Édouard-Émery Richard
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Megantic
In office 1872–1878
Preceded by	George Irvine
Succeeded by	Louis-Éphrem Olivier
Personal details
Born	(1844-03-14)March 14, 1844 Princeville, Canada East
Died	March 27, 1904(1904-03-27) (aged 60) Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan
Political party	Liberal
Relations	Louis Richard (father), Member of the Legislative Council of Quebec

Édouard-Émery Richard (March 14, 1844 – March 27, 1904) was a Canadian historian and politician.

Richard was born in Princeville, Quebec to Louis-Eusèbe Richard and Hermine Prince. After receiving his law degree in 1867, taking courses at both Université Laval and McGill College, Richard began to practice in Arthabaskaville with Wilfrid Laurier. ^[1] He practiced for several years before being elected to the House of Commons from Mégantic in 1872 and was re-elected in 1874. His health forced him to not seek reelection in the 1878 Canadian Parliamentary elections. ^[2] Politically, Richard was a liberal protectionist. ^[3]

Richard became the sheriff of the North-West Territories soon after leaving the House of Commons, and remained in that position until January 1883. ^{[1] [2]} After resigning from his post as sheriff, he sought election to the House of Commons again in 1883 in St. Boniface, but was defeated by Alphonse Alfred Clément Larivière. ^[2] Richard sought election once more, in 1889 in Provencher, but Lariviére again defeated him.

In between his political posts, Richard was also a fairly successful businessman. Unfortunately, his political campaigns and frequent ill health prevented him from ever amassing substantial wealth. ^[2]

Richard was of Acadian heritage. ^[1] Following his last failed campaign, Richard returned to Arthabaskaville and began to immerse himself in his heritage. ^[2] He fervently promoted the Acadian cause, petitioning for an Acadian museum, working on his own research, and even starting a campaign for reparations. ^[2] An 1893 article in Toronto by Pierce Stevens Hamilton and histories by Francis Parkman and Thomas Beamish Akins spurred Richard to begin his own published history. ^{[2] [4]} His work, Acadia, Missing Links of a Lost Chapter in American History, was published in two volumes in 1895. ^[2] His work was controversial, both for mixing English and French in text and, more significantly, lacking annotations and citations. ^[4] His book was republished with annotations added by his cousin, Henri d'Arles, from 1916 to 1921. ^[2] Despite this controversy, his work brought him accolades, including an election to the Royal Society of Canada and an honorary doctorate from Université Laval. ^[2] In 1897, Richard, who never married, was named the successor to Joseph Marmette as the official Canadian archivist in France. This was his last main work before his death in Green Bluff NWT ( Richard, Saskatchewan), in 1904.

Notes

External links

• Édouard Richard – Parliament of Canada biography