Marc-Amable Girard
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Marc-Amable Girard (April 25, 1822 – September 12, 1892) was the second
premier of Manitoba The premier of Manitoba () is the first minister (i.e., head of government or chief executive) for the Canadian province of Manitoba—as well as the ''de facto'' President of the province's Executive Council. In formal terms, the premier rec ...
, and the first Franco-Manitoban to hold that post. The ''Canadian Parliamentary Guide'' lists Girard as having been Premier (or ''Chief Minister'') from 1871 to 1872, but he did not have this title at the time and was not the government leader. In 1874, however, Girard led Manitoba's first ministry to be constituted on principles of "
responsible government Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability, the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. Governments (the equivalent of the executive br ...
". In this sense, he may be regarded as the first Premier of Manitoba.


Early life

Girard was born in Varennes,
Lower Canada The Province of Lower Canada () was a British colonization of the Americas, British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence established in 1791 and abolished in 1841. It covered the southern portion o ...
(now
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
).


Political career

He worked as a
Notary Public A notary public ( notary or public notary; notaries public) of the common law is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with general financial transactions, estates, deeds, powers- ...
between 1844 and 1870, and was active in local political life (serving as
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of Varennes at one stage). He lost an electoral bid for the
Province of Canada The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...
's
Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...
in 1858, and a further bid for the Canadian Assembly in 1863 (losing to
Parti Rouge The (, "Red Party"; or , "Democratic Party") was a political group that contested elections in the Canada East, Eastern section of the Province of Canada. It was formed around 1847 by radical French-Canadians; the party was inspired by the ideas ...
leader A.A. Dorion in Hochelaga). During the Riel Rebellion, Girard was sent to
Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
by
George-Étienne Cartier Sir George-Étienne Cartier, 1st Baronet, (pronounced ; September 6, 1814May 20, 1873) was a Canadians, Canadian statesman and Fathers of Confederation, Father of Confederation. The English spelling of the name—George, instead of Georges, th ...
, leader of the Conservative Party's Quebec wing. Girard and Joseph Royal met with Riel on August 23, 1870, and may have encouraged his flight from Winnipeg before Canadian soldiers arrived the next day. Subsequently, Girard attempted to ensure that the new province remained open to French-Canadians. Girard was appointed Provincial Treasurer by
Lieutenant-Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a " second-in-com ...
Adams George Archibald Sir Adams George Archibald (May 3, 1814 – December 14, 1892) was a Canadian lawyer and politician, and a Father of Confederation. He was based in Nova Scotia for most of his career, though he also served as first Lieutenant Governor of Man ...
on September 16, 1870, and remained in this position until March 14, 1872. Archibald was effectively his own Premier during this period; Girard was his leading minister from the francophone community. In Manitoba's first provincial election (December 27, 1870), Girard was elected by acclamation for the riding of St. Boniface East. He continued to hold his provincial seat after being appointed to the
Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada () is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, they compose the Bicameralism, bicameral le ...
on December 13, 1871, maintaining a controversial "dual mandate" for several years. (He resigned his cabinet seat soon after the Senate appointment, however.) On December 28, 1872, Girard acquired a triple mandate being appointed to the
Temporary North-West Council The Temporary North-West Council, more formally known as the Council of the North-West Territories and by its short name as the North-West Council, lasted from the creation of North-West Territories, Canada, in 1870 until it was dissolved in 1876 ...
of
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. He maintained an interest in the rights of French Canadians in the North West for the rest of his career. By 1874, the Manitoba government was having difficulties maintaining its policy of "conciliation" among the province's ethnic, religious and linguistic groups. In June 1874, cabinet minister John Norquay attempted to redistribute Manitoba's electoral districts so as to reflect the increased English presence in the province. Norquay's bill was poorly drafted, however, and met opposition from both an opposition "English Party" under Edward Hay, and the "French Party" under Joseph Dubuc. On June 22, 1874, Girard voted with the French party on a non-confidence motion which brought down the government; he was called to form his own administration the next day. Until July 3, 1874, the government of Manitoba had been dominated by the province's
Lieutenant-Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a " second-in-com ...
s—Archibald (1870–1872), and his replacement Alexander Morris (1872–1877). Girard was the first elected official in Manitoba to choose his own cabinet and act as head of government. Girard's government was founded on an unstable alliance with Hay's English party, and fell as a result of ongoing recriminations over
Louis Riel Louis Riel (; ; 22 October 1844 – 16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis in Canada, Métis people. He led two resistance movements against the Government of ...
's
Red River Rebellion The Red River Rebellion (), also known as the Red River Resistance, Red River uprising, or First Riel Rebellion, was the sequence of events that led up to the 1869 establishment of a provisional government by Métis leader Louis Riel and his f ...
(1869–70). Girard and other members of the French caucus maintained regular communications with Riel between 1870 and 1874, an association which most English parliamentarians found unpalatable. In November 1874, Ambroise Lepine, the Adjutant-General in Riel's
provisional government A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, a transitional government or provisional leadership, is a temporary government formed to manage a period of transition, often following state collapse, revoluti ...
, was convicted of the murder of Orangeman Thomas Scott, who had been executed under Riel's authority in 1870. In the aftermath of this decision, Girard was abandoned by his English ministers and forced to resign. He was succeeded as Premier by Robert A. Davis on December 3, 1874. During its brief existence, Girard's ministry promoted fiscal restraint and an effective system of auditing public accounts, also advocating the abolition of the unelected
Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...
. It also passed a redistribution bill which allowed for 14 ridings with an English-speaking majority and 10 ridings with a French-speaking majority. Most considered this to be a fair compromise. Girard was re-elected (again by acclamation) for the restructured riding of St. Boniface in Manitoba's second general election (December 30, 1874). The Davis government soon won the confidence of most elected members (formal party politics had not yet been introduced to Manitoba), and Girard played only a minor role in provincial politics for the next four years. Girard intended to run for re-election in 1878, but was opposed by a "citizen's committee" which argued against his continued double mandate. This committee secured
Alphonse LaRiviere Alphonse may refer to: * Alphonse (given name) * Alphonse (surname) * Alphonse Atoll, one of two atolls in the Seychelles' Alphonse Group *Alphonso (mango), a mango-cultivar from India See also *Alphons Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adel ...
's victory by acclamation (elections during this period were sometimes determined by public meetings, rather than formal balloting). Subsequent events soon brought Girard back into cabinet. John Norquay succeeded Davis as Premier immediately prior to the 1878 election. Norquay initially won a working majority in the new parliament, but soon saw his government threatened by an alliance of Thomas Scott (not the same as above) and Joseph Royal. Norquay was only able to retain power by forming an alliance with the province's English MLA, and temporarily excluding French representatives from the cabinet. The reconstituted Norquay ministry threatened to eliminate government bilingualism, and to redraw the electoral map to favour the English. Norquay recognized the continued need for conciliation, however, and secured Girard's return to cabinet as Provincial Secretary on November 18, 1879. Girard was probably at the height of his popularity with the French community during this period, securing a compromise on bilingualism and receiving guarantees on education and representation. He returned to the Manitoba legislature in the Province's fourth general election (December 16, 1879), being acclaimed for the riding of Baie St. Paul. On November 16, 1881, Girard resigned as Provincial Secretary and became Minister of Agriculture and Statistics. He was unable to run in Manitoba's fifth general election (January 23, 1883) due to a recent legal change which made his "double mandate" illegal. He remained on the province's Executive Council until September 6, 1883, when he resigned. Girard was a member of the Senate until his death (on September 12, 1892), where he supported the Conservative Party. He opposed the efforts of
Thomas Greenway Thomas Greenway (25 March 1838 – 30 October 1908) was a Canadian politician, merchant and farmer. He served as the seventh premier of Manitoba from 1888 to 1900. A Liberal, his ministry formally ended Manitoba's non-partisan government, al ...
and D'Alton McCarthy to eliminate French-language services in Manitoba and the North West Territories, though he also condemned
Louis Riel Louis Riel (; ; 22 October 1844 – 16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis in Canada, Métis people. He led two resistance movements against the Government of ...
's second rebellion in 1885.


References

*G. O. Rothney (1990),
GIRARD, MARC-AMABLE
, in ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography'', vol. 12, University of Toronto / Université Laval, 2003–, accessed December 29, 2020. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Girard, Marc-Amable 1822 births 1892 deaths Canadian senators from Manitoba Premiers of Manitoba 19th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba 19th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) senators Franco-Manitoban people People from Varennes, Quebec Politicians from Montérégie Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba Ministers of finance of Manitoba Province of Canada politicians 19th-century members of the Senate of Canada