Beaudry Leman Canadian civil engineer, politician and banker Date of Birth: 02.01.1878 Country: Canada

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career in Engineering
3. Political Career
4. Banking Career
5. Royal Commissions and Consultations
6. Corporate Affiliations
7. Legacy

Early Life and Education

Jean-Baptiste-Beaudry Leman was born on January 2, 1878, in Montreal, Canada, to Joseph Leman, a physician, and his wife, Polyxène Beaudry. From 1895 to 1899, he studied engineering at the Catholic University of Lille in France. He returned to Montreal in 1899 and completed an engineering degree from McGill University.

Career in Engineering

In 1900, Leman joined Shawinigan Water & Power (SW&P) as an engineer. He played a crucial role in installing SW&P's power station and distribution network. In 1902, he was elected mayor of Shawinigan Falls, a position he held for four years. Leman left SW&P in 1906 to join the St. Maurice Valley Railway project.

Political Career

Leman served as mayor of Shawinigan Falls from 1902 to 1906. He left the position in 1907 to focus on his engineering career. He was officially relieved of his mayoral duties in 1908.

Banking Career

After his return to Montreal, Leman became involved in various construction projects, including canal construction and hydroelectric works. On May 12, 1908, he married Caroline Beaique, the daughter of Frédéric Liguori Beaique, one of the founders of Banque d'Hochelaga. In 1912, Leman joined Banque d'Hochelaga as a branch manager. He was appointed general manager of the bank in 1914. In 1924, when Banque d'Hochelaga merged with Banque Nationale to form Banque Canadienne Nationale (BCN), Leman became the general manager of the merger. He served in that capacity until 1933, when he became vice president and eventually president of BCN. From 1947 onwards, he remained chairman of the bank's board of directors.

Royal Commissions and Consultations

Leman served on several advisory committees for the federal government. He was part of the advisory committee for the St. Lawrence River canal system. From 1931 to 1932, Leman was a member of the Royal Commission on Railways and Transportation in Canada. In 1933, he joined the Canadian Royal Commission on Banking and Currency in Canada, established by the Bennett administration. Three out of five members of the commission recommended the creation of a Bank of Canada, although Leman was one of two dissenting voices.

Corporate Affiliations

Leman served as president or director of numerous companies, including Shawinigan Water & Power, Quebec Power, Canada Steamship Lines, Ogilvie Flour Mills, Fairchild Aircraft, Delaware & Hudson Railway Corp., Consolidated Bakeries, and Allied War Supplies Ltd.

Legacy

Leman passed away in 1951. In his honor, Beaudry-Leman Boulevard in Sainte-Croix, adjacent to Shawinigan, was named after him. The Jean-Baptiste-Beaudry-Leman House, built in the Outremont district of Montreal in 1936, is one of the first houses in Montreal constructed in the international style.