Télesphore Fournier

Télesphore Fournier
The Honourable Mr. Justice Télesphore Fournier
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Bellechasse
In office 1870–1875
Preceded by	Napoléon Casault
Succeeded by	Joseph-Goderic Blanchet
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Montmagny
In office 1871–1873
Preceded by	Louis-Henri Blais
Succeeded by	François Langelier
4th Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
In office September 30, 1875 – September 12, 1895
Nominated by	Alexander Mackenzie
Preceded by	None (new position)
Succeeded by	Désiré Girouard
Personal details
Born	(1823-08-05)August 5, 1823 Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Lower Canada
Died	Ottawa, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Other political affiliations	Quebec Liberal Party
Spouse(s)	Hermine Demers
Children	Nine
Cabinet	Minister of Inland Revenue (1873–1874) Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (1874–1875) Postmaster General (1875)

Télesphore Fournier, PC (August 5, 1823 – May 10, 1896) was a Canadian politician, lawyer, and judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Born in Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Lower Canada (now Quebec), the son of Guillaume Fournier and Marie-Archange Morin, he was called to the bar in 1846. On July 22, 1857, he married Hermine-Eloïse Demers, and they had nine children: seven daughters and two sons.

From 1855 to 1859, he was the co-owner and co-editor of the newspaper, Le National de Québec.

In an 1870 by-election, he was acclaimed as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the riding of Bellechasse. He was re-elected in 1872, 1873, and 1875. He held three ministerial positions: Minister of Inland Revenue (1873–1874), Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (1874–1875), and Postmaster General (1875). He tabled the bill to create the Supreme Court of Canada in February 1875.

At that period of time, it was possible to be a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec (pre-1968 designation of the (Quebec National Assembly) (MLA). He was an MLA in the riding of Montmagny from 1871 to 1873.

He was appointed as one of the first judges of the Supreme Court of Canada on September 30, 1875. Four years later, his wife died, and his eldest daughter then kept house. He retired on September 12, 1895, and died on May 10, 1896, at the age of 72.

The house he lived in from 1877 until 1882 is now the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Ottawa.

References

• Télesphore Fournier – Parliament of Canada biography
• Supreme Court of Canada Biography
• February 1875 House of Commons Debates on the 1875 Statute purporting to Establish the Supreme Court of Canada, excerpted from Debates of the House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada. Reported and Edited by A.M. Burgess, Vol. I.--Session 1875. Ottawa. Printed by C. W. Mitchell, "Free Press" Office, Elgin Street. 1875.
• "GeneaNET - Télesphore Fournier"