Charles Fitzpatrick
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Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, GCMG, PC (December 19, 1853 - June 17, 1942) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was born in Quebec City, Canada East, to John Fitzpatrick and Mary Connolly.
He studied at Laval University, earning his B.A. (1873) and LL.B (1876). Called to the bar of Quebec in 1876, he established his practice in Quebec City and later founded the law firm of Fitzpatrick & Taschereau.
In 1885, he acted as chief counsel to Louis Riel who was on trial for leading the North-West Rebellion. Riel was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Fitzpatrick entered politics in 1890, winning election to the Quebec Legislative Assembly in the Quebec County riding (now Chauveau).
He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1896 federal election as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP). He served as Solicitor General of Canada from 1896 to 1902, and as Minister of Justice from 1902 until 1906.
He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada as Chief Justice. He served in that position until 1918 when he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. During his period as Lieutenant Governor, his nephew acted as Premier of Quebec, Louis-Alexandre Taschereau.
He is the only Chief Justice other than Sir William Buell Richards to have served in that position without having first been an Puisne Justice on the court. (Richards was Chief Justice at the court's creation in 1875.)
In 1905, he took part, as the federal government representative, in the negotiations that led to the creation of the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. He was knighted in 1907.
Chief Justice Fitzpatrick died on June 17, 1942, aged 88; he is interred in Sillery, Quebec.
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