Henri Bourassa

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This article is about the French Canadian political leader. For other uses, see Henri Bourassa (disambiguation).

Henri Bourassa
Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Saint-Hyacinthe
In office
1908–1912
Preceded byJoseph Morin
Succeeded byTélesphore-Damien Bouchard
Personal details
Born
Joseph-Napoléon-Henri Bourassa

(1868-09-01)September 1, 1868
French Canadian nationalism, Canadian nationalism, Catholic social teaching
Notable ideas
"Two founding peoples", language rights in Canada, Canadian autonomy, Canadian neutrality

Joseph-Napoléon-Henri Bourassa (French pronunciation:

French-Canadian nationalism.[2] Bourassa was also a defining force in forging French Canada's attitude to the Canadian Confederation of 1867.[3]

Early life and education

Born in

École Polytechnique de Montréal and at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1890, he became mayor of the town of Montebello, Quebec, at the age of 22.[4]

Political career

In 1896, he was elected to the House of Commons as an independent Liberal for Labelle but resigned in 1899 to protest the sending of Canadian troops to the Second Boer War.[5] He was re-elected soon after his resignation. He argued that Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier was un vendu ("a sell-out") to British Empire and its supporters in Canada.

To counter what he perceived to be the evils of

autonomy within the British Empire
.

Bourassa left the federal parliament on May 11, 1907, but he remained active in Quebec politics by being elected to the

Conservative Party
, which held more staunchly pro-imperialist policies than the Liberals.

In 1910, while he was serving in the Provincial Assembly as the member for Saint-Hyacinthe, he founded the newspaper Le Devoir to promote the Nationalist League and served as its editor until 1932. Bourassa's main objective was to position Le Devoir outside the control of the established parties in Quebec and in Ottawa, which had authority over press organs devoted to their electoral interests and attempted to control public opinion by their partisan actions.[7] Bourassa chose the name Le Devoir for his newspaper because of its emphasis of his commitment to integrity and justice and his desire to serve the public good.[8]

In 1913, Bourassa denounced the government of Ontario as "more Prussian than Prussia" during the Ontario Schools Question crisis (see Regulation 17) after Ontario had almost banned the use of French in its schools and made English its official language of instruction. He charged his compatriots to see their enemies inside Canada, in 1915:

"The enemies of the French language, of French civilization in Canada, are not the Boches on the shores of the Spree; but the English-Canadian anglicizers, the Orange intriguers, or Irish priests. Above all they are French Canadians weakened and degraded by the conquest and three centuries of colonial servitude. Let no mistake be made: if we let the Ontario minority be crushed, it will soon be the turn of other French groups in English Canada." [in Wade, v 2 p. 671]

World Wars

Maxime Raymond, André Laurendeau and Henri Bourassa (right) in 1944

Bourassa led French-Canadian opposition to the participation in World War I, especially Robert Borden's plans to implement conscription in 1917. He agreed that the war was necessary for the survival of France and Britain but felt that only Canadians who volunteered for service should be sent to the battlefields of Europe. His opposition to conscription brought him the anglophone public's disfavour, as was expressed by the hostile crowd amassed in Ottawa that threw vegetables and eggs during his oration.[9]

Three months after stating that he had nothing more to do with politics, he returned to the House of Commons in the

Jewish immigrants, like other politicians of the time.[10]

Bourassa also opposed the draft during the

Bloc populaire
. His influence on Quebec's politics can still be seen in all major provincial parties.

Death and legacy

Upon his death in

Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges.[11]

Henri Bourassa Boulevard,

Henri-Bourassa metro station, and the federal riding of Bourassa, all in Montreal, are named for him. It is also the case for Henri-Bourassa Street, Henri-Bourassa park and the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Papineau building, all of which are located in Papineauville, Québec. He is not related to Robert Bourassa
, the former premier of Quebec.

Bourassa's political thought, according to Michael C. Macmillan, was largely a combination of Whig liberalism, Catholic social thought, and traditional Quebec political thought. He was distinctly liberal in his

ultramontane idea that the Church was responsible for faith, morals, discipline, and administration, he resisted Church involvement in the political sphere and rejected the corporatism espoused by the Church. Bourassa opposed state intervention wherever possible and increasingly throughout his career emphasized the need for moral reform.[12]

According Levitt has shown, attitudes of historians, both Anglophone and Francophone, toward Bourassa consistently have been coloured by the position of each historian on the major issues Bourassa addressed. Goldwin Smith, a fellow anti-imperialist, introduced him into historical literature in 1902. The isolationism of the 1930s and the biculturalism of the 1960s (Bourassa, while a champion of Francophone rights, always opposed separatism) occasioned favourable treatment among Anglophones, while Lionel Groulx, his onetime foe, described him as "l'incomparable Éveilleur". Bourassa's position on social issues (Catholic, moderately reformist, emphasizing the family and agricultural values) likewise has called forth praise and blame.[13]

Works

(This list is incomplete)

  • Le projet de Loi Navale. Sa nature ses conséquences. (Speech given at the Monument National on January 20, 1910).
  • Pour la justice. La législation scolaire au Nord Ouest. Les discours de MM. Monk et Pelletier. Quelques objections. L'esprit de la Confédération.
  • L'Emprunt de la Victoire la surenchère du bluff.
  • Que Devons-Nous À L'Angleterre? La Défense Nationale. La Révolution Impérialiste. Le Tribut À L'Empire.
  • L'intervention américaine ses motifs son objet ses conséquences.
  • Le pape arbitre de la paix (1918)
  • La Langue Gardienne de la Foi.
  • La Propriété, Ses Bornes, Ses Abus. (Conference at the Semaine Sociale De Sherbrooke, August 11, 1924)
  • Henri Bourassa; Biographie, Index Des Écrits, Index de la Correspondance Publique 1895–1924.[14]

Bibliography

  • Samuel Leduc-Frenette, Les pèlerinages du Devoir en Acadie (1924 et 1927): un voyage intéressé et curieux pour les Canadiens français, Thesis, Concordia University, 2016, 78 p.[15]
  • Réal Bélanger, Henri Bourassa. Le fascinant destin d'un homme libre. (1868–1914), Québec, Presses de l'Université Laval, 2013, 570 p.[16]
  • Mario Cardinal, Pourquoi j'ai fondé Le Devoir. Henri Bourassa et son temps, Libre Expression, Montréal, 2010, 396 p. (
    ISBN 978-2-7648-0480-3)[17]
  • Pierre Anctil, Fais ce que dois. 60 éditoriaux pour comprendre Le Devoir sous Henri Bourassa (1910-1932), Québec, Éditions du Septentrion, 2010, 383 p. (
    ISBN 978-2-89448-617-7)[18]
  • Yvan Lamonde, Histoire sociale des idées au Québec (1896-1929), Montréal, Éditions Fides, 2000, 895p.[19]
  • Yvan Lamonde, Histoire sociale des idées au Québec, vol. II (1896-1929), Montréal, Éditions Fides, 2004, 328 p.
  • Robert Comeau et Luc Desrochers (dir.), Le Devoir. Un journal indépendant (1910-1995), Sainte-Foy, Presses de l'Université du Québec, 1996, 368 p.[20]
  • Robert Lahaise (dir.), Le Devoir. Reflet du Québec au 20e siècle, Montréal, Hurtubise, 1994, 504 p.[21]
  • Pierre Anctil, Le Devoir, les Juifs et l'immigration. De Bourassa à Laurendeau, Québec, Institut québécois de recherche sur la culture, 1988, 172 p.[22]
  • David Rome, The Jewish Biography of Henri Bourassa, Montréal, National Archives, Canadian Jewish Congress, 1988, 2 volumes.[23]
  • François-Albert Angers et Aurélien Boisvert, L’égarement du «Devoir», Montréal, Éditions du Franc-Canada, 1986, 105 p.[24]
  • Auldham Roy Petrie, Henri Bourassa, Don Mills, Ont., Fitzhenry & Whiteside, cop., 1980, 63 p.
  • Joseph Levitt, Henri Bourassa, Catholic Critic, Ottawa, [Canadian Historical Association], 1976, 24 p.[25]
  • Joseph Levitt (ed.), Henri Bourassa on Imperialism and Biculturalism, 1900–1918, Toronto, Copp. Clark Pub Co., 1970, 183 p.[26]
  • Joseph Levitt, Henri Bourassa and the Golden Calf. The Social Program of the Nationalists of Quebec, 1900–1914, Ottawa, Éditions de l'Université d'Ottawa, 1969, 178 p.[27]
  • Casey Murrow, Henri Bourassa and French-Canadian Nationalism. Opposition to Empire, Montréal, Harvest House, 1968, 143 p.[28]
  • André Bergevin, Cameron Nish, Anne Bourassa, Henri Bourassa. Biographie, index des écrits, index de la correspondance publique, 1895–1924, Montréal, Éditions de l'Action nationale, 1966, 150 p.
  • Martin Patrick O'Connell, Henri Bourassa and Canadian Nationalism, thesis, University of Toronto, 1954, 304 p.[29]
  • Rumilly, Robert. Henri Bourassa – La Vie Publique D'un Grand Canadien (1944),[30] also published as Histoire De La Province De Quebec: XIII: Henri Bourassa.[31]
  • Hommage à Henri Bourassa. Reproduit du numéro souvenir paru dans Le Devoir du 25 octobre 1952, Montréal, Le Devoir, 1952, 216 p.;[32] 2nd edition, 1953, 305 p.

Articles and chapters

Other works

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to Henri Bourassa.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Henri Bourassa.
Wikisource has the text of a 1922 Encyclopædia Britannica article about "Henri Bourassa".

References

  1. ^ Rolando Gomes, "Henri Bourassa et l'Imperialisme Britannique (1899–1918)," Bulletin d'Histoire Politique (2008) 16#3 pp 161–182.
  2. ^ Susan Mann, Dream of Nation: a Social and Intellectual History of Quebec (2nd ed. 2003) pp 169–75, 205–25
  3. ISBN 978-1-4875-0187-7
    .
  4. ^ Bélanger, Réal (2016). "Bourassa, Henri". In Cook, Ramsay; Bélanger, Réal (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XVIII (1951–1960) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  5. ISBN 0-313-22565-6
    .
  6. ^ Levitt, Joseph. "Henri Bourassa". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  7. ISBN 978-1-4875-0187-7
    .
  8. ISBN 978-1-4875-0187-7
    .
  9. ^ Henri Bourassa, Fiery Politician, Dies, A1. The Globe and Mail, September 1, 1952.
  10. ^ Abella, Irving; Troper, Harold (1983). None is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933–1948. University of Toronto.
  11. ^ Répertoire des personnages inhumés au cimetière ayant marqué l'histoire de notre société (in French). Montreal: Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.
  12. ISSN 0272-2011
  13. ISSN 0021-9495
  14. ^ Bergevin, André (1966). Henri Bourassa; Biographie, Index Des Écrits, Index de la Correspondance Publique 1895–1924. Les Éditions de l'Action Nationale.
  15. ^ Leduc-Frenette, Samuel (April 2016). "Les pèlerinages du Devoir en Acadie (1924 et 1927): un voyage intéressé et curieux pour les Canadiens français". spectrum.library.concordia.ca. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  16. ISBN 978-2-7637-1764-7
    .
  17. ISBN 978-2-7648-0480-3
    .
  18. ISBN 978-2-89448-617-7
    .
  19. ISBN 978-2-7621-2529-0
    .
  20. ^ Comeau, Robert; Desrochers, Luc (1996). Le Devoir: un journal indépendant (1910–1995). Sainte-Foy: Presses de l'Université du Québec.
  21. ^ Lahaise, Robert (1994). Le Devoir: reflet du Québec au 20e siècle. Cahiers du Québec. LaSalle: Hurtubise HMH.
  22. OCLC 20797497
    .
  23. ^ Rome, David (1988). The Jewish biography of Henri Bourassa. Canadian Jewish archives. Montreal, Canada: National Archives, Canadian Jewish Congress.
  24. OCLC 16050739
    .
  25. ^ Levitt, Joseph. Henri Bourassa – Catholic critic.
  26. OCLC 741435975
    .
  27. ^ Levitt, Joseph (1969). Henri Bourassa and the Golden Calf. The Social Program of the Nationalists of Quebec (1900–1914). Ottawa: Éditions de l'Université d'Ottawa.
  28. ^ Murrow, Casey (1968). Henri Bourassa and French-Canadian Nationalism: Opposition to Empire. Harvest House.
  29. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (8 March 2019). "Search – Theses Canada". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  30. ^ Rumilly, Robert (1953). Henri Bourassa. La vie publique d'un grand Canadien. Montréal: Chantecler.
  31. ^ "Histoire de la province de Québec Vol. 13 Henri Bourassa". Babelio (in French). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  32. ^ Hommage à Henri Bourassa: reproduit du numéro souvenir paru dans Le Devoir, du 25 octobre 1952 (in French). 1952.
  33. OCLC 982125793
    .
  34. ^ Avant le combat, Henri Bourassa (in French), retrieved 31 May 2021
  35. ^ La conscription, Henri Bourassa (in French), retrieved 31 May 2021
  36. OCLC 49096205
    .
  37. ^ Le péril de l'immigration, Henri Bourassa (in French), retrieved 31 May 2021
  38. ^ Colmet, Pierre (1924). M. Bourassa et la Judéo-Maçonnerie (in French). Revue internationale des Sociétés secrètes.
  39. OCLC 24184286
    .
  40. ^ "BAnQ numérique". numerique.banq.qc.ca (in French). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  41. ^ "Canadian nationalism and the war / [Arthur Haw... – Canadiana Online". www.canadiana.ca. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  42. ISBN 978-2-7637-7942-3
    .
  43. ^ Wade, Mason (1955). The French Canadians, 1760–1945. Macmillan.
  44. ^ Gardiner, Alfred George (1914). Henri Bourassa and the Future of Canada. Le Devoir.
  45. ^ Harvey, Gary (7 February 2020), The Trial of Terrance Meyers (Crime, Drama, Mystery), Yannick Bisson, Helene Joy, Thomas Craig, Jonny Harris, retrieved 29 May 2021

Primary sources

  • Henri Bourassa fonds at Library and Archives Canada. Archival reference number is R8069.
  • Patrick Allen et al., eds. La pensée de Henri Bourassa (1954)
  • Levitt, Joseph, ed. Henri Bourassa on Imperialism and Biculturalism, 1900–1918 (1970)

External links

Link to

DCB Initiative

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