Parmelee, William George, LL.D., D.C.L. (Quebec City), English Secretary of the Department of Public Instruction, and Joint Secretary of the Council of Public Instruction of the Province of Quebec, was born at Waterloo, in the Eastern Townships, in 1860. He is a son of Rufus E. Parmelee, whose father had come originally from the United States. On the mother’s side, the subject of this sketch is of Scottish descent. He received his early education at Waterloo Academy, finally graduating as a teacher from the McGill Normal School of Montreal. He afterward became head master of the Model School Department and, later, a Professor of the Normal School. Previous to his holding these positions, he had been a member of the staff of St. Francis College, Richmond, P.Q., from 1881 to 1885. From McGill Normal School he was selected for his present position in 1891; and for more than a quarter of a century he has been in touch with the educational affairs of Quebec. He has proved himself a departmental administrator of widely recognized professional acumen. The academic honors that have been bestowed upon him from the time of his extra-mural course at Queen’s University, from which he graduated in 1889, stand as an endorsation of his scholarship, these including a D.C.L. from Bishop’s College in 1902, and an LL.D. from McGill University in 1911. He has likewise been honored by being chosen more than once, President of the Teachers’ Association of his native province; President of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec for three several terms; President of the Young Men’s Association; a delegate to the Federal Council of the United Empire Educational League in London, England, and later on as a delegate to the Imperial Conference on Education in the same centre. Taking an interest in local military affairs he was awarded a Captaincy in the 8th Royal Rifles Company, and later on received the honorary rank of Colonel. Nor has he neglected literary pursuits in his spare moments, having had published two of his papers read before the Literary and Historical Society, and entitled, “Wolfe as a Man and a Soldier,” and “The Fraser Highlanders.” He has also won high literary credit as joint-collaborateur with Dr. Arthur Doughty, the Dominion Archivist, in six volumes dealing with the “Siege of Quebec.” In 1886 he married Miss Louise Foss, of Waterloo. Their family consists of four daughters.
HON. P. E. BLONDIN
Ottawa
McCorkill, The Hon. Justice John Charles (Quebec City), was born in the town of Farnham, P.Q., on August 31, 1854. His father was Mr. Robert McCorkill, of Farnham and the Eastern Townships. His mother’s maiden name was Miss Margaret Meighen. His wife is a daughter of the Hon. Senator Leonard of London, Ontario, their marriage having taken place in 1884. From the district elementary school, he entered the classes of the McGill Model School, and in time obtained a certificate to teach from the McGill Normal School. For a period he acted as Principal of the Montreal British and Canadian School, thereafter taking his degree of B.C.L. as a preliminary step to his becoming a lawyer. At first he became a partner in the Greenshields legal firm, but subsequently removed to the Bedford District and finally opened a central office at Cowansville. While rising to a high rank as an advocate, he was encouraged to enter the political field, and after suffering defeat twice in succession, was at length elected to the Legislative Assembly as the representative of Missisquoi. In time he was appointed Legislative Councillor for the District of Bedford, where he was so appreciatively known as a public-spirited citizen and an able lawyer, who had held the position of Batonnier of the Bar and other offices of rank. In 1903, he resigned his seat in the upper chamber of the Provincial Parliament, to become Provincial Treasurer in the Parent Administration, and was elected to the Legislature by the Constituency of Brome. This office he held for three years, up to the time of his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court for the District of Quebec. While Treasurer, his term was marked by important legislation, such as the revision of the taxation laws relating to banking institutions and succession duties, which resulted in a surplus for the province of half-a-million dollars. After the date of his appointment to the Bench, he was made a Joint Commissioner with the Hon. Mr. Mathieu and Mr. L. J. Gauthier, to revise the Municipal Code of the Province of Quebec. His record as a legal practitioner and advocate, as well as a financier and public-spirited citizen, has been a full one, wherever he has resided, in Montreal, in the Eastern Townships, or in the city of Quebec. For several years he was Mayor of Cowansville, where he was also President of the Missisquoi Historical Society. He has been President of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, and is a member of the Council of Public Instruction. Even in military affairs he has taken an active part, having been Captain as well as Major in the Militia between the years of 1879 and 1887. His literary tastes have expressed themselves in the historical papers he has written from time to time. Altogether the Hon. Justice McCorkill may truly be spoken of as possessing a forceful and clear-visioned personality, able and willing always to share in the civic and provincial advancement of the community in which he lives or has lived.
Taschereau, The Hon. Louis Alexander (Quebec City), Minister of Public Works for the Province of Quebec, is the son of the Hon. Justice Taschereau, who married Miss Josephine Caron, the daughter of the Hon. Justice Caron, formerly Lieut.-Governor. He was born on the 5th of March, 1867. He was educated at the Quebec Seminary and Laval University, graduating as a Licentiate of Law in 1889, preliminary to his entering upon his professional career as partner of Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Later he became associated with what is now the legal firm of Taschereau, Roy, Cannon, Parent & Casgrain. As a lawyer, Mr. Taschereau came at once to be recognized as one of the leading legal practitioners of the district, among his successes being the part he took in the Gaynor and Greene extradition case in 1902. In addition to his duties as an advocate he took part in civic affairs, and for a time held a seat as an alderman of his native city. In 1900, he was elected for the constituency of Montmorency in the Legislative Assembly, and has continued ever since to be its representative. Seven years after, with his skill in debate, duly recognized by his parliamentary associates, he was selected to take his place in the Gouin Administration as Minister of Public Works and Labor. His administrative ability has been in keeping with his statesmanlike insight and foresight, and his skill in debate. His advice is ever in demand when any legal technicality has to be examined and explained to both sides of the Assembly. In fact, he has taken a high place as the Premier’s ally in all matters pertaining to the progress of the province, while he has won the highest credit within parliamentary circles and beyond them, for the efficiency of the Department in his charge. He has been a member of the Battlefields Park Commission since the day it was organized, and is likewise a Governor of the Catholic Church Society. He is a nephew of the late Cardinal Taschereau, Archbishop of Quebec. In 1891 he married Miss Adine Dionne, daughter of the Hon. E. Dionne, of the Legislative Council of Quebec, by whom he has had three sons and two daughters. Altogether he has made a record for himself in his native city and province as an able advocate, an astute governmental administrator, and a loyal citizen. Sprung from a distinguished and talented family, his career as a public man has added to its fame.