Joseph Royal (7 May 1837 – 23 August 1902) was a Canadian journalist, lawyer, politician, businessman, and Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories.

Joseph Royal
5th Lieutenant Governor of the North-West Territories
In office
1 July 1888 – 31 October 1893
MonarchVictoria
Governors GeneralThe Lord Stanley of Preston
The Earl of Aberdeen
Preceded byEdgar Dewdney
Succeeded byCharles Herbert Mackintosh
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Provencher
In office
30 December 1879 – 1 July 1888
Preceded byJoseph Dubuc
Succeeded byAlphonse Alfred Clément Larivière
1st Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
In office
15 March 1871 – 21 February 1872
Preceded bynone
Succeeded byCurtis James Bird
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for St. Francis Xavier West
In office
27 December 1870 – 16 December 1879
Preceded bynone
Succeeded bydistrict abolished
Personal details
Born(1837-05-07)7 May 1837
Repentigny, Lower Canada
Died23 August 1902(1902-08-23) (aged 65)
Montreal, Quebec
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Agnès Bruyère
(m. 1857)
Children8
Residence(s)Montreal, Quebec
OccupationJournalist, lawyer, businessman
ProfessionPolitician
CabinetProvincial:
Minister of Public Works
Attorney General
Provincial Secretary
Signature
[1]

Early life and career edit

Royal studied at St. Mary's Jesuit college in Montreal.[2] His early publishing career included a term as editor of Montreal's Minerve from 1857 to 1859. He then founded and published other Montreal-based publications such as L'Ordre (1859–1860), La Revue Canadienne (1864) and Le Nouveau Monde (1867, editor-in-chief). Soon after moving to Manitoba, Royal founded Le Metis and operated that publication from 1871 to 1882 after which its new owner changed its title to Le Manitoba.[1]

His legal career began in Lower Canada where he was called to that province's bar in 1864. He joined the Manitoba bar in 1871 after moving to that province. In 1880, Royal left legal practice.[1]

Political career edit

In the 1870 Manitoba provincial elections, he was acclaimed to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for the riding St François Xavier West, and in 1871 he was unanimously chosen speaker. From 1874 to 1876, he was the Provincial Secretary and Minister of Public Works. From 1876 to 1878, he was the Attorney General. In 1878, he was the Minister of Public Works.[2]

In an 1879 by-election, he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada representing the Manitoba riding of Provencher. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1882 and 1887.

Royal was appointed to, and served as a member on the Temporary North-West Council, the first legislature of the Northwest Territories from 1872 to 1876. He would later serve as the Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories from 1888 to 1893.

Later life edit

In December 1894, Royal returned to La Minerve where he became editor-in-chief. After publishing other books, he died in Montreal in 1902.[2]

Works edit

  • Vie Politique de Sir Louis H Lafontaine (1864)[1]
  • La Vallée de la Mantawa (Montreal, 1869)[2]
  • Le Canada, république ou colonie? (Montreal, 1894)[2]
  • Histoire du Canada 1841 à 1867 (Montreal, 1909) – published after death[2]

Electoral history edit

1887 Canadian federal election: Provencher
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Joseph Royal 1,081 58.1
Independent Liberal Joseph Ernest Cyr 778 41.9
Total valid votes 1,859 100.0
1882 Canadian federal election: Provencher
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Joseph Royal acclaimed
Canadian federal by-election, 30 December 1879
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Joseph Royal 652 62.6
Unknown John Molloy 269 25.8
Unknown S. Hamelin 121 11.6
Total valid votes 1,042 100.0
Called upon Mr. Dubuc being appointed Puisne Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench for Manitoba.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Gemmill, J. A. (1889). Canadian Parliamentary Companion. J Durie and Son.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Joseph Royal (1837–1902)". Manitoba Historical Society. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2011.

External links edit