Marc-Amable Girard (April 25, 1822 – September 12, 1892) was the second premier of Manitoba, and the first Franco-Manitoban to hold that post. The Canadian Parliamentary Guide lists Girard as having been Premier (or Chief Minister) from 1871 to 1872, but he did not have this title at the time and was not the government leader. In 1874, however, Girard led Manitoba's first ministry to be constituted on principles of "responsible government". In this sense, he may be regarded as the first Premier of Manitoba.
Early life
Girard was born in Varennes, Lower Canada (now Quebec).
Political career
He worked as a Notary Public between 1844 and 1870, and was active in local political life (serving as Mayor of Varennes at one stage). He lost an electoral bid for the Province of Canada's Legislative Council in 1858, and a further bid for the Canadian Assembly in 1863 (losing to Parti Rouge leader A.A. Dorion in Hochelaga).
During the Riel Rebellion, Girard was sent to Manitoba by George-Étienne Cartier, leader of the Conservative Party's Quebec wing. Girard and Joseph Royal met with Riel on August 23, 1870, and may have encouraged his flight from Winnipeg before Canadian soldiers arrived the next day. Subsequently, Girard attempted to ensure that the new province remained open to French-Canadians.
Girard was appointed Provincial Treasurer by Lieutenant-Governor Adams George Archibald on September 16, 1870, and remained in this position until March 14, 1872. Archibald was effectively his own Premier during this period; Girard was his leading minister from the francophone community.
In Manitoba's first provincial election (December 27, 1870), Girard was elected by acclamation for the riding of St. Boniface East. He continued to hold his provincial seat after being appointed to the Senate of Canada on December 13, 1871, maintaining a controversial "dual mandate" for several years. (He resigned his cabinet seat soon after the Senate appointment, however.)
On December 28, 1872, Girard acquired a triple mandate being appointed to the Temporary North-West Council of Northwest Territories. He maintained an interest in the rights of French Canadians in the North West for the rest of his career.
By 1874, the Manitoba government was having difficulties maintaining its policy of "conciliation" among the province's ethnic, religious and linguistic groups. In June 1874, cabinet minister John Norquay attempted to redistribute Manitoba's electoral districts so as to reflect the increased English presence in the province. Norquay's bill was poorly drafted, however, and met opposition from both an opposition "English Party" under Edward Hay, and the "French Party" under Joseph Dubuc. On June 22, 1874, Girard voted with the French party on a non-confidence motion which brought down the government; he was called to form his own administration the next day.
Until July 3, 1874, the government of Manitoba had been dominated by the province's Lieutenant-Governors—Archibald (1870–1872), and his replacement Alexander Morris (1872–1877). Girard was the first elected official in Manitoba to choose his own cabinet and act as head of government.
Girard's government was founded on an unstable alliance with Hay's English party, and fell as a result of ongoing recriminations over Louis Riel's Red River Rebellion (1869–70). Girard and other members of the French caucus maintained regular communications with Riel between 1870 and 1874, an association which most English parliamentarians found unpalatable. In November 1874, Ambroise Lepine, the Adjutant-General in Riel's provisional government, was convicted of the murder of Orangeman Thomas Scott, who had been executed under Riel's authority in 1870. In the aftermath of this decision, Girard was abandoned by his English ministers and forced to resign. He was succeeded as Premier by Robert A. Davis on December 3, 1874.
During its brief existence, Girard's ministry promoted fiscal restraint and an effective system of auditing public accounts, also advocating the abolition of the unelected Legislative Council. It also passed a redistribution bill which allowed for 14 ridings with an English-speaking majority and 10 ridings with a French-speaking majority. Most considered this to be a fair compromise.
Girard was re-elected (again by acclamation) for the restructured riding of St. Boniface in Manitoba's second general election (December 30, 1874). The Davis government soon won the confidence of most elected members (formal party politics had not yet been introduced to Manitoba), and Girard played only a minor role in provincial politics for the next four years.