Jacques Duchesneau de la Doussinière et d'Ambault

Duchesneau de La Doussinière et d'Ambault, Jacques

Jacques Duchesneau de La Doussinière et d'Ambault, chevalier, INTENDANT of New France 1675-82 (d at Ambrant, France 1696). Despite his experience and the high hopes of his protector, the French minister Colbert, Duchesneau did not live up to his illustrious predecessor, Jean TALON, largely because of his difficult relations with Governor FRONTENAC. Duchesneau denounced the illegal trafficking of many of the COUREURS DE BOIS and suggested that the governor's attitude was so permissive as to smack of desire for personal gain. When he backed Bishop LAVAL in his fight against the sale of alcohol to the Amerindians, Frontenac accused him of being the clergy's tool. The 2 antagonists were recalled to France simultaneously: their disputes had injured the colony and angered the minister.