Pierre-Étienne Fortin

Fortin, Pierre-Étienne

Pierre-Étienne Fortin, politician, surgeon, conservationist (b at Verchères, LC 14 Dec 1823; d at La Prairie, Qué 15 June 1888). After graduating from the Petit Séminaire de Montréal (1841) and McGill College (1845), he practised medicine at GROSSE ÎLE (1847-48). As the first magistrate responsible for protection of fisheries in the Gulf of St Lawrence from 1852-67, he initiated early conservation efforts, provided early faunal studies, promoted new marine initiatives, and sought greater rights for Canadian fishermen. He represented Gaspé in the Commons (1867-74 and 1878-87) and in the Québec legislature (1867-78), serving as commissioner of crown lands (1873-74) and Speaker (1875-76). His efforts helped initiate fire protection, forest conservation, the Baie de Chaleurs Railway, and portions of telegraph, postal and lighthouse services for the Gaspé. He was appointed to the Senate in 1887.