Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine

Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine
Born	Louis-Hippolyte Ménard Boucherville, Lower Canada
Died	26 February 1864(1864-02-26) (aged 56) Montreal, Canada East
Other names	Sir Louis-Hippolyte Ménard dit La Fontaine, 1st Baronet, KCMG
Occupation(s)	Jurist, politician
Years active	1830–1853 (politics), 1853–1864 (judiciary)
Known for	First Premier of the United Province of Canada; Father of Responsible Government in Canada

Sir Louis-Hippolyte Ménard dit La Fontaine, 1st Baronet, KCMG (October 4, 1807 – February 26, 1864) was a prominent Canadian statesman and the inaugural Premier of the United Province of Canada, who led Canada's first government responsible to the legislature. Born in Boucherville, Lower Canada, he was both a jurist and politician who began his political career in 1830 as a member of the Parti canadien (later known as the Parti patriote). Following the Rebellions of 1837, he shifted toward advocating for political reform within the newly established Union government formed in 1841.

In partnership with Robert Baldwin, La Fontaine forged a liberal reform alliance bridging Upper and Lower Canada. Their coalition briefly held power in 1842 before stepping down in 1843. In 1848, under Governor-General Lord Elgin, La Fontaine led the first administration founded on responsible government principles. His administration focused on reinstating French as an official language—previously removed by the Union Act—and upheld both responsible government and the double-majority rule in legislative decision-making.

While Baldwin enacted reforms in Canada West, La Fontaine introduced legislation that dismantled the tenure seigneuriale system and granted amnesty to leaders exiled after the Lower Canada Rebellion. Despite legislative successes, opposition from loyalists in Canada East triggered riots culminating in the torching of the Parliament building in Montreal.

La Fontaine withdrew from political life in 1851 but was appointed Chief Justice of Canada East two years later in 1853. He was honored with a baronetcy by Queen Victoria in 1854 and received knighthood from Pope Pius IX through the Order of St. Sylvester in 1855.

His last name is often rendered as Lafontaine or LaFontaine; however, his signature consistently appears as a single word.

Province of Canada: The fight for responsible government

After the rebellions that shook Lower and Upper Canada in 1837, the British authorities merged these provinces based on recommendations from Lord Durham outlined in the Durham Report. The Union Act, 1840 dissolved their separate legislatures and established the Province of Canada governed by a unified Parliament, consisting of an elected Legislative Assembly and an appointed Legislative Council. Initially, substantial powers remained with the Governor General.

Previously aligned with Louis-Joseph Papineau’s Parti patriote, LaFontaine altered his approach following the failure of the Rebellion. He chose to work within constitutional channels to defend French-Canadian political interests and championed responsible government, whereby Executive Council members would be appointed from among the Legislative Assembly majority. Preparing to run for office in Terrebonne—a constituency dominated by French-Canadians—he presented this strategy in his Address to the Electors of Terrebonne.

Elections during this period were frequently marred by violence; voting was conducted openly, exposing voters to intimidation. Before the 1841 Terrebonne election, LaFontaine discovered plans by government supporters to bring outsiders to control polling stations and suppress his supporters’ votes. In response, his backers proposed mobilizing a thousand men to secure the polls. An English-language Montreal newspaper openly encouraged loyalists to prevent French-Canadians from casting ballots.

The polling took place at New Glasgow, an English-speaking settlement at Terrebonne’s periphery. On election day, LaFontaine led armed supporters toward New Glasgow but faced hundreds of government-aligned men blocking access. Violent confrontations broke out resulting in injuries. Concerned about escalating conflict, LaFontaine halted his advance; consequently, only McCulloch’s supporters voted, leading to his declared victory.

Initially discouraged by this setback, LaFontaine contemplated leaving politics. Nevertheless, Robert Baldwin—a key Reform leader from Canada West—offered him nomination for a vacant seat in York’s 4th riding with support from local Reformers. Baldwin also secured endorsement from David Willson, head of The Children of Peace, a reform-minded Quaker sect. Accepting this opportunity, LaFontaine won the ensuing by-election—signifying a crucial alliance between French-Canadian and English-speaking reform factions.

This partnership reflected LaFontaine’s vision expressed in his Address. Baldwin insisted that Governor Sydenham appoint LaFontaine to the Executive Council or else he would resign as Solicitor General. Their collaboration facilitated LaFontaine’s legislative seat in 1841 and Baldwin’s successful by-election campaign in 1843.

Throughout the decade, Willson and The Children of Peace actively campaigned for Reform candidates Baldwin and LaFontaine, who earned recognition as "Fathers of Responsible Government" and became Canada's first elected premiers. Their efforts contributed to curbing electoral violence perpetrated by Orange Order members.

On September 3, 1841, despite threats against them, The Children of Peace organized a rally endorsing Baldwin and LaFontaine. Subsequently elected as representative for York’s 4th riding, LaFontaine joined government only after Baldwin demanded joint inclusion following Governor Sydenham’s death and successor Sir Charles Bagot’s initial reluctance. In September 1842, Baldwin and LaFontaine assumed office as the first effective premiers for the Province of Canada.

Both leaders were required to seek re-election upon ministerial appointment; LaFontaine was comfortably re-elected in York’s 4th district whereas Baldwin lost his seat due to Orange Order intimidation tactics. To maintain their alliance strategy—LaFontaine holding a seat representing English Canada while Baldwin represented French Canada—LaFontaine arranged for Baldwin to contest Rimouski in Canada East.

Family

His first marriage was to Adèle Berthelot (1813–1859) on July 9, 1831; the couple did not have children. His original surname was Ménard, being the son of Antoine Ménard. Later, The Hon. Sir Louis Hypolite Ménard, Bart., Chief Justice of Lower Canada, wed the widow Jane Élisabeth Geneviève Morrison (1822–1905), daughter of Charles Morrison, in Montreal on January 30, 1861. From this second union, two sons were born but both passed away in infancy: Louis-Hippolyte (born July 11, 1862) and Charles François Hypolite Lafontaine (born April 13, 1864). The elder son succeeded to the baronetcy at just eighteen months old in February 1864 but died in 1867. The family’s residence was located on Saint Denis Street, Montreal.

Death

Lafontaine passed away on February 26, 1864, and was interred at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.

The Louis Hippolyte Ménard Monument in La Fontaine Park Montreal

Montreal honored Chief Justice Lafontaine by naming a park after him—Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine Park—in recognition of his significant contributions. The unveiling ceremony of the La Fontaine Monument within Parc La Fontaine marked a major celebration of his role as the pioneer of responsible government in Canada. As documented in the 1930 work Hommage à LaFontaine by Le Comité Du Monument LaFontaine, the event featured speeches and letters expressing widespread respect for Lafontaine. Mayor C. Houde recounted how Lieutenant-Governor Carroll revealed the statue amid the playing of the national anthem. The monument was dedicated "à la mémoire de sir Louis Hippolyte Lafontaine, père du governement responsable au Canada." The Chief Justice serving Sir Wilfrid Laurier lauded LaFontaine’s lasting impact on Canada’s progression from a colonial entity to a nation recognized on the international stage.

The Louis Hippolyte Ménard Monument in Boucherville

La Fontaine’s birthplace, Boucherville, which also witnessed his political activities in Montreal, commemorates him with a monument and a bronze plaque affixed to his childhood home. Dr. Eudore Dubeau recorded that approximately ten thousand attendees were present at the unveiling, including leading religious and civic personalities. The plaque honors La Fontaine as both the "Father of Responsible Government" and "Defender of the French Language." Despite fluency in English, he famously refused to speak it in the Assembly, championing the linguistic rights of French Canadians.

The Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Bridge-Tunnel

Construction began in 1963 on the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel, which links Montreal with the south shore at Longueuil, Quebec. This combined bridge and tunnel crosses beneath the Saint Lawrence River and bears La Fontaine’s name as a tribute to his enduring legacy.

Louis-Hippolyte Ménard Hospital

Established in 1873 as "d'Hospice Saint-Jean-De-Dieu" by the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence, the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Hospital continues to operate as a psychiatric institution. Its history is marked by controversy related to care provided to orphans wrongly classified as mentally ill subjects for medical experimentation (known as the Duplessis Orphans). The hospital was renamed in honor of La Fontaine following communications from patients, although no documented explanation clarifies why his name was specifically chosen.

The Baldwin and La Fontaine Monument on Parliament Hill

Crafted by Walter Seymour Allward, who is also celebrated for the Canadian Battlefields Memorial at Vimy Ridge in France (1922–36), the statue depicting La Fontaine and Baldwin is prominently located on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The "La Fontaine-Baldwin administration" (1849–1850) exercised remarkable authority, with La Fontaine championing the elimination of the seigneurial system while advocating just recompense for seigneurs. Together, Baldwin and La Fontaine played a pivotal role in founding responsible government and fostering political cohesion within Canada.

Pending Recognition

The former Montreal home of Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine, situated at 1395 Overdale, still stands but has yet to receive formal historic designation. This property was brought back into public awareness in 1987 by Senator Serge Joyal and notably survived assaults during the unrest linked to the Rebellion Losses Bill when Parliament was set ablaze. Since that time, the building’s exterior has suffered significant decay. Heritage Montreal has long pushed for its protection, with plans to convert it into an interpretive center dedicated to the evolution of responsible government in Canada. However, official municipal backing remains unresolved.

Literary Contributions

• Les deux girouettes, ou l'hypocrisie démasquée, Montréal, 1834 (online)
• Notes sur l'inamovibilité des curés dans le Bas-Canada, Montréal, 1837
• Analyse de l'ordonnance du Conseil spécial sur les bureaux d'hypothèques [...], Montréal, 1842
• De l'esclavage en Canada, Montréal, 1859 (online)
• De la famille des Lauson. Vice-rois et lieutenants généraux des rois de France en Amérique, 1859 (online)

Additional

• The Address to the Electors of Terrebonne, 1840 (online)

See also

• Canadian peers and baronets
• LaFontaine-Baldwin Symposium
• Louis-Joseph Papineau
• Lower Canada Rebellion
• Timeline of Quebec history

In English

• Abbott Nish, M. E. Double majority: Concept, Practice and Negotiations, 1840–1848, Master Thesis, McGill University, Montréal, 1966
• Heritage Montreal, "Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine Mansion", Montreal, https://web.archive.org/web/20110203084745/http://www.heritagemontreal.org/en/louis-hippolyte-lafontaine-mansion/
• Saul, John Ralston. Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin (2010) online

In French

• Aubin, Georges (2002–05). Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine. Correspondance générale
  • Tome 1: Les ficelles du pouvoir: correspondance entre Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine et Robert Baldwin, 1840–1854
  • Tome 2: Au nom de la loi: lettres de Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine à divers correspondants, 1829–1847
  • Tome 3: Mon cher Amable: lettres de Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine à divers correspondants, 1848–1864
• Aubin, Georges (1999). Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine. Journal de voyage en Europe, 1837–1838, Sillery: Septentrion, 153 p. 
• Bertrand, Réal (1993). Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine, Montréal: Lidec, 60 p. 
• Auclair, Elie-Joseph (1933). Figures canadiennes, Montréal, vol. 2, pp. 9–19 (online)
• DeCelles, Alfred Duclos, LaFontaine et son temps, Montréal: Librairie Beauchemin,192g.(online)
• Laurent-Olivier David (1872). Sir Ls.-H. Lafontaine, Montréal: Typographie Geo. E. Desbarats, 45 p.
• Fauteaux, M Aegidius. Hommages à LaFontaine. Montreal" le Comité Du Monument LaFontaine, 1931.
• A Propos. "Historique".Hôpital Louis-Hippolye LaFontaine, Montreal:(accessed Feb 2011)

https://web.archive.org/web/20110202081420/http://www.hlhl.qc.ca/hopital/portrait/historique.html