20 Facts About Prosper-Edmond Lessard

Prosper-Edmond Lessard was a Canadian businessman, militia officer and politician.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1921 sitting with the Liberal caucus in government.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard served in the Senate of Canada from 1925 to his death in 1931 sitting with the federal Liberal caucus.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard studied commerce and sciences at College du Mont-Saint-Louis in the mid-1890s and worked as a bookkeeper in Montreal following the completion of his studies.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard left home seeking his fortune in the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush, stopping in Edmonton on his way there and went on to become a leading citizen in the Franco-Albertan community.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard began working as a bookkeeper for fellow Quebecers Joseph Chenier and Joseph-Hormidas Gariepy, and would later purchase Chenier's shares to partner with Gariepy to form a firm under the name Gariepy and Prosper-Edmond Lessard between 1901 and April 1909.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard would serve on Edmonton's Board of Trade, formed a number of companies including Imperial Agencies, and served as an executive on a number of resource extraction companies including Elk Park Oil Company, Western Timber and Mines Company, and Edmonton Iron Works.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard would serve as a trustee of the Edmonton Separate-School Board between 1907 and 1910.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1909 Alberta general election as a Liberal candidate.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard won the new Pakan electoral district by acclamation.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard would be sworn into Premier Alexander Cameron Rutherford's cabinet as a Minister without portfolio, which he would hold until Rutherford's resignation in May 1910 due to the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway Scandal.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard ran for re-election in the new St Paul electoral district in the election held that year.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard won a closely contested two-way race over Conservative candidate Laurent Garneau, former pioneer in the Garneau district of Edmonton.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard ran for a third term in the 1917 general election.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard received 66 percent of the vote to keep his seat, defeating Conservative opponent James Brady, a Metis activist and the subject of the biography One-and-a-half Men.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard ran for re-election again in the 1921 Alberta general election.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard was defeated by United Farmers candidate Laudas Joly in a closely contested two-way race.

In 1925 Prosper-Edmond Lessard was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard served in the Senate until his death in his St Paul home on April 11,1931, at the age of 58.

Prosper-Edmond Lessard married Helene Gariepy, the daughter of Edmonton Alderman and Merchant Joseph Hormidas Gariepy on November 25,1900, in Edmonton, together they had three daughters and two sons.