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Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau

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The Honourable
Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau
KCMG QC
1st Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
In office
July 1, 1867 – February 11, 1873
MonarchVictoria
Governors General
PremierPierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
Preceded byOffice created in 1867
Succeeded byRené-Édouard Caron
Premier of the Province of Canada
In office
30 July 1865 – 1867
Preceded byÉtienne-Paschal Taché
Succeeded byNone (office abolished)
Mayor of Quebec City
In office
1850–1853
Preceded byGeorge Okill Stuart, Jr.
Succeeded byUlric-Joseph Tessier
Personal details
Born(1808-10-20)October 20, 1808
Sainte-Foy, Lower Canada
DiedSeptember 14, 1894(1894-09-14) (aged 85)
Political partyConservative

Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau KCMG QC (October 20, 1808 – September 14, 1894) was a Canadian politician who served as the first Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. Prior to Canadian Confederation, he served as the leader of the blue party in Canada East.

Early life

He was born in Quebec City in 1808. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec and went on to article in law, receiving his license to practice in 1832. In 1835, he married Marie-Reine-Josephte, the daughter of Quebec merchant Louis Gauvreau. In 1848, he ran unsuccessfully as a Reformer in Portneuf. In the same year, he was elected to the city council for Quebec and served as mayor from 1850 to 1853. During his term as mayor, a system providing drinking water was installed in the city. He served on the board of the Quebec Bank, later merged with the Royal Bank of Canada, from 1848 to 1893.

Political career

In 1852, he was appointed to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada. He became a Queen's Counsel in 1854. In 1857, he was named speaker of the Legislative Council and so became a member of the Executive Council. He was knighted in 1860. He became premier for Canada East and receiver general in 1865 on the death of Sir Étienne-Paschal Taché and served in that role until Confederation. He was nominated for a seat in the Senate of Canada in 1867 but withdrew when he was named the first Lieutenant Governor of Quebec in July of the same year. He refused a seat in the Senate when he retired from this post in 1873. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1879.

Later life and death

He died at Quebec City in 1894.

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


Political offices
Preceded by Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada - Canada East
1864–1867
Succeeded by