Institut Canadien

A literary and scientific society, founded at Montreal in 1844, and incorporated in 1852. It included among its early members most of the leaders of the more progre ive and independent element in Quebec political life, among them A. A. Dorion, Eric Dorion, Joseph Doutre, Rodolphe Laflamme, and Wilfrid Laurier. The succe of the parent society led to the founding of similar Instituts throughout the province. Although popular among the laity, these societies encountered the determined opposition of the Roman Catholic Church, led by Bishop Bourget of Montreal. The outside societies yielded to clerical pre ure, but the Montreal Institut stood upon its rights. The fight went on for many years, but finally most of the Roman Catholic members dropped out, and the books and papers were transferred to the Fraser Institute. Bib. : Will is on, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Liberal Party .