George-Étienne Cartier

George-Étienne Cartier (1814-73), Canadian statesman, born in Saint-Antoine, Lower Canada (now Québec Province). After practicing law for a short time, Cartier took part in the rebellion of 1837-38 and fled the country to avoid arrest, but, after public feeling began to subside, he returned and resumed his law practice. In 1848 he was elected to the Canadian legislative assembly and soon became a leader of the French-Canadians. He was secretary of Lower Canada from 1855 to 1857, when he became provincial attorney general. Between 1858 and 1862 he shared the office of prime minister with Sir John Alexander Macdonald. In this office, Cartier favored the plan to federate Lower Canada and Upper Canada (now Ontario Province) with the other British colonies in North America; the plan resulted in the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Cartier joined Macdonald's first dominion cabinet as minister of militia and defense (1867-73). He was influential in getting approval from the Canadian parliament for the initial charter of the Canadian Pacific Railway.