Télesphore Fournier

Who was Télesphore Fournier?

Télesphore Fournier, PC was a Canadian politician and jurist.

Born in Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Lower Canada, 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, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Postmaster General. 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