Jean-Louis Lévesque facts for kids

Jean-Louis Lévesque (April 13, 1911 – December 28, 1994) was a very successful Canadian businessman. He was also famous for owning and breeding racehorses. Beyond his business, he was a kind philanthropist, meaning he gave a lot of money to help others.

J. Louis Lévesque was born in Nouvelle, a town in Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula. His father was Acadian and his mother was Irish. In 1934, he earned a degree from St. Dunstan's University in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

After university, he started working at the Provincial Bank of Canada in Moncton, New Brunswick. His banking experience helped him meet important people. This led to a job offer at a securities firm in Montreal.

Building a Business Empire

J. Louis Lévesque quickly became a successful stockbroker. In 1941, he started his own investment company called Crédit Interprovincial Ltée. He had a special talent for finding small businesses that were not valued highly enough. He would buy these companies, make them better, and then sell some for a good profit. He kept others that he thought would do well in the long run.

Eventually, his company joined with another firm, L.G. Beaubien et Cie. This created Lévesque, Beaubien Inc.. His brokerage company became the biggest French Canadian securities firm in Canada. It was known for dealing with government bonds.

A Respected Leader

People across Canada respected J. Louis Lévesque for his smart business ideas. The Canadian government asked him to join an important group in 1957. This group, called a Royal Commission, studied energy and helped create the National Energy Board.

He was also asked to join the boards of many big companies. These included Air Canada, Canadian National Railways, and Hilton Hotels of Canada. Being on a board means helping guide the company's decisions.

J. Louis Lévesque had a special connection with Moncton, New Brunswick. This city is known for being bilingual, meaning people speak both English and French. From 1967 to 1972, he was the chancellor of the University of Moncton. He once famously flew some friends from Miami to Moncton for a lobster dinner, surprising them with the unexpected destination!

Planning for Retirement

As he got older, J. Louis Lévesque decided to retire. He wanted to spend more time with horse racing. He began selling off the different companies he owned. In 1988, his brokerage firm, Lévesque, Beaubien Inc., became a key part of National Bank Financial.

He also owned other companies through his main holding company, TransCanada Funds. He sold TransCanada Corporation to Paul Desmarais Sr.. J. Louis Lévesque was honored by being voted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

Horse Racing Achievements

J. Louis Lévesque started buying standardbred horses for harness racing in 1956. Soon after, he began investing in thoroughbred horses. In 1958, he bought Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal. A few years later, he added Thoroughbred horse races to its schedule. He also bought other racetracks like Richelieu Raceway and Windsor Raceway.

But it was in Thoroughbred racing that he truly made his mark. He became a famous breeder and owner of champion horses. In 1972, he hired Yonnie Starr, who would later become a Hall of Fame trainer. That year, his two-year-old filly (young female horse) named La Prevoyante won every race she entered. She was named the best two-year-old filly in the U.S. and "Horse of the Year" in Canada.

In 1975, Lévesque won the important Queen's Plate race with his horse L'Enjoleur. This horse also won the Canadian Horse of the Year award for the second time. Lévesque had first won this award in 1970 with his horse Fanfreluche.

Hall of Fame Horses

In 1976, La Prevoyante was one of the first horses to be put into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the American Racing Hall of Fame in 1995. J. Louis Lévesque was also part of a group that bought the famous Triple Crown champion, Secretariat. They paid a record price of $6.08 million for him.

Lévesque was friends with other important racing owners like Bud McDougald and E. P. Taylor. In 1973, he helped start the Jockey Club of Canada. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1976. In 1983, he was named Canadian horse racing's "Man Of The Year."

Beyond horse racing, J. Louis Lévesque also helped create the Canadian Women's Open golf championship. This was the first-ever LPGA golf tournament held in Canada. In 1986, Jean-Louis Lévesque was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

When Jean-Louis Lévesque was a boy, he experienced great sadness. He lost his five-year-old sister to meningitis and his eleven-year-old brother to typhoid fever. These losses deeply affected him. When he became wealthy as an adult, he gave a lot of money to help others. He especially supported hospitals and medical research.

In 1961, he started The Lévesque Foundation, which is now run by his daughter, Suzanne Lévesque. This foundation has given a lot of money to universities and other charities. His own university, the University of Prince Edward Island, received significant support. Other universities like the University of Moncton, Laval, and Concordia also benefited.

He donated to the Florida Heart Research Institute, where he had a winter home. He also gave over $10 million to the Montreal Heart Institute. Other medical places that received help from his foundation include the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and the Royal Victoria Hospital. He also supported the Gaspé Museum in Gaspé, Quebec.

Jean-Louis Lévesque received many awards for his good deeds. He received honorary degrees from Canadian universities. In 1972, he and his wife received the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award. The Pope also made him a Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great. In 1976, he became a member of the Order of Canada. In 1991, he was made an officer of the National Order of Quebec.

Jean-Louis Lévesque passed away in Montreal on December 28, 1994. He was buried in the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.