1st Quebec Legislature

Legislature of Quebec

Législature du Québec

First Legislature, 1867 - 1871
Type
Type|

Bicameral

Houses| Legislative Council
Legislative Assembly

Term limits

| Four years, subject to earlier dissolution
History
Founded| July 1, 1867 (1867-07-01)
Succeeded by| Second Legislature of Quebec, 1871-1875
Leadership

Monarch

Victoria

Lieutenant Governor

Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau

Premier

Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau, Conservative

Speaker of the Legislative Council

Charles Boucher de Boucherville, Conservative

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly

Joseph-Goderic Blanchet, Conservative

Leader of the Opposition

Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (from 1869 onwards), Liberal

Structure
Seats| Legislative Council: 24
Legislative Assembly: 65

Legislative Council political groups

| Conservatives 21
Liberals 3

Legislative Assembly political groups

| Conservatives 51
Liberals 12
Independent 1
Vacant 1
Elections

Legislative Council voting system

| Life appointments

Legislative Assembly voting system

| Single member constituencies
First-past-the-post voting
Open ballot system
Adult male franchise with property qualification
Constitution
British North America Act, 1867

The First Legislature of Quebec was summoned in 1867 when the new Canadian province of Quebec was created, as part of the new country of Canada.

The legislature had two chambers: the elected lower house, the Legislative Assembly, and the appointed upper house, the Legislative Council. The first general election for the Legislative Assembly was held in August and September, 1867, and returned a majority for the Quebec Conservative Party led by Premier Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau. The Liberal Party of Quebec formed the Official Opposition.

The Chauveau government then appointed the first members to the Legislative Council in November, 1867, who were sworn into their positions in December, 1867. The Conservatives had a strong majority in the Legislative Council.

The first session of the legislature was called on December 27, 1867. The legislature had four annual sessions, until its dissolution on May 27, 1871, triggering the second general election.

## Creation of the Legislature

[edit]

The province of Quebec was created on July 1, 1867, when the British North America Act, 1867 came into force, splitting the old Province of Canada into the new provinces of Quebec (formerly Lower Canada) and Ontario (formerly Upper Canada).[1] That Act also created the Legislature of Quebec, composed of the Lieutenant Governor, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.[2]

The Act provided that the Lieutenant Governor was to be appointed by the Governor General of Canada for a term of five years, subject to dismissal for cause.[3] The Legislative Assembly was to consist of sixty-five members, elected in single-member constituencies.[4] The Legislative Assembly was to last for four years, subject to being dissolved earlier by the Lieutenant Governor.[5] The Legislative Council was to consist of twenty-four members, appointed for life.[6] Each Legislative Councillor was appointed to represent one of the twenty-four divisions which had formerly been used in the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada[6][7]

## Elections and Qualifications

[edit]

The first election was conducted under the electoral laws of the former Province of Canada, which had been continued in force until such time as the Quebec Legislature enacted electoral laws specifically for Quebec.[8]

### Right to vote

[edit]

The right to vote in elections to the Legislative Assembly was not universal. Only male British subjects (by birth or naturalisation), aged 21 and older, were eligible to vote, and only if they met a property qualification. For residents of cities and towns, the qualification was being the owner, tenant or occupant of real property assessed at three hundred dollars, or at an assessed yearly value of thirty dollars. For residents of townships and parishes, the requirements were either an assessment of two hundred dollars, or an assessed yearly value of twenty dollars.[9]

Women were expressly prohibited from voting, "for any Electoral Division whatever".[10]

Judges and many municipal and provincial officials were also barred from voting, particularly officials with duties relating to public revenue. Election officials were also barred from voting.[11]

Voting was done by open ballotting, where the voters publicly declared their vote to the election officials.[12]

### Qualification for the Legislative Assembly

[edit]

Candidates for the Legislative Assembly had to meet a significant property qualification. A candidate had to own real property in the Province of Canada, worth at least £500 in British sterling, over and above any encumbrances on the property.[13][14]

### Qualification for the Legislative Council

[edit]

The qualifications for the members of the Legislative Council were the same as for the members of the Senate of Canada.[15]

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.[16]

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 in 1929, it was assumed that women could not be called to the Senate, and thus were also barred from the Legislative Council. In any event, no woman was ever appointed to the Legislative Council.[17]

## First government and election

[edit]

The first Governor General of Canada, Viscount Monck, appointed Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau, a former premier of the Province of Canada, as the first Lieutenant Governor, effective July 1, 1867.[18] Belleau in turn appointed Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau as premier on July 15, 1867.[19] Chauveau had formerly been active in politics as a member of the Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet of the Province of Canada, but he had been out of electoral politics since 1855.[20] He was appointed as a compromise candidate to begin the government of the new province.[21]

The first general election for the Legislative Assembly was held in August and September 1867.[22] Chauveau and the Conservatives won a strong majority of fifty-one seats in the sixty-five seat Assembly. The Chaveau government then appointed the twenty-four members of the Legislative Council. Twenty-one of the appointed members supported the Conservative party.

## Legislative Assembly

[edit]

### Party standings

[edit]

The 1867 elections returned a majority in the Legislative Assembly for the Conservative Party, led by Premier Chauveau.[23]

1867 Election Results  Party  | Members

|

| Conservatives | 51
| Liberals | 12
| Independent | 1
| Vacant[24] | (1)
Total | 65
Government Majority | 38

### Members of the Legislative Assembly

[edit]

The following candidates were elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1867 election.[25] The Premier of Quebec is indicated by Bold italics. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is indicated by small caps. Cabinet Ministers are indicated by Italics.

| Name  | Party  | Riding  | First elected

|
|
|
|

| Sydney Robert Bellingham | Conservative | Argenteuil | 1867
| Pierre-Samuel Gendron | Conservative | Bagot | 1867
| Christian Henry Pozer | Liberal | Beauce | 1867
| Célestin Bergevin | Conservative | Beauharnois | 1867
| Onésime Pelletier | Liberal | Bellechasse | 1867
| Louis-Joseph Moll | Conservative | Berthier | 1867
| Clarence Hamilton | Liberal | Bonaventure | 1867
| Christopher Dunkin | Conservative | Brome | 1867
| Jean-Baptiste Jodoin | Conservative | Chambly | 1867
| John Jones Ross[note 1] | Conservative | Champlain | 1867
| Jean-Charles Chapais (1867)  | Conservative | 1867
| Léon-Charles Clément | Conservative | Charlevoix | 1867
| Édouard Laberge | Liberal | Châteauguay | 1867
| Pierre-Alexis Tremblay | Independent | Chicoutimi et Saguenay | 1867
| James Ross | Conservative | Compton | 1867
| Gédéon Ouimet | Conservative | Deux-Montagnes | 1867
| Hector-Louis Langevin | Conservative | Dorchester | 1867
| Edward John Hemming | Conservative | Drummond et Arthabaska | 1867
| Pierre-Étienne Fortin | Conservative | Gaspé | 1867
| Louis Beaubien | Conservative | Hochelaga | 1867
| Julius Scriver[note 2] | Conservative | Huntingdon | 1867
| William Cantwell (1869)  | Conservative | 1869
| Louis Molleur | Liberal | Iberville | 1867
| Pamphile-Gaspard Verreault | Conservative | Islet | 1867
| Narcisse Lecavalier | Conservative | Jacques Cartier | 1867
| Vincent-Paul Lavallée | Conservative | Joliette | 1867
| Vacant (until 1869)[24] | –  | Kamouraska
| Charles-François Roy | Conservative | 1869
| Césaire Thérien | Conservative | Laprairie | 1867
| Étienne Mathieu | Conservative | L'Assomption | 1867
| Joseph-Hyacinthe Bellerose | Conservative | Laval | 1867
| Joseph-Godric Blanchet | Conservative | Lévis | 1867
| Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière | Liberal | Lotbinière | 1867
| Alexis Lesieur Desaulniers | Conservative | Maskinongé | 1867
| George Irvine | Conservative | Mégantic | 1867
| Josiah Sandford Brigham | Conservative | Missisquoi | 1867
| Firmin Dugas | Conservative | Montcalm | 1867
| Louis-Henri Blais | Liberal | Montmagny | 1867
| Joseph-Édouard Cauchon | Conservative | Montmorency | 1867
| Edward Brock Carter | Conservative | Montréal Centre | 1867
| George-Étienne Cartier | Conservative | Montréal Est | 1867
| Alexander Walker Ogilvie | Conservative | Montreal Ouest | 1867
| Pierre Benoit[note 3] | Liberal | Napierville | 1867
| Laurent-David Lafontaine (1870)  | Liberal | 1870
| Joseph Gaudet | Conservative | Nicolet | 1867
| Levi Ruggles Church | Conservative | Ottawa | 1867
| John Poupore | Conservative | Pontiac | 1867
| Praxède Larue | Conservative | Portneuf | 1867
| Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau | Conservative | Québec-Comté | 1867
| Georges-Honoré Simard | Conservative | Québec-Centre | 1867
| Jacques-Philippe Rhéaume | Conservative | Québec-Est | 1867
| John Hearn | Conservative | Québec-Ouest | 1867
| Joseph Beaudreau[note 4] | Conservative | Richelieu | 1867
| Pierre Gélinas (1869)  | Conservative | 1869
| Jacques Picard | Conservative | Richmond et Wolfe | 1867
| Joseph Garon | Conservative | Rimouski | 1867
| Victor Robert | Liberal | Rouville | 1867
| Pierre Bachand | Liberal | St. Hyacinthe | 1867
| Félix-Gabriel Marchand | Liberal | St. Jean | 1867
| Abraham Lesieur Desaulniers | Conservative | St. Maurice | 1867
| Michel-Adrien Bessette | Conservateur | Shefford | 1867
| Joseph Gibb Robertson[note 5] | Conservative | Sherbrooke | 1867
| Dominique-Amable Coutlée | Conservative | Soulanges | 1867
| Thomas Locke | Conservative | Stanstead | 1867
| Élie Mailloux | Conservative | Témiscouata | 1867
| Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau | Conservative | Terrebonne | 1867
| Louis-Charles Boucher de Niverville[note 6] | Conservative | Trois-Rivières | 1867
| Sévère Dumoulin (1868)[note 7] | Conservative | 1868
| Charles-Borromée Genest (1869)  | Conservative | 1869
| Antoine-Chartier de Lotbinière Harwood | Conservative | Vaudreuil | 1867
| André-Boniface Craig | Conservative | Verchères | 1867
| Louis-Adélard Sénécal | Liberal | Yamaska | 1867

#### Reasons for Vacancies

[edit]

1. ^ Seat became vacant on appointment to the Legislative Council, November 2, 1867[26]
2. ^ Resigned on standing for election to the House of Commons, October 6, 1869.[27]
3. ^ Died in office, August 26, 1870.[28]
4. ^ Died in office, October 5, 1869.[29]
5. ^ Accepted a Cabinet position, a triggering a ministerial by-election.[30]
6. ^ Resigned on appointment as sheriff for district of Trois-Rivières, September 30, 1868.[31]
7. ^ Resigned on being appointed sheriff for the district of Trois-Rivières, September 16, 1869.[32]

### By-elections

[edit]

There were eight by-elections during the term of the First Legislature.[33][25]

By-elections, 1867-1870  | Name  | Party  | Riding  | Reason for Vacancy  | By-election Date

|
|
|
|
|

| Jean-Charles Chapais | Conservative | Champlain | Incumbent appointed to Legislative Council  | December 16, 1867
| Sévère Dumoulin[note 1] | Conservative | Trois-Rivières | Incumbent appointed sheriff of Trois-Rivières  | October 16, 1868
| Charles-François Roy | Conservative | Kamouraska | Election deferred to 1869 due to riots[24] | February 11, 1869
| Charles-Borromée Genest | Conservative | Trois-Rivières | Incumbent appointed sheriff of Trois-Rivières  | October 19, 1869
| Pierre Gélinas | Conservative | Richelieu | Death of incumbent  | October 26, 1869
| Joseph Gibb Robertson | Conservative | Sherbrooke | Accepted a Cabinet position, triggering a ministerial by-election; re-elected.  | November 5, 1869
| William Cantwell | Conservative | Huntingdon | Incumbent elected to House of Commons | November 6, 1869
| Laurent-David Lafontaine | Liberal | Napierville | Death of incumbent  | October 11, 1870

#### Reason for Vacancy

[edit]

1. ^ Resigned on being appointed sheriff for the district of Trois-Rivières, September 16, 1869.[34]

## Legislative Council

[edit]

### Party standings

[edit]

Following the election, the Chauveau government appointed twenty-four individuals to the Legislative Council. The result was a Council with a strong Conservative majority.

Standings at First Session, 1867  Party  | Members

|

| Conservatives | 21
| Liberals | 3
Total:  | 24
Government Majority:  | 18

### Members during the First Legislature

[edit]

The Speaker of the Legislative Council is indicated by small caps. Cabinet members are indicated by italics.

Members 1867-1871  Legislative Council Divisions  | Member  | Party  | Term Start  | Term End

|
|
|
|

Alma |  | Beaudry, Jean-Louis | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | June 25, 1886
Bedford |  | Wood, Thomas | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | November 13, 1898
De la Durantaye |  | Beaubien, Joseph-Octave | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | November 7, 1877
De la Vallière |  | Proulx, Jean-Baptiste-Georges | Liberal | November 2, 1867  | January 27, 1884
De Lanaudière |  | Dostaler, Pierre-Eustache | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | January 4, 1884
De Lorimier |  | Rodier, Charles-Séraphin | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | February 3, 1876
De Salaberry |  | Starnes, Henry | Liberal | November 2, 1867  | March 3, 1896
Grandville |  | Dionne, Élisée | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | August 22, 1892
Gulf |  | Le Boutillier, John | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | July 31, 1872
Inkerman |  | Bryson, George (Sr.) | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | January 13, 1900
Kennebec |  | Thibaudeau, Isidore | Liberal | November 2, 1867  | January 21, 1874
La Salle |  | Panet, Louis | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | May 15, 1884
Lauzon |  | Chaussegros de Léry, Alexandre-René | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | December 19, 1880
Mille-Isles |  | Lemaire, Félix-Hyacinthe | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | December 17, 1879
Montarville |  | Boucher de Boucherville, Charles-Eugène | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | September 10, 1915
Repentigny |  | Archambeault, Louis | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | June 6, 1888
Rigaud |  | Prud'homme, Eustache | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | April 25, 1888
Rougemont |  | Fraser de Berry, John | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | November 15, 1876
Saurel |  | Armstrong, David Morrison | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | April 14, 1873
Shawinigan |  | Ross, John Jones | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | May 4, 1901
Stadacona |  | McGreevy, Thomas | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | February 2, 1874
The Laurentides |  | Gingras, Jean-Élie | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | December 10, 1887
Victoria |  | Ferrier, James | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | May 30, 1888
Wellington |  | Hale, Edward | Conservative | November 2, 1867  | April 26, 1875

### Qualifications of the Legislative Councillors

[edit]

Fifteen of the individuals appointed had previously been involved in the government of the Province of Canada, sitting in either the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council: Beaubien, Proulx, Dostaler, Le Boutillier, Bryson, Thibaudeau, Panet, Boucher de Boucherville, Archambeault, Prud'homme, Armstrong, Ross, Gingras, Ferrier and Hale.

Nine of the individuals had been involved in municipal politics: Beaudry, Rodier, and Starnes had all been mayors of Montreal (and Beaudry would continue to be); Wood, Bryson, Lemaire, Archambeault, McGreevy, and Ferrier were all involved in other municipalities.

Five of the individuals were involved in business or their seigneuries: Dionne, Thibaudeau, Chaussegros de Léry, Fraser de Berry and McGreevy.

## First Quebec Ministry: Chauveau Cabinet, 1867-1873

[edit]

Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau, First Premier of Quebec, 1867-1873

The first Cabinet for Quebec consisted of Premier Chauveau and six other Cabinet ministers.[35] Chauveau and four of the ministers were Members of the Legislative Assembly, while two were Members of the Legislative Council. Chauveau held other ministries, in addition to being premier.

Members of the Executive Council  Position  | Minister  | Term Start  | Term End

|
|
|

Premier and President of the Executive Council | Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau | 1867  | 1873
Agriculture and Public Works  | Louis Archambeault*  | 1867  | 1873
Attorney General | Gédéon Ouimet | 1867  | 1873
Crown lands | Joseph-Octave Beaubien*  | 1867  | 1873
Public Instruction  | Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau | 1867  | 1873
Secretary and Registrar  | Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau | 1867  | 1873
Solicitor General | George Irvine | 1867  | 1873
Speaker of the Legislative Council | Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville*  | 1867  | 1873
Treasurer | Christopher Dunkin | 1867  | 1869
Joseph Gibb Robertson | 1869  | 1873
* Members of the Legislative Council

## Leader of the Opposition

[edit]

Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière: First Leader of the Opposition, 1869-1878

When the legislature first met, the Liberals did not have a formal party structure or leader. As a result, there was no official Leader of the Opposition for the first session of the legislature. Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière gradually emerged as the leader of the Liberals. Late in the second session held in 1869, he was formally elected Liberal leader and took the position in the House opposite to the Premier, as the Leader of the Opposition.[36][37]

## Legislative sessions

[edit]

The legislature had four annual sessions:

* First session: December 27, 1867 to February 24, 1868, with thirty-nine sitting days.
* Second session: January 20, 1869 to April 5, 1869, with forty-eight sitting days.
* Third session: November 23, 1869 to February 1, 1870, with thirty-eight sitting days.
* Fourth and final session: November 3, 1870 to December 24, 1870, with thirty-eight sitting days.

The legislature did not meet again prior to its dissolution on May 27, 1871.[38]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ British North America Act, 1867 [now known as the Constitution Act, 1867], s. 6.
2. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 71.
3. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 58.
4. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 80.
5. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 85.
6. ^ a b British North America Act, 1867, s. 72.
7. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 22.
8. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 84.
9. ^ An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislature, Consolidated Statutes of Canada, 1859, c. 6, s. 4.
10. ^ An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislature, s. 3.
11. ^ An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislature, ss. 1 and 2.
12. ^ An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislature, ss. 51-54.
13. ^ Act of Union 1840 (UK), c. 35, s. 27.
14. ^ An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislature, s. 36.
15. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 73.
16. ^ British North America Act, 1867, s. 23.
17. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les membres du Conseil législatif (par divisions).
18. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Lieutenants-gouverneurs depuis 1867.
19. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Cabinet Chauveau (Conservative).
20. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau.
21. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: Chauveau, Pierre-Joseph-Olivier.
22. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les élections générales.
23. ^ Quebec National Assembly: La répartition des sièges aux élections générales.
24. ^ a b c Election delayed due to riots: Norman Ward, "Early Electioneering in Canada" (1951), 31:1 Dalhousie Review 65.
25. ^ a b Quebec National Assembly: Les résultats électoraux depuis 1867.
26. ^ Quebec National Assembly: John Jones Ross
27. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Julius Scriver
28. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Pierre Benoit
29. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Joseph Beaudreau
30. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Joseph Gibb Robertson
31. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Louis-Charles Boucher de Niverville
32. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Sévère Dumoulin
33. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les élections partielles.
34. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Sévère Dumoulin
35. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les titulaires de ministères depuis 1867: Cabinet Chauveau (Conservative), July 5, 1867 to February 27, 1873.
36. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Joly de Lotbinière, Sir Henri-Gustave".
37. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les chefs de l'opposition officielle depuis 1869.
38. ^ Quebec National Assembly: Les législatures et leurs sessions depuis 1867.

* v
* t
* e

Legislatures of Quebec

Legislatures|

* 1st (1867–1871)
* 2nd (1871–1875)
* 3rd (1875–1878)
* 4th (1878–1881)
* 5th (1881–1886)
* 6th (1886–1890)
* 7th (1890–1892)
* 8th (1892–1897)
* 9th (1897–1900)
* 10th (1900–1904)
* 11th (1904–1908)
* 12th (1908–1912)
* 13th (1912–1916)
* 14th (1916–1919)
* 15th (1919–1923)
* 16th (1923–1927)
* 17th (1927–1931)
* 18th (1931–1935)
* 19th (1935–1936)
* 20th (1936–1939)
* 21st (1939–1944)
* 22nd (1944–1948)
* 23rd (1948–1952)
* 24th (1952–1956)
* 25th (1956–1960)
* 26th (1960–1962)
* 27th (1962–1966)
* 28th (1966–1968)

National Assemblies|

* 28th (1969–1970)
* 29th (1970–1973)
* 30th (1973–1976)
* 31st (1976–1981)
* 32nd (1981–1985)
* 33rd (1985–1989)
* 34th (1989–1994)
* 35th (1994–1998)
* 36th (1998–2003)
* 37th (2003–2007)
* 38th (2007–2008)
* 39th (2008–2012)
* 40th (2012–2014)
* 41st (2014–2018)
* 42nd (2018–2022)
* 43rd (2022–present)

* v
* t
* e

Elections and referendums in Quebec

General elections|

* 1867
* 1871
* 1875
* 1878
* 1881
* 1886
* 1890
* 1892
* 1897
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1916
* 1919
* 1923
* 1927
* 1931
* 1935
* 1936
* 1939
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1962
* 1966
* 1970
* 1973
* 1976
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1994
* 1998
* 2003
* 2007
* 2008
* 2012
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 44th

Municipal elections|

* 1966
* 1970
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1983
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1989
* 1990
* 1993
* 1994
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2005
* 2006
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

Referendums|

* 1919
* 1980
* 1992
* 1995
* 2004

See also: List of Quebec by-elections
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