Ludger Bastien facts for kids
Ludger Bastien was an important Canadian politician who lived from 1879 to 1948. He represented the area of Québec-Comté in the Quebec government from 1924 to 1927. He was a member of the Conservative Party of Quebec.
Bastien was born in Loretteville, Quebec. He was a proud member of the Wendat Nation, which is a First Nations community from the nearby reserve of Wendake. Before he became a politician, he was a successful businessman. He was the president of companies like Bastien et Bastien and Bastien, Gagnon et Cloutier. He also served as the chief of the Wendat community in Wendake for many years, from 1904 to 1917.
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Becoming a Politician
Ludger Bastien made history when he was elected to the Quebec government.
Winning the Election
In 1924, Bastien won a special election called a by-election for the Québec-Comté area. This election happened because the previous representative, Aurèle Leclerc, had resigned. When Bastien won, he became the very first First Nations person ever elected to the provincial legislature in Quebec. This was a big moment for Indigenous representation in politics.
Serving in Government
Bastien served in the Quebec government until 1927. In the provincial election that year, he tried to get re-elected but was not successful. He ran for election two more times after that. In the 1931 election, he ran again as a Conservative. Then, in the 1944 election, he ran as a candidate for a different political party called the Union Nationale. However, he was not elected again in either of those attempts.
Senate Consideration
In 1933, there was talk that Ludger Bastien might be chosen to join the Senate of Canada. The Senate is another part of Canada's government, where people are appointed rather than elected. Even though his name was considered, he was not ultimately appointed to the Senate.
Later Life and Legacy
Ludger Bastien passed away in 1948 in Montreal. He is remembered as a pioneering First Nations leader and politician who opened doors for others in Quebec's political landscape.
