Louis Joseph Papineau
Papineau, Louis Joseph (1786–1871), a Canadian political leader. Papineau was born in Montreal and became a lawyer. He served in the Lower Canada (Quebec) assembly, 1808–37, and was speaker, 1815–37. In 1834, under Papineau's leadership, the assembly demanded that the appointive legislative council (upper house) be made elective. On rejection of this demand by the British government, Papineau in 1837 led a rebellion, but fled to the United States before fighting began. The revolt was quickly put down, as was a simultaneous uprising in Upper Canada (Ontario) led by William Lyon Mackenzie. Papineau returned to Quebec in 1847 under an amnesty and served in the Canadian assembly, 1848–54.