Biography

"Sir George-Étienne Cartier, co-premier of the Province of Canada, lawyer, rebel, railway promoter, politician, Father of Confederation (born 6 September 1814 in Saint-Antoine, Lower Canada; died 20 May 1873 in London, England). A former rebel against the government (see Rebellions of 1837), Cartier also served as Canada's first minister of militia and defence. Arguably the kingpin of Confederation, Cartier was responsible for bringing French Canada, Manitoba and British Columbia into the Dominion."