James Prendergast

Who is James Prendergast?

James Emile Pierre Prendergast was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Manitoba. He represented La Verendrye from 1885 to 1888 and Woodlands from 1888 to 1892 and St. Boniface from 1892 to 1896 in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a Conservative and later Liberal.

He was born in Quebec City, the son of James Pierre Prendergast and Emeline Gauvreau, and was educated at Université Laval. Prendergast was called to the Quebec bar in 1881. In 1882, he came to Manitoba, was called to the Manitoba bar in 1883 and practised law in Winnipeg. In 1886, he married Olivina Mondor.

He was elected to the Manitoba assembly in an 1885 by-election held after Louis Prud'homme was named a county court judge. Prendergast served in the provincial cabinet as Provincial Secretary. In 1890, he left the cabinet over the Manitoba Schools Question and joined the opposition.

Prendergast was mayor of St. Boniface from 1893 to 1896. He served as president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society for Manitoba in 1886 and 1910 and for Saskatchewan in 1905 and 1909.