City in 1908. With his wife, Margaretta Josepha Gowen (July 25, 1837 – August 14, 1904), they had 11 children of which 7 reached adulthood. Seymour de Lotbiniere, who grew up in England and was an influential director of outside broadcasting at the BBC, was their grandson.
Elections as party leader
He won the 1878 election (the Liberals won one fewer seat than the Conservatives but he remained premier with the support of a few Conservatives). He lost the 1881 election.
See also
External links
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