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4th Quebec Legislature

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Legislature of Quebec

Législature du Québec
Fourth Legislature, 1878 - 1881
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
HousesLegislative Council
Legislative Assembly
Term limits
Four years, subject to earlier dissolution.
History
FoundedJuly 1, 1867
Preceded byThird Legislature of Quebec, 1875-1878
Succeeded byFifth Legislature of Quebec, 1881-1886
Leadership
Henry Starnes (Liberal) (1878-1879)
John Jones Ross (Conservative) (1879-1882)
Arthur Turcotte (Independent Conservative) (1878-1882)
Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau (Conservative) (1878-1879)
Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (1879-1882) Liberal
Structure
SeatsLegislative Council: 24
Legislative Assembly: 65
Legislative Council political groups
Conservatives 21
Liberals 2
Vacant 1
Legislative Assembly political groups
Conservatives 32
Liberals 31
Independent Conservatives 2
Elections
Legislative Council voting system
Life appointments
Legislative Assembly voting system
Single member constituencies
First-past-the-post voting
Secret ballot
Adult male franchise with property qualification
Constitution
British North America Act, 1867

The Fourth Legislature of Quebec was the provincial legislature of Quebec, Canada that existed from 1878 to 1881, following the general election of 1878.

The 1878 election was called by Premier Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, after he had been installed in office by the Lieutenant Governor Luc Letellier de St-Just. The Lieutenant Governor had dismissed the former Conservative Premier, Charles Boucher de Boucherville, over a dispute about railway legislation proposed by the Boucher de Boucherville government.

Since the Liberals did not have a majority in the Legislative Assembly, Joly de Lotbinière called an election immediately. The election resulted in a hung parliament, with neither party having a majority in the Legislative Assembly. Joly de Lotbinière was able to stay in office for one year with a minority government, supported by two Independent Conservatives, but lost a confidence vote in 1879. The Quebec Conservative Party led by Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau then formed a majority government for the remainder of the term of the Legislature.

The Legislature held four annual sessions, with the first session called on June 4, 1878. The Legislature was dissolved on November 7, 1881, leading to the 1881 general election on December 2, 1881.

Structure of the Legislature

The Legislature of Quebec was created by the British North America Act, 1867. It consisted of the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.[1] The Lieutenant Governor was appointed by the Governor General of Canada for a term of five years.[2] The Legislative Assembly consisted of sixty-five members, elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post elections.[3] The Legislative Assembly was to last for four years, subject to being dissolved earlier by the Lieutenant Governor.[4] The Legislative Council consisted of twenty-four members, appointed for life by the Government of Quebec.[5]

Elections and qualifications

Right to vote

The right to vote in elections to the Legislative Assembly was not universal. Only male British subjects (by birth or naturalisation), aged 21 or older, were eligible to vote, and only if they met a property qualification. For residents of larger cities, the qualification was being the owner or occupant of real property assessed at three hundred dollars or more, or for tenants, an annual rent of thirty dollars or more. For any other municipality, the qualification was being an owner or occupant of real property assessed at two hundred dollars or more, or twenty dollars in annual value. For tenants in smaller centers, the qualification was paying an annual rent of twenty dollars or more.[6]

Women were completely barred from voting.[6]

Judges and many municipal and provincial officials were also barred from voting, particularly officials with law enforcement duties, or duties relating to public revenue.[7] The Returning Officer in each riding was also barred from voting, except when needed to give a casting vote in the event of a tie vote.[8]

Qualification for the Legislative Assembly

Candidates for election to the Legislative Assembly had to meet stricter qualifications than voters. In addition to being male, twenty-one or older, and a subject of Her Majesty (by birth or naturalisation), a candidate had to be free from all legal incapacity, and be the proprietor in possession of lands or tenements worth at least $2,000, over and above all encumbrances and charges on the property.[9]

Women were completely barred from membership in the Assembly.[9]

Qualification for the Legislative Council

The qualifications for the members of the Legislative Council were the same as for the members of the Senate of Canada.[10] Those requirements were:

  1. Be of the full age of thirty years;
  2. Be a British subject, either natural-born or naturalised;
  3. Possess real property in Quebec worth at least $4,000, over and above any debts or incumbrances on the property;
  4. Have a net worth of at least $4,000, over and above debts and liabilities;
  5. Reside in Quebec;
  6. Reside in, or possess his qualifying real property, in the division he was named to represent.[11]

The provisions of the British North America Act, 1867 did not explicitly bar women from being called to the Senate of Canada. However, until the Persons Case, it was assumed that women could not be called to the Senate, and were thus also barred from the Legislative Council. In any event, no woman was ever appointed to the Legislative Council.[12]

Events of the Fourth Legislature

The initial lack of a clear majority in the Legislative Assembly for either party led to political instability for the first eighteen months of the term of the Fourth Legislature. The Liberal government of Premier Joly de Lotbinière depended on the support of the two Independent Conservatives. The Liberals agreed to elect one of the two independents, Arthur Turcotte, as Speaker of the Assembly, a highly coveted position. Given the narrow majority and factiousness within the Liberal caucus itself, Joly de Lotbinière's government was uncertain of support from vote to vote in the Assembly, which affected his ability to implement major legislation. Several times, his government only stayed in office by a vote from Turcotte as Speaker.[13] Joly de Lotbinière's government was also supported from time to time by William Price, who was nominally a Conservative but often voted in support of the government.[14]

On the Conservative side, the former house leader of the party in the Legislative Assembly, Auguste-Réal Angers, lost his seat in the general election. This event badly weakened the authority of the leader of the party, former premier Boucher de Boucherville, who sat in the unelected Legislative Council. He was forced to cede the leadership of the party to Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau, who became the Leader of the Opposition.[15]

The next event was the dismissal of Lieutenant Governor Luc Letellier de Saint-Just by the new federal Conservative government of Sir John A. Macdonald. Conservatives in Quebec, led by Chapleau, had been pressuring Macdonald to dismiss Letellier de Saint-Just as soon as the Macdonald government had defeated Alexander Mackenzie's Liberal government in the 1878 federal election.[16] Macdonald replaced Letellier de Saint-Just with an equally partisan Conservative, Théodore Robitaille.[17][13]

By the fall of 1879, Joly de Lotbinère's government was badly weakened. A proposal to abolish the Legislative Council as an austerity measure resulted in a revolt in the Legislative Council. Urged by Chapleau, the Council refused to pass the provincial budget.[16] Chapleau attracted the support of five Liberals Members of the Legislative Assembly, who crossed the floor and joined the Conservatives, giving Chapleau a majority in the Assembly.[13][18] On October 29, 1879, the Assembly passed a motion calling for a coalition government, essentially a motion of non-confidence, by a vote of 35 to 29.[18] Joly de Lotbinière was confident that he could win an election on the issues. He advised the new Lieutenant Governor, Robitaille, to dissolve the Assembly and call a general election.[17] On October 30, 1879, Robitaille refused the dissolution.[18] Joly de Lotbinière resigned and the Lieutenant Governor called on Chapleau to form a government.[17] The Chapleau government was sworn in on October 31, 1878.[18] Since he now had a working majority, Chapleau did not call an election, instead leading the Conservative government for the remaining term of the Legislature. Like the Conservatives the previous year, the Liberals accused the Lieutenant Governor of performing a coup d'état.[17]

Legislative Assembly

Party standings

The 1878 election returned a hung parliament. Neither party initially had a majority in the Legislative Assembly. The Conservatives had one seat more than the Liberals, but there were also two independent Conservatives. With their support, Premier Joly de Lotbinière was initially able to stay in office.

Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Conservative (historical)/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Conservative (historical)/row
Affiliation Members
Conservative Party 32
  Liberal Party 31
Conservative Independent 2
 Total
 65
 Government Majority
 1

Members of the Legislative Assembly

The following candidates were elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1878 election.[19] The Premiers of Quebec are indicated by Bold italics. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is indicated by small caps. Cabinet Ministers are indicated by Italics.

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Name Party Riding
  Robert Greenshields Meikle Liberal Argenteuil
  Narcisse Blais Liberal Bagot
  Joseph Poirier Liberal Beauce
Célestin Bergevin Conservative Beauharnois
  Pierre Boutin Liberal Bellechasse
Joseph Robillard[note 1] Conservative Berthier
Joseph-Israël Tarte Conservative Bonaventure
William Warren Lynch[note 2] Conservative Brome
Michel-Dosithée-Stanislas Martel[note 3] Conservative Chambly
Dominique-Napoléon Saint-Cyr Conservative Champlain
Onésime Gauthier Conservative Charlevoix
  Édouard Laberge Liberal Châteauguay
  William Evan Price[note 4] Independent Conservative Chicoutimi et Saguenay
Willian Sawyer Conservative Compton
Charles Champagne Conservative Deux-Montagnes
Nicodème Audet Conservative Dorchester
  William John Watts Liberal Drummond et Arthabaska
  Edmund James Flynn[note 5] Liberal 1878-1879 Gaspé
  Conservative 1879-1881
Louis Beaubien Conservative Hochelaga
  Alexander Cameron Liberal Huntingdon
  Louis Molleur Liberal Iberville
  Jean-Baptiste Couillard Dupuis Liberal Islet
Narcisse Lecavalier Conservative Jacques Cartier
Vincent-Paul Lavallée Conservative Joliette
  Charles-Antoine-Ernest Gagnon Liberal Kamouraska
Léon-Benoît-Alfred Charlebois Conservative Laprairie
Onuphe Peltier[note 6] Conservative L'Assomption
  Louis-Onésime Loranger[note 7] Conservative Laval
  Étienne-Théodore Pâquet[note 8] Liberal 1878-1879 Lévis
  Conservative 1879-1881
  Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière Liberal Lotbinière
Édouard Caron Conservative Maskinongé
  George Irvine Liberal Mégantic
  Ernest Racicot[note 9] Liberal 1878-1879 Missisquoi
  Conservative 1879-1881
  Octave Magnan Conservative Montcalm
  Louis-Napoléon Fortin[note 10] Liberal 1878-1878 Montmagny
  Conservative 1879-1881
  Charles Langelier Liberal Montmorency
  Horatio Admiral Nelson Liberal Montréal Centre
Louis-Olivier Taillon Conservative Montréal Est
  James McShane Liberal Montreal Ouest
  Laurent-David Lafontaine Liberal Napierville
Charles-Édouard Houde Conservative Nicolet
Louis Duhamel Conservative Ottawa
Levi Ruggles Church Conservative Pontiac
  François Langelier Liberal Portneuf
  David Alexander Ross Liberal Québec-Comté
  Rémi-Ferdinand Rinfret dit Malouin Liberal Québec-Centre
  Joseph Shehyn Liberal Québec-Est
  Arthur H. Murphy Liberal Québec-Ouest
Michel Mathieu Conservative Richelieu
Jacques Picard Conservative Richmond et Wolfe
  Alexandre Chauveau[note 11] Liberal 1878-1879 Rimouski
  Conservative 1879-1880
Solime Bertrand[note 12] Conservative Rouville
  Pierre Bachand[note 13] Liberal Saint-Hyacinthe
  Félix-Gabriel Marchand Liberal St. Jean
François-Sévère Desaulniers Conservative St. Maurice
  Joseph Lafontaine Liberal Shefford
Joseph Gibb Robertson[note 14] Conservative Sherbrooke
William Duckett Conservative Soulanges
  Henry Lovell Liberal Stanstead
Georges-Honoré Deschênes Conservative Témiscouata
Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau[note 15] Conservative Terrebonne
  Henri-René-Arthur Turcotte Independent Conservative Trois-Rivières
Émery Lalonde, Sr. Conservative Vaudreuil
  Jean-Baptiste Brousseau[note 16] Liberal Verchères
Jonathan Saxton Campbell Würtele Conservative Yamaska

Reasons for Vacancies

  1. ^ Election annulled, November 30, 1880. [20]
  2. ^ Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election.[21]
  3. ^ Election annulled, April 30, 1879.[22]
  4. ^ Resigned due to ill-health, February 13, 1880.[14][23]
  5. ^ Elected as a Liberal in the general election of 1878. One of five Liberals who crossed the floor to the Conservatives, bringing down the Liberal government, October 29, 1879. Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election.[24]
  6. ^ Died in office, May 10, 1880.[25]
  7. ^ Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election.[26]
  8. ^ Elected as a Liberal in the general election of 1878. One of five Liberals who crossed the floor to the Conservatives, bringing down the Liberal government, October 29, 1879. Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election.[27]
  9. ^ Elected as a Liberal in the general election of 1878. One of five Liberals who crossed the floor to the Conservatives, bringing down the Liberal government, October 29,1879.[28]
  10. ^ Elected as a Liberal in the general election of 1878. One of five Liberals who crossed the floor to the Conservatives, bringing down the Liberal government, October 29,1879.[29]
  11. ^ Elected as a Liberal in the general election of 1878. One of five Liberals who crossed the floor to the Conservatives, bringing down the Liberal government, October 29, 1879. Resigned seat on being appointed judge of the Sessions of the Peace, January 16, 1880.[30]
  12. ^ Election annulled, May 21, 1879.[31]
  13. ^ Died in office, November 3, 1878.[32]
  14. ^ Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election.[33]
  15. ^ Appointed Premier of Quebec on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election.[34]
  16. ^ Election annulled by the Superior Court, June 8, 1878.[35]

By-elections

There were fourteen by-elections during the term of the Fourth Legislature.[19][36] Premier of Quebec is indicated by bold italics. Cabinet ministers are indicated by italics.

By-elections, 1879-1880
Name Party Riding Reason for Vacancy By-election Date
  Honoré Mercier Liberal Saint-Hyacinthe Incumbent died in office. June 3, 1879
  Flavien-Guillaume Bouthillier Liberal Rouville Election of incumbent annulled. June 18, 1879
  Raymond Préfontaine Liberal Chambly Election of incumbent annulled. June 26, 1879
  Achille Larose Liberal Verchères Election of incumbent annulled. July 17, 1879
  Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau Conservative Terrebonne Appointed Premier of Quebec, triggering a ministerial by-election. Re-elected by acclamation. November 13, 1879
  Louis-Onésime Loranger Conservative Laval Appointed to Cabinet, triggering a ministerial by-election. Re-elected by acclamation. November 13, 1879
  William Warren Lynch Conservative Brome Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election. November 20, 1879
  Étienne-Théodore Pâquet Conservative Lévis Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election. November 20, 1879
  Joseph Gibb Robertson Conservative Sherbrooke Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election. Re-elected by acclamation. November 20, 1879
  Edmund James Flynn Conservative Gaspé Appointed to Cabinet on October 31, 1879, triggering a ministerial by-election. Re-elected by acclamation. December 6, 1879
  Joseph Parent Liberal Rimouski Incumbent appointed to the Sessions of the Peace March 3, 1880
  Joseph-Élisée Beaudet Conservative Chicoutimi-Saguenay Incumbent resigned due to ill health. March 27, 1880
  Joseph Marion Conservative L'Assomption Incumbent died in office. June 4, 1880
  Joseph Robillard Conservative Berthier Election in the general election annulled. December 30, 1880

Executive Council during Fourth Legislature

Joly de Lotbinière Cabinet (1878-1879)

  • Prime Minister and Executive Council President: Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
  • Agriculture and public works: Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
  • Crown Lands: François Langelier (1878-1879), Félix-Gabriel Marchand (1879)
  • Attorney General: David Alexander Ross
  • Secretary and Registry: Félix-Gabriel Marchand (1878-1879), Alexandre Chauveau (1879)
  • Treasurer: Pierre Bachand (1878-1879), François Langelier (1879)
  • Solicitor General: Alexandre Chauveau (1878-1879), Honoré Mercier (1879)
  • Legislative Council President: Henry Starnes

Chapleau Cabinet (1879-1881)

  • Prime Minister and Executive Council President: Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
  • Agriculture and public works: Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau (1879-1881), John Jones Ross (1881)
  • Crown Lands: Edmund James Flynn
  • Railroad: Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau (1871), John Jones Ross (1871)
  • Attorney General: Louis-Onesime Loranger
  • Secretary and Registry: Etienne-Théodore Pâquet
  • Treasurer: Joseph Gibb Robertson
  • Solicitor General: William Warren Lynch
  • Legislative Council President: John Jones Ross

References

  1. ^ British North America Act, 1867 [now known as the Constitution Act, 1867], s. 71.
  2. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 58.
  3. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 80.
  4. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 85.
  5. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 72.
  6. ^ a b The Quebec Election Act, RSQ 1875, c. 7, s. 8.
  7. ^ The Quebec Election Act, s. 11.
  8. ^ The Quebec Election Act, s. 205.
  9. ^ a b The Quebec Election Act, s. 124.
  10. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 73.
  11. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 23.
  12. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les membres du Conseil législatif (par divisions).
  13. ^ a b c Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Joly de Lotbinière, Sir Henri-Gustave".
  14. ^ a b Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Price, William Evan".
  15. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Boucher de Boucherville, Sir Charles".
  16. ^ a b Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Chapleau, Sir Joseph-Adolphe".
  17. ^ a b c d Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Robitaille, Théodore".
  18. ^ a b c d Quebec National Assembly: Chronologie parlementaire depuis 1791 (1878-1879).
  19. ^ a b Quebec National Assembly: Les résultats électoraux depuis 1867.
  20. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Joseph Robillard
  21. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: William Warren Lynch
  22. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Michel-Dosithée-Stanislas Martel
  23. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Wiliam Evan Price
  24. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Edmund James Flynn
  25. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Onuphe Peltier
  26. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Louis-Onésime Loranger
  27. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Étienne-Théodore Pâquet
  28. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Ernest Racicot
  29. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Louis-Napoléon Fortin
  30. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Alexandre Chauveau
  31. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Solime Bertrand
  32. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Pierre Bachand
  33. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Joseph Gibb Robertson
  34. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
  35. ^ Quebec National Assembly, Québec Dictionary of Parliamentary Biography, from 1764 to the present: Jean-Baptiste Brousseau
  36. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les élections partielles.
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