Augustin-Norbert Morin

Who was Augustin-Norbert Morin?

Augustin-Norbert Morin was a lawyer, judge

Born in Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse, Lower Canada, into a large Roman Catholic farming family, Morin was identified by the parish priest at a young age as a boy of exceptional talent and intelligence. The parish priest therefore arranged for his education at the Séminaire de Québec, beginning in 1815. After leaving the seminary, Morin worked as newspaperman in order to earn money for the study of law as clerk in the office of Denis-Benjamin Viger. By 1828 he was practising law independently, and by 1830 had become involved with colonial politics. Morin helped draft the Ninety-Two Resolutions. Although he took part in the Lower Canada Rebellion and was later arrested, it was not felt that a charge of high treason was justified.

Morin served as Joint Premier of the Province of Canada from Canada East along with his counterparts from Canada West Francis Hincks, and with Allan Napier MacNab.

He resigned from government due to ill health. However, Morin was named a judge in the Quebec Superior Court and he also took part in the commission which drafted a new civil code for Canada East.