Aubin-Edmond Arsenault (28 July 1870 – 29 April 1968) was a

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

politician. He was the 13th

premier of Prince Edward Island The premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The current premier of Prince Edward Island is Dennis King, from the Progressive Conservative Party. See also ...

from 1917 to 1919. Born in Egmont Bay,

Prince County, Prince Edward Island Prince County is located in western Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county's defining geographic feature is Malpeque Bay, a sub-basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which creates the narrowest portion of Prince Edward Island's landmass, an isthmu ...

, Arsenault's family settled on the island in 1729, when it was a French called Île-Saint-Jean. His father,

Joseph-Octave Arsenault Joseph-Octave Arsenault (August 5, 1828 – December 14, 1897) was a Canadian politician who was the first Acadian from Prince Edward Island to be named to the Senate of Canada. Born in Cascumpec, Prince Edward Island, the son of Mélème Arsena ...

, was a provincial politician and the first Acadian from PEI to be named to the Senate of Canada. Arsenault was educated at St. Dunstan's College, Charlottetown, and St. Joseph University, New Brunswick. He studied law with McLeod, Morson and McQuarrie in Charlottetown and with

Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen Charles Arthur Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen, (10 November 1832 – 10 August 1900) was an Irish statesman of the 19th century, and Lord Chief Justice of England. He was the first Roman Catholic to serve as Lord Chief Justice since the Re ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He was admitted to the bar in 1898. Arsenault married Bertha, the daughter of

Francis Gallant Francis "Frank" Gallant (March 17, 1841 – October 3, 1905) was a merchant, mariner and political figure on Prince Edward Island. He represented 1st Prince in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1875 to 1876 as a Conservati ...

. He was first elected to the

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island (french: Assemblée législative de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard) is the sole chamber of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. The Legislative Assembly meets at Province House, which is locat ...

in 1908 as a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

. In 1912 he became

Attorney-General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

in the government of Premier

John A. Mathieson John Alexander Mathieson (May 19, 1863 – January 7, 1947) was a Prince Edward Island politician and jurist, the 12th premier. Mathieson was born in Harrington and was a graduate of Prince of Wales College. He was a schoolmaster and lawyer be ...

. When Mathieson left politics for a judicial appointment in 1917, Arsenault succeeded him becoming the first Acadian to be premier in any province. Arsenault's government repealed legislation to restrict automobile travel on the island to specific days and routes. His government also founded the PEI Travel Bureau. His government was defeated in the 1919 election, and he served as leader of the opposition until 1921 when he was appointed to the

Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island The Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island (also called the Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, or PESC) is the superior court of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The Court is composed of five judges, led by its Chief Justice, curre ...

. He retired in 1946.

References

Aubin-Edmond Arsenault
at ''

The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available f ...

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External links

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PEI Premiers biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arsenault, Aubin 1870 births 1968 deaths Acadian people People from Prince County, Prince Edward Island Premiers of Prince Edward Island Justices of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island MLAs Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island leaders