author
N. A. (Napoléon-Antoine) Belcourt
1860–1932
A leading Franco-Ontarian lawyer and parliamentarian, he used both the courts and the public stage to defend French-language education and minority rights in Canada. He also wrote speeches and pamphlets that reflected his long fight for bilingualism and national unity.
1 Audiobook
Bilingualism: Address delivered before the Quebec Canadian Club At Quebec, Tuesday, March 28th, 1916
by N. A. (Napoléon-Antoine) Belcourt
About the author
Born in Toronto in 1860 and raised in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, he studied law at Université Laval and built his career in Montreal before settling in Ottawa. There he became a prominent lawyer and public figure, serving in federal politics as a member of Parliament, Speaker of the House of Commons, and later a senator.
He is especially remembered for his leadership in defending Franco-Ontarian rights during the Regulation 17 crisis, when restrictions were placed on French-language education in Ontario. His published work included speeches, legal arguments, and pamphlets on education rights, bilingualism, and Canadian unity.
For readers encountering his name through older public-domain works, he stands out as more than a politician: he was also an advocate whose writing was tied closely to the major language and constitutional debates of his time.