Joseph Raymond Fournier Préfontaine, PCQC (16 September 1850 – 25 December 1905) was a Canadian politician. He was the Mayor of Montreal from 1898 to 1902, and sent Captain Joseph-Elzéar Bernier to explore the Arctic.
In 1875, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Chambly. A Liberal, he was defeated in 1878. He was re-elected in an 1879 by-election, but was defeated again in 1881.
He was acclaimed to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Chambly in an 1886 by-election. A Liberal, he was re-elected in every election in one or another riding until dying in office in 1905. From 1902 to 1905, he was the Minister of Marine and Fisheries. When Joseph-Israel Tarte resigned from the Cabinet as Minister of Public Works in October 1902, Wilfrid Laurier, under pressure from Montréalers, gave Préfontaine the portfolio of Marine and Fisheries and, for the same reason, transferred to it from public works as "the major services relating to navigation."
The new minister, while maintaining his predecessor's policy, tackled his duties with dynamic energy. He approved experiments in winter navigation and a program for installing illuminated buoys in the channel of the St Lawrence. He appointed a commissioner to preside over all inquiries into marine disasters, in place of the harbour commissioners. He also investigated the possibility of creating an independent Canadian Navy. He sent Captain Joseph-Elzéar Bernier to explore the Arctic in order to strengthen Canada's rights in this region.
In 1905, he went to Great Britain and France, one of his goals being to promote a sea link between Marseilles and Montréal. He was in Paris when he was struck down by angina pectoris on 25 December. The French government held his funeral in the Église de La Madeleine in central Paris. A British battleship brought his remains back to Halifax for subsequent burial in Montréal.
From 1879 to 1883, he was the mayor of Hochelaga, after which the city was amalgamated with Montreal. From 1898 to 1902, he was the Mayor of Montreal.
Montréal's Préfontaine metro station, aréna Raymond-Préfontaine, parc Raymond-Préfontaine and rue Préfontaine are all named in his honour.
Brassard, Michèle; Hamelin, Jean (1994). "Préfontaine, Raymond". In Cook, Ramsay; Hamelin, Jean (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XIII (1901–1910) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
Raymond Préfontaine – Parliament of Canada biography
"Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
raymond, préfontaine, joseph, raymond, fournier, préfontaine, september, 1850, december, 1905, canadian, politician, mayor, montreal, from, 1898, 1902, sent, captain, joseph, elzéar, bernier, explore, arctic, honourable25th, mayor, montrealin, office, 1898, 19. Joseph Raymond Fournier Prefontaine PC QC 16 September 1850 25 December 1905 was a Canadian politician He was the Mayor of Montreal from 1898 to 1902 and sent Captain Joseph Elzear Bernier to explore the Arctic The HonourableRaymond Prefontaine25th Mayor of MontrealIn office 1898 1902Preceded byRichard Wilson SmithSucceeded byJames CochranePersonal detailsBorn16 September 1850Longueuil Province of CanadaDied25 December 1905 1905 12 25 aged 55 Paris FranceProfessionlawyer Contents 1 Biography 2 Gallery 3 Electoral record 4 External linksBiography editBorn in Longueuil Quebec he studied at the law faculty of McGill College articled with Antoine Aime Dorion and Christophe Alphonse Geoffrion and was called to the bar in 1873 He was named a Queen s Counsel in 1899 In 1875 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Chambly A Liberal he was defeated in 1878 He was re elected in an 1879 by election but was defeated again in 1881 He was acclaimed to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Chambly in an 1886 by election A Liberal he was re elected in every election in one or another riding until dying in office in 1905 From 1902 to 1905 he was the Minister of Marine and Fisheries When Joseph Israel Tarte resigned from the Cabinet as Minister of Public Works in October 1902 Wilfrid Laurier under pressure from Montrealers gave Prefontaine the portfolio of Marine and Fisheries and for the same reason transferred to it from public works as the major services relating to navigation The new minister while maintaining his predecessor s policy tackled his duties with dynamic energy He approved experiments in winter navigation and a program for installing illuminated buoys in the channel of the St Lawrence He appointed a commissioner to preside over all inquiries into marine disasters in place of the harbour commissioners He also investigated the possibility of creating an independent Canadian Navy He sent Captain Joseph Elzear Bernier to explore the Arctic in order to strengthen Canada s rights in this region In 1905 he went to Great Britain and France one of his goals being to promote a sea link between Marseilles and Montreal He was in Paris when he was struck down by angina pectoris on 25 December The French government held his funeral in the Eglise de La Madeleine in central Paris A British battleship brought his remains back to Halifax for subsequent burial in Montreal From 1879 to 1883 he was the mayor of Hochelaga after which the city was amalgamated with Montreal From 1898 to 1902 he was the Mayor of Montreal Montreal s Prefontaine metro station arena Raymond Prefontaine parc Raymond Prefontaine and rue Prefontaine are all named in his honour Gallery edit nbsp nbsp nbsp Electoral record editvte1900 Canadian federal election Terrebonne Party Candidate Votes Liberal Raymond Prefontaine 2 277 53 1 4 9 Conservative Leon Adolphe Chauvin 2 010 46 9 4 9 Total valid votes 4 287 100 0External links editWorks by or about Raymond Prefontaine at Internet Archive Brassard Michele Hamelin Jean 1994 Prefontaine Raymond In Cook Ramsay Hamelin Jean eds Dictionary of Canadian Biography Vol XIII 1901 1910 online ed University of Toronto Press Raymond Prefontaine Parliament of Canada biography Biography Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Quebec de 1792 a nos jours in French National Assembly of Quebec Legislative Assembly of Quebec Preceded byGedeon Larocque Member of the Legislative Assembly for Chambly1871 1875 Succeeded byMichel Dosithee Stanislas Martel Preceded byMichel Dosithee Stanislas Martel Member of the Legislative Assembly for Chambly1879 1881 Succeeded byMichel Dosithee Stanislas Martel Parliament of Canada Preceded byPierre Basile Benoit Member of Parliament for Chambly1886 1896 Succeeded byChristophe Alphonse Geoffrionas MP for Chambly Vercheres Preceded bySeverin Lachapelleas MP for Hochelaga Member of Parliament for Maisonneuve1896 1905 Succeeded byAlphonse Verville Preceded byLeon Adolphe Chauvin Member of Parliament for Terrebonne1900 1902 Succeeded bySamuel Desjardins Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Raymond Prefontaine amp oldid 1211850572, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
