LaFontaine, Sir Louis Hippolyte

Sir Louis Hippolyte LaFontaine was born near Boucherville, Chambly county, Lower Canada, on October 4, 1807, the third son of Antoine Menard dit Lafontaine, a farmer; and the grandson of Antoine Menard LaFontaine, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1796 to 1804. He was educated at the College of Montreal, was called to the Bar of Lower Canada, and practiced law in Montreal. From 1830 to 1837 he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Terrebonne; and he was a supporter of Louis Joseph Papineau. He opposed the appeal to arms by the Patriotes in 1837; but he deemed it wise to leave Canada, and on his return to Canada in 1838 was arrested. He was released, however, without trial; and when the union of 1841 was brought about, he became the leader of the French Canadian Reformers. He was defeated in the election of 1841 in Terrebonne, but found a seat, through the offices of Robert Baldwin, in the fourth riding of York, Upper Canada. He was able to sit continuously in the Assembly until 1851, first for the fourth riding of York, second for Terrebonne, and lastly for the City of Montreal. In 1848 he became the Prime Minister of the Province of Canada until 1851 when he resigned from the government and withdrew from public life. In 1853 he was appointed Chief Justice of Lower Canada and he occupied this position until his death on February 26, 1864. (taken from "The Macmillan Dictionary of Canadian Biography." 4th ed. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1978.)