Athanase David
Louis Athanase David (Montreal, June 24th, 1882 in Quebec - Montreal, January 26th, 1953 in Quebec) is a lawyer and a politician Québécois. Secretary of the province of Quebec of 1919 to 1936, he is the project superintendent of the important social measures and cultural of the government Taschereau which mark important stakes in the history of the intervention of the State Québécois in the sectors of education, health and the wellbeing, traditionally dealt with by the Church, just as in the development of specific Québécois cultural policy.
Family, studies and beginning of career
Born with Montreal on June 24th, 1882 in Quebec, Athanase David is the son of Laurent-Olivier David, lawyer, Journaliste, Historien and politician. It grows in a liberal medium and côtoie of close Wilfrid Laurier, close friend of its father.After traditional studies with the college Sainte-Marie and studies in right to the Laval University in Montreal, it is allowed with the Barreau of the province of Quebec on July 7th, 1905 in Quebec. He exerts a few years the right to Montreal, initially with Edouard Montpetit and Arthur Vallée, before belonging to the cabinet Elliot and David.
He marries in Montreal, on November 3rd, 1908 in Quebec, Antonia Nantel (1886-1955), the girl of the influential journalist and preserving politician Guillaume-Alphonse Nantel. After their marriage, this one plays a big role in the development of the musical life montréalaise, initially as member of the executive council of the Montreal Orchestra (1930-1934), then by its participation in the foundation of the Symphony orchestra of Montreal (1934), finally like cofondatrice of the Festivals of Montreal (in partnership with Wilfrid Pelletier) in 1936, whose she assumes the presidency until 1952.
Among their children, one their wire, the cardiologist Paul David, founded the Institute of cardiology of Montreal and was senator. One their girls, Simone David-Raymond, founder of the Hospital Marie-Child, is member of the Ordre of Canada and large-officer of the National order of Quebec.
One their grand-daughters, Francoise David, girl of Paul David, is militant a feminist and altermondialist, just as one of the spokesperson of the interdependent party Quebec.
Political career
Athanase David makes his entry in active policy under the liberal banner at the time of the provincial elections of 1916 while being made elect Député with the legislative Assemblée of Quebec in the district of Terrebonne, which had been represented by his/her father-in-law Guillaume-Alphonse Nantel, on behalf of the preserving , of 1882 to 1900. This election renews the Prime Minister Lomer Gouin with the capacity.
After being re-elected without opposition in 1919, it enters to the cabinet of Gouin on August 25th, 1919 to Quebec as secretary of the province. David, who is thus number of excluded, is replaced with the Secretariat of the province by Charles-Auguste Bertrand on June 27th.
Athanase David then chooses not to be represented with the election of 1936. The situation is untied at a few days of opening of the parliamentary session, when the Canadian Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, on the intervention of Godbout, names David senator on February 9th, 1940. He resigns of his function of deputy on February 14th following to sit at the Senate, until his death in 1953.
As Secretary of the province, David makes adopt in 1922 by the legislative Parliament the Loi to encourage the production of literary works or scientific , which “aims at supporting the advance of the literature and sciences, to assist the efforts of the writers and to stimulate, by the emulation, the taste of literary and scientific work”. This law founds prices (commonly named Prix David) decreed with writers or researchers who subjected best literary works or scientists to the contests of the province. These prices are the direct ancestors of the Prix of Quebec. For this reason the literary prize Athanase-David commemorates his name.
Cultural and social implication
Amateur of sport, he becomes president of the club of hockey of the Canadian of Montreal in November 1921 in Quebec after his acquisition by Léo Dandurand, Joseph Cattarinich and Louis A. Létourneau and remains it until the resale of the club, on September 17th, 1935. During its presidency, the club gains the Coupe Stanley with three recoveries, in 1923-1924, 1929-1930 and 1930-1931.
In 1928, at the instigation of the American George Stallings, important personality of the major League of baseball, Athanase David persuades the business man montréalais Ernest Savard, a broker in transferable securities, to join them for ressusciter the late club of Baseball of the Royaux of Montreal ( Montreal Royals ) (1897-1917) by repurchasing the concession of Jersey City of the international League for: 225000 $. Savard is given the responsability to gather the other investors montréalais while David supervises the construction of the building intended to accommodate the new team, who must be sufficiently vast to accommodate the many spectators that the owners hope to attract. Work begins in January 1928 and the inaugural part takes place on May 5th of the same year.
Sharing the interest of his wife for the development of the musical life montréalaise, it plays a big role in the foundation of the Symphony orchestra of Montreal in 1934 for which it obtains in particular an important subsidy of the government of Quebec
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