Laurent-Olivier David

Who was Laurent-Olivier David?

Laurent-Olivier David was a Canadian journalist, lawyer, and politician.

Born in Sault-au-Récollet, Montreal, Quebec, the son of Stanislas David and Élisabeth Tremblay, David was educated at the Petit Séminaire de Sainte-Thérèse and studied law in the Collège Sainte-Marie in Montreal. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1864 and practiced law with future Premier of Quebec Joseph-Alfred Mousseau until 1872.

In 1862, David became a co-owner and editor of the newspaper the Colonisateur. After the paper ceased publication he became an editor with the paper, L’Union nationale, an antifederalist newspaper which would cease publication in 1867. It was while working at this newspaper that he established a friendship with Wilfrid Laurier which would continue until the end of Laurier's life.

He unsuccessfully ran for the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the electoral district of Hochelaga in the 1867 election and again in 1875. From 1870 to 1873, he was the editor-in-chief of the Montreal weekly newspaper L’Opinion publique. From 1874 to 1876, he was a co-founder and co-owner of the Le Bien public.