Athanase David

{{short description|Canadian politician (1882–1953)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Athanase David | honorific_suffix = | image = Athanase David.jpg | office = Senator for Saurel, Quebec | appointer = William Lyon Mackenzie King | predecessor = Joseph-Marcellin Wilson | successor = Mariana Beauchamp Jodoin | term_start = 1940 | term_end = 1953 | office2 = Secretary of the Province of Quebec | prime_minister2 = Lomer Gouin<br/>Louis-Alexandre Taschereau | predecessor2 = Jérémie-Louis Décarie | successor2 = Charles-Auguste Bertrand | term_start2 = 1919 | term_end2 = 1936 | office3 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Terrebonne | predecessor3 = Jean Prévost | successor3 = Hermann Barrette | term_start3 = 1916 | term_end3 = 1936 | predecessor4 = Hermann Barrette | successor4 = Hector Perrier | term_start4 = 1939 | term_end4 = 1940 | birth_date = {{birth date|1882|6|24}} | birth_place = Montreal, Quebec | birth_name = Louis-Athanase David | death_date = {{death date and age|1953|1|26|1882|6|24}} | death_place = | spouse = Antonia Nantel | party = Liberal | relations = | children = Paul David | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = lawyer }} '''Louis-Athanase David''' (June 24, 1882 – January 26, 1953)<ref>{{Quebec MNA biography|david-athanase-2771}}</ref> was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and businessman. He was a cabinet minister in the Provincial Parliament of Quebec, representing the riding of Terrebonne and serving as Provincial Secretary.<ref name="Harrington1981">Lyn Harrington. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=If9ooXhEVxkC&pg=PA60 Syllables of Recorded Time: The Story of the Canadian Authors Association 1921–1981]''. Dundurn; 1 August 1981. {{ISBN|978-1-4597-1362-8}}. p. 60–.</ref> In this position, he created Quebec's first cultural policy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Grandbois |first=Michèle |url=https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/quebec-city-art-artists/community-builders/ |title=Quebec City Art & Artists: An Illustrated History |publisher=Art Canada Institute |year=2025 |location=Toronto}}</ref> He was later a member of the Canadian Senate.

==Early life== David was born in Montreal;<ref name="Graham2005">Joseph Graham. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=7-OLBztxW1cC&pg=PA193 Naming the Laurentians: A History of Place Names 'up North']''. Les Editions Main Street Inc; 2005. {{ISBN|978-0-9739586-0-7}}. p. 193–.</ref> He was the son of Laurent-Olivier David, a Canadian journalist, lawyer, and politician.<ref name="DutilMacKenzie2017">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=NbaHDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA181 Embattled Nation: Canada's Wartime Election of 1917]''. Dundurn; 7 October 2017. {{ISBN|978-1-4597-3727-3}}. p. 181–.</ref> He received a law degree from Université Laval in Montreal and was admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 1905.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

==Career== David began practising law in 1905, and was a partner in the law firm of Elliott & David. He joined the Liberal party, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in 1916 as the Liberal Party member for the Terrebonne riding, serving until 1936.<ref name="DubéBaril2002">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=YAxCxo0Afy4C&pg=PA193 Marcel Baril: Figure Énigmatique de L'art Québécois]''. Presses Université Laval; 2002. {{ISBN|978-2-7637-7648-4}}. p. 193–.</ref> As Quebec's Provincial Secretary, David developed the city's cultural institutions, such as a national museum, literary prize, scholarships, and educational programs.<ref name=":0" />

David directed the Department of Education,<ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=_-cSAAAAIAAJ The Dalhousie Review]''. Vol. 4. Dalhousie University Press; 1924. p. 150.</ref> and in 1930 he sponsored a controversial bill which would have created a separate Jewish school board in Quebec.<ref name="Robinson2015">Ira Robinson. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=UQM6CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA62 A History of Antisemitism in Canada]''. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press; 14 December 2015. {{ISBN|978-1-77112-167-5}}. p. 62–.</ref>

David did not run in the 1936 election, but was elected again in 1939.<ref name="Laurin2002">Serge Laurin. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=LzLJs2_2qWIC&pg=PA135 Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts: un siècle et demi d'histoire]''. Presses Université Laval; 2002. {{ISBN|978-2-7637-7914-0}}. p. 135–.</ref>

David created the Prix Athanase-David literary prize in 1922.<ref name="Harrington1981" /><ref name="Vacante2017">Jeffery Vacante. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=lPEmDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA84 National Manhood and the Creation of Modern Quebec]''. UBC Press; 15 June 2017. {{ISBN|978-0-7748-3466-7}}. p. 84–.</ref> In 1923 was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour by the government of France; he was made an Officer in 1925 and a Commander in 1934.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} A sports fan, David was president of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club from 1930 to 1935. The club won three Stanley Cups during his tenure in 1924, 1930, and 1931. In 1928 he partnered with Montreal stockbroker Ernest Savard and American baseball executive George Stallings to revive the Montreal Royals baseball franchise as part of the International League and to build Delorimier Stadium.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

David resigned from the provincial government in February 1940 to accept an appointment as Senator in the Parliament of Canada where he served until his death in 1953.<ref name="Graham2005"/><ref name="Laurin2002" />

===1935 ballot controversy===

In the 1935 election, David's victory was contested on the ground that the ballot papers were not printed in the form prescribed under the ''Election Act''. At the subsequent hearing, the judge ruled that all cast ballots were declared void. Immediately afterwards, the returning officer announced that, as this resulted in a 0-0 tie, he cast his deciding vote in favour of David.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date= December 16, 1935|title= M. le juge Guibeault déclare nulle l'élection de Terrebonne. L'officier-rapporteur élit M. David|trans-title= Judge Guibault voids the Terrebonne election. The Returning Officer elects David|url= https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2794652|language= French|work= Le Devoir|pages=1, 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author= |date= December 17, 1935|title= Terrebonne votes all found illegal|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7b4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6617%2C1641440|work= Montreal Gazette|page=6}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" |+ Votes cast in Terrebonne (1935) |- ! colspan="3" |Candidate !! Initial<br>count<ref>{{cite news |author= |date= December 6, 1935|title= Le juge Guibault continue le recomptage du scrutin dans le comté de Terrebonne|trans-title= Judge Guibault is continuing the recount in Terrebonne|url= https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2794636|language= French|work= Le Devoir|page=1}}</ref> !! As determined by<br>Returning Officer<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/patrimoine/resultatselec/t.html#terr|title= Election results (Terrebonne)|author= |date= |website= assnat.qc.ca|publisher= National Assembly of Quebec|access-date= October 1, 2023}}</ref> {{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal|row-name}} |style="text-align:left;"|Athanase David |4,893 |1 {{Canadian party colour|QC|Conservative (historical)|row-name}} |style="text-align:left;"|Hermann Barrette |4,170 |– |- |colspan="3" style="text-align:left;"|'''Majority''' |720 |1 |}

The returning officer's action was considered to have been without precedent anywhere in the world in countries with parliamentary-style legislatures.<ref name="Gazette19351217">{{cite news |author= |date= December 17, 1935|title= Unionists act quickly to bar David election|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7b4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6130%2C1610484|work= Montreal Gazette|pages=1, 6}}</ref> The Conservatives lodged an appeal,<ref name="Gazette19351217"/> but the result was upheld by the Quebec Court of Appeal in April 1936.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date= April 14, 1936|title= David wins round in election fight|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m34tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6798%2C1478486|work= Montreal Gazette|page=4}}</ref> David would become the only member of the Assembly in Quebec history to be elected on only one cast vote.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date= March 21, 2014|title= Athanase David (1882-1953)|url= https://www.larevue.qc.ca/article/2014/03/21/athanase-david-1882-1953|language= French |work= La Revue de Terrebonne}} </ref>

==Personal== David was married to Antonia Nantel (known as Madame Athanase David), who was an arts administrator and patron in Montreal. He helped her in establishing the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1934 and the Montreal Festivals in 1936.<ref>[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/madame-athanase-david-emc/  Madame Athanase David] at ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''</ref><ref name="Helmer2014">Paul Helmer. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=FMy7gLCVSb8C&pg=PA95 Growing with Canada: The ƒmigrŽ Tradition in Canadian Music]''. McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP; 22 June 2014. {{ISBN|978-0-7735-7624-7}}. p. 95–.</ref> Their son, Paul David, was a cardiologist and later Canadian senator. His granddaughter is Françoise David.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * Grandbois, Michèle. ''[https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/quebec-city-art-artists/ Quebec City Art & Artists: An Illustrated History],'' 2025. Toronto: Art Canada Institute.{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=9578}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:David, Athanase}} Category:1882 births Category:1953 deaths Category:Businesspeople from Montreal Category:Canadian senators from Quebec Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour Category:Lawyers from Montreal Category:Liberal Party of Canada senators Category:Montreal Canadiens executives Category:National Hockey League executives Category:Politicians from Montreal Category:Quebec Liberal Party MNAs Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Université de Montréal alumni Athanase Category:20th-century members of the National Assembly of Quebec Category:20th-century members of the Senate of Canada