Étienne-Paschal Taché

Sir Étienne Paschal Taché
Born	(1795-09-05)5 September 1795 St. Thomas, Lower Canada
Died	30 July 1865(1865-07-30) (aged 69) St.Montmagny, Quebec
Occupation	doctor, politician
Known for	Father of Canadian Confederation

Sir Étienne-Paschal Taché (5 September 1795 – 30 July 1865) was a Canadian doctor, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.

Born in St. Thomas, Lower Canada, in 1795, the third son of Charles Taché and Geneviève Michon, Taché studied at the Séminaire de Québec until the War of 1812 when he joined the 5th battalion of the incorporated militia as an ensign. He was later promoted to lieutenant and fought in the Chasseurs Canadiens. During the war, he started studying to become a doctor and continued his studies in Philadelphia after the war. He obtained his medical license in 1819 and practiced medicine in Montmagny.

Taché was elected to the new Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada in 1841 as a member from Canada East (Quebec) and held numerous posts in successive administrations. In 1864, he formed the Great Coalition which was ultimately responsible for Canadian Confederation, and he presided over the Quebec City conference of 1864.

Taché's home in Montmagny, Quebec was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.

References

• "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. 

•  "Etienne-Pascal Taché". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 
• "Étienne-Paschal Taché". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2005. 

Political offices
Preceded by Sir Augustin-Norbert Morin	Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada - Canada East 1855-1857 (with Sir Allan McNab, 1855-1856, and Sir John A. Macdonald, 1856-1857)	Succeeded by Sir George-Étienne Cartier
Preceded by Antoine-Aimé Dorion	Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada - Canada East 1864-1865 (with Sir John A. Macdonald)	Succeeded by Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau