Charles Alphonse Pantaléon Pelletier


Sir Charles Alphonse Pantaléon Pelletier, was a Canadian lawyer, militia officer, politician, publisher, judge, and the List of [lieutenant governors of Quebec#Lieutenant Governors of Quebec, 1867–present|ninth] Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.

Biography

Born in Rivière-Ouelle, Lower Canada, the son of Jean-Marie Pelletier and Julie Painchaud, he studied law at the Université Laval, was called to the bar in 1860 and entered practice in Quebec City. He married Suzanne, the daughter of lawyer Charles-Eusèbe Casgrain in 1861; his wife died during childbirth the following year. In 1862, he joined the Canadian Militia as an officer with the Voltigeurs de Québec. A Captain by 1863, he became a major with the 9th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles and saw active service with the battalion in 1866 during the Fenian Raids and retired from the militia in 1867. In 1866, he married Eugénie, the daughter of Marc-Pascal de Sales Laterrière, a doctor and seigneur. He was elected as a Liberal to the House of Commons of Canada representing the riding of Kamouraska, Quebec in a by-election held in 1869. There was no election in this riding in Canadian federal election|1867] due to riots. He was re-elected in 1872 and 1874. He was also elected to represent Québec-Est in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in an 1873 by-election; he resigned this seat in 1874 when the dual mandate became illegal. From 1877 to 1878, he was the Minister of Agriculture in the federal cabinet.
He was President of the Canadian Commission for the Paris World Fair in 1878. He was made a Companion of the Order of [St Michael and St George] for his work on this commission. In 1898, he was promoted to Knight Commander.
In 1877, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of Grandville, Quebec. From 1896 to 1901, he was the Speaker of the Senate of Canada. He resigned in 1904 and was appointed a puisne judge of the Quebec Superior Court.
In 1908, he was appointed List of [Lieutenant Governors of Quebec|Lieutenant Governor of Quebec] and served until his death in 1911.