Théodore Robitaille

The Hon. Théodore Robitaille
Senator for Gulf, Quebec
In office January 29, 1885 – August 17, 1897
Nominated by	John A. Macdonald
Preceded by	Louis Robitaille
Succeeded by	Jean-Baptiste Romuald Fiset
4th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
In office July 25, 1879 – October 4, 1884
Monarch	Victoria
Governor General	Marquess of Lorne The Marquess of Lansdowne
Premier	Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière Joseph Adolphe Chapleau Joseph-Alfred Mousseau John Jones Ross
Preceded by	Luc Letellier de St-Just
Succeeded by	Louis-Rodrigue Masson
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Bonaventure
In office September 20, 1867 – July 25, 1879
Succeeded by	Pierre-Clovis Beauchesne
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for Bonaventure
In office July 1, 1871 – January 7, 1874
Preceded by	Clarence Hamilton
Succeeded by	Pierre-Clovis Beauchesne
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Bonaventure
In office 1861–1866
Personal details
Born	29 January 1834 Varennes, Lower Canada
Died	17 August 1897 (aged 63) New Carlisle, Quebec
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Emma Quesnel (m. 1867)
Residence	New Carlisle, Quebec
Alma mater	McGill College
Occupation	physician and businessman
Profession	politician
Cabinet	Receiver General for Canada (1873)
Religion	Christian

Théodore Robitaille, PC (29 January 1834 – 17 August 1897) was a Canadian physician, politician, and the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.^[1]

Born in Varennes, Lower Canada, the son of Louis-Adolphe Robitaille (pronounced "ro-bee-tah-yeh") and Marie-Justine Monjeau, he was baptized as Louis-François-Christophe-Théodore. A physician, he graduated from McGill College in 1858 and settled in New Carlisle, Quebec.^[2] In 1861, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for the riding of Bonaventure. In 1867, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons. A Conservative he was re-elected in 1872, an 1873 ministerial by-election, 1874, and 1878. In 1873, he was appointed Receiver General.^[3]

In 1871, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in Bonaventure and served until 1874 when holding a federal and provincial seat was abolished. From 1879 to 1884, he was the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. Notably, during his tenure he commissioned Calixa Lavallée and Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier to prepare the music and French lyrics to what would become Canada's national anthem, O Canada. In 1885, he was appointed to the Senate representing the senatorial division of Gulf, Quebec. He served until his death in New Carlisle, Quebec in 1897.^[3]

References

1. "Théodore Robitaille". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
2. Théodore Robitaille – Parliament of Canada biography
3. "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.