George Irvine

Who was George Irvine?

George Irvine was a Quebec lawyer, judge, professor and political figure. He represented Mégantic in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1867 to 1876 and from 1878 to 1884 and in the 1st Canadian Parliament as a Conservative.

He was born in Quebec City in 1826, the son of Lt.-Colonel John George Irvine of Quebec, and a grandson of James Irvine and Mathew Bell. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1848. He taught commercial law at Morrin College. He served on the municipal council for Quebec City from 1859 to 1862. Irvine was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Mégantic in 1863. In 1867, he was elected to both the federal and provincial assemblies; he was named solicitor general in the Quebec cabinet, serving in that post from 1867 to 1873. He was named Queen's Counsel in 1868. Irvine served attorney general for the province from 1873 to 1874. In 1876, he resigned from his seat in the Quebec assembly to serve as commissioner for the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway. He was president of the Quebec Bar from 1872 to 1873 and from 1884 to 1885. Irvine also served as chancellor for Bishop's College from 1875 to 1878.