Pascal Poirier (February 15, 1852 – September 25, 1933) was a Canadian author, lawyer, and the all-time longest-serving

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

. Born in

Shediac Shediac (official in both languages; ''Shédiac'' is colloquial French) is a town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick known as the "Lobster Capital of the World". It hosts an annual festival every July which promotes its ties to lobster fish ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

, in a big family, he attended College Saint Joseph in

Memramcook, New Brunswick Memramcook, sometimes also spelled Memramcouke or Memramkouke, is a village in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada. Located in south-eastern New Brunswick, the community is predominantly people of Acadian descent who speak the Chiac de ...

. At an early age he wrote a book on the Origin of

Acadian The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern American region of Acadia, ...

s, a history that contradicted myths of the time. He also wrote multiple articles and a glossary of the

Acadian French Acadian French () is a variety of French spoken by Acadians, mostly in the region of Acadia, Canada. Acadian French has seven regional accents, including Chiac and Brayon. Phonology Since there was relatively little linguistic contact with F ...

language. After finishing school at the College Saint-Joseph in

Memramcook Memramcook, sometimes also spelled Memramcouke or Memramkouke, is a village in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada. Located in south-eastern New Brunswick, the community is predominantly people of Acadian descent who speak the Chiac de ...

during 1872, Poirier was appointed Postmaster of the Dominion Parliament at age 20. He held that position until he was appointed to the Senate thirteen years later. Poirier was the first Acadian appointed to the Senate of Canada. He was appointed in 1885 and served for 48 years, 6 months, and 17 days until his death in 1933. The

Constitution of Canada The Constitution of Canada () is the supreme law in Canada. It outlines Canada's system of government and the civil and human rights of those who are citizens of Canada and non-citizens in Canada. Its contents are an amalgamation of various ...

requires new senators to be at least 30 years old, and senators appointed since 1965 are required to retire from the Senate at age 75. This means that current Senate rules impose an eligibility limit of 45 years so that Poirier's record can not be exceeded. The Pascal Poirier House (built c. 1820–30) was designated a Provincial Historic Site under the ''Historic Sites Protection Act''. The home he was born in has been preserved as a museum and as an important and rare example of early-19th-century Acadian residential construction. The -storey gabled house, which features a hand-hewn structure, is believed to be the oldest building in Shediac. He was honored as a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur by

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in 1902. In 1954 he was declared a

Person of National Historic Significance Persons of National Historic Significance (National Historic People) () are people designated by the Canadian government as being nationally significant in the history of the country. Designations are made by the Minister of the Environment on the ...

as part of the Acadian Men of Letters. Their plaque is located in Shediac.

Selected bibliography

* ''Le Glossaire acadien'' * ''L'Origine des Acadiens'' (1874) * ''Les Acadiens de Philadelphie'' (1875) * ''Le Père Lefebvre et l'Acadie'' (1898) * ''Le Parler franco-acadien et ses origines'' (1928)

References

Le Glossaire acadien
by Pascal Poirier

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Poirier, Pascal 1852 births 1933 deaths St. Joseph's College alumni Canadian senators from New Brunswick Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) senators Politicians of Acadian descent Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada) People from Shediac Writers from New Brunswick Historians from New Brunswick 19th-century members of the Senate of Canada 20th-century members of the Senate of Canada