Parti National (Quebec)

This article is about the Quebec provincial political party 1885-1891. For other uses, see National Party.
Parti National
Founded November 17, 1885 (1885-11-17)
Dissolved December 21, 1891 (1891-12-21)
Ideology Quebec nationalism
Autonomy
Agrarianism
Colours Red

The Parti National was the name taken by the Liberal Party of Quebec, Canada, under the premiership of Honoré Mercier.

Origin and beliefs

It was founded on November 17, 1885, the day following the execution of Métis Leader Louis Riel. Many French-speaking Catholics resented the way the federal government of Sir John A. Macdonald had Riel hanged for treason. Mercier proposed to create a broader coalition which would include Conservative dissidents as well as his Liberal base. In the following days 50,000 people gathered in the Champ de Mars in Montreal to hear Mercier voice their support for Riel.[1]

The Parti National, which was not affiliated with any federal party, promised to use the influence of the provincial government protect the autonomy of Quebec and of its French-speaking and Catholic identity.

Rise to power

The party won a narrow majority of seats to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in the 1886 provincial election and took office in January 1887. It won a landslide victory in the 1890 election, doing poorly only in the Mauricie area where it was opposed by Ultramontan Catholic Bishop Louis-François Richer Laflèche.

Its achievements include:[2]

Decline

With only 18 months served in its second term of office, the National Party was caught in a corruption scandal and removed from office by Quebec Lieutenant-governor Auguste-Réal Angers. Mercier stepped down as party leader and the Liberals were overwhelmingly defeated in the 1892 election.

Other Partis Nationaux

See also

Footnotes

  1. Susan Mann, The Dream of Nation: A Social and Intellectual History of Quebec, 2002
  2. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
  3. Anne-Hélène Pénault and Francine Sénéval, L'éducation des adultes au Québec depuis 1850: points de repère, Montreal, February 1982, page 27
  4. Biography of Honoré Mercier, Assemblée nationale du Québec
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