Pierre Delorme

Who was Pierre Delorme?

Pierre Delorme was a Métis fur trader, businessman, farmer and political figure. He represented Provencher in the Canadian House of Commons during the 1st Canadian Parliament as a Conservative member from 1871 to 1872. He also represented St. Norbert South in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1870 to 1874 and St. Norbert from 1878 to 1879.

He was born in Saint-Boniface, Manitoba in 1832. He worked for the Hudson's Bay Company at Swan River from 1852 to 1856. In 1854 he was married to Adélaïde Millet dit Beauchemin. After that, he settled on a farm near Pointe-Coupée. He was a member of the provisional government established by Louis Riel and captured Major Charles Arkoll Boulton, Thomas Scott and others when they attempted to take over Upper Fort Garry. He left Riel's government after Boulton was sentenced to be executed. In 1870, he was named a justice of the peace. In 1871, he was part of a group of volunteers organized to defend Manitoba against the Fenian raids. Delorme promoted Louis Riel as a candidate for Provencher in 1872, when Riel stepped aside for Sir George-Étienne Cartier, and 1873. He was named hay commissioner in 1873 and served on the Council of the North-West Territories from 1873 to 1875. He was named minister of agriculture and president of the executive council for Manitoba in 1878. Even after he left politics, Delorme lobbied for amnesty for Riel and for Métis land rights.