Article

Joseph-Alfred Mousseau

Published Online February 18, 2008

Last Edited December 15, 2013

Joseph-Alfred Mousseau, lawyer, journalist, writer, politician, judge, premier of Québec 1882-84 (b at Berthier-en-Haut, LC 18 July 1838; d at Montréal 30 Mar 1886). Mousseau was admitted to the bar in 1860 and practised civil and criminal law for 20 years, becoming QC in 1873.

Mousseau, Joseph-Alfred

Joseph-Alfred Mousseau, lawyer, journalist, writer, politician, judge, premier of Québec 1882-84 (b at Berthier-en-Haut, LC 18 July 1838; d at Montréal 30 Mar 1886). Mousseau was admitted to the bar in 1860 and practised civil and criminal law for 20 years, becoming QC in 1873. Co-founder of both Le Colonisateur in 1867 and L'Opinion publique in 1870 and a supporter of CONFEDERATION in 1867, he won the federal riding of Bagot for the Conservative Party in 1874. He was re-elected in 1878 and became head of the Executive Council on 8 November 1880 and, on May 20, secretary of state. In July 1882 he agreed to exchange positions with J.A. CHAPLEAU, thus becoming premier of Québec. After 2 years of division and strife within the Conservative Party, he resigned at the request of the federal leaders and became a puisne judge of the superior court for the district of Rimouski.