Alphonse Desjardins (politician)

For the founder of Desjardins Group, see Alphonse Desjardins (co-operator).

The Honourable Alphonse Desjardins KPO PC
22nd Mayor of Montreal
In office 1893–1894
Preceded by	James McShane
Succeeded by	Joseph-Octave Villeneuve
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Hochelaga
In office 1874–1892
Preceded by	Louis Beaubien
Succeeded by	Séverin Lachapelle
Senator for De Lorimier, Quebec
In office 1892–1896
Appointed by	John Abbott
Preceded by	Alexandre Lacoste
Succeeded by	François Béchard
Minister of Militia and Defence
In office 15 January 1896 – 27 April 1896
Prime Minister	Mackenzie Bowell
Preceded by	Mackenzie Bowell
Succeeded by	David Tisdale
Personal details
Born	(1841-05-06)6 May 1841 Terrebonne, Province of Canada
Died	Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada
Profession	businessman, journalist, lawyer

Alphonse Desjardins, PC, KPO (6 May 1841 – 4 June 1912) was born in Terrebonne, Quebec and was mayor of Montreal from 1893 to 1894 and later a Canadian cabinet minister. He married Virginie Paré in 1864 and remarried Hortense Barsalou in 1880.

He was a lawyer, journalist, businessman and politician. He owned a tile factory and participated in the founding of the Banque Jacques-Cartier, which later became part of the National Bank of Canada. He represented the riding of Hochelaga in the House of Commons for 18 years, serving as a cabinet minister and Minister of Militia and Defence for a few months at the end of the Mackenzie Bowell government and then the short-lived Tupper government in 1896. He was named a senator in 1892. He became mayor of Montreal from 1893–1894. For a time he held all three posts (member of the House of Commons, Senator, mayor) simultaneously.

In 1872, he was created a Knight of the Order of Pius IX in acknowledgment of his services to the Catholic Church.

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References

• Alphonse Desjardins – Parliament of Canada biography