Victor Morin, Ll. D

Victor Morin, prominent in connection with the legal profession as a practitioner and as professor of administrative law and doctor of laws in Laval University, is now at the head of the firm of Morin & Mackay, notaries of Montreal. His name is also well known in literary circles and his activities and his writings have had a far-reaching and beneficial effect upon public interests. Born at St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, on the 15th of August, 1865, he is a son of Jean Baptiste Morin and Aurelie (Cote) Morin. In the acquirement of his education he attended successively Girouard Academy, the St. Hyacinthe College, from which he was graduated B. A. in 1884, and Laval University, which conferred upon him the LL. B. degree in 1888 and that of LL. D. in 1910. He studied law in the office of Papineau, Morin & Mackay and was admitted to the practice of the notarial profession in 1888. For a brief period thereafter he was a resident of Acton Vale, Quebec, but in 1890 returned to Montreal and is now senior member in the firm of Morin & Mackay. He is also custodian of the archives of his late partners, D. E. Papineau, C. F. Papineau, Durand and Morin, whose office was established in 1841. Aside from his business he has occupied many positions of importance and of public trust. While a resident of the town of Acton Vale he was secretary-treasurer of the town from 1888 until 1890. He has been treasurer of the board of notaries of the province of Quebec since 1897 and he has various important business connections. He was president of the Imperial Electric Light Company from 1899 until 1901, became secretary of the Montreal Real-Estate Association in 1904 and is now its president. He is likewise president of the Crédit Métropolitain, of the Caisse Hypothécaire, of the Montreal Debenture Corporation, of the Récollet Land Company, and of the Federal Real-Estate & Trust Company; vice president of the Security Life Insurance Company, and a director of the Provincial Life and of the Provincial Fire Insurance Companies. From 1897 to 1910, he was notary to the corporation of the city of Montreal and resigned this position in order to run for aldermanic honors. His high standing in his chosen profession is indicated by the fact that he has been made professor of administrative law in Laval University and is regarded as one of the prominent law educators of the country. His public-spirited citizenship finds expression in active support of many measures and movements for the public good and his cooperation can always be counted upon when the welfare of city, province or country is at stake. He has taken great interest for many years past in social questions, and is vice president general of the St. Jean Baptiste Society, the national association of French-Canadians. He was a director of Montreal Citizens Association from 1908 until 1910 and his position upon the temperance question is indicated by the fact that he is now the general secretary of the Montreal Anti-Alcoholic League.

Prominent in the Independent Order of Foresters, Mr. Morin was its supreme vice chief ranger from 1898 to 1902, and has been its past supreme chief ranger since 1905; in 1895-6 he edited and published a paper in the interests of that fraternity called Le Forestier. Since 1890 he has delivered many lectures to fraternal societies and no man is better qualified to speak on the beneficent basic principles of the organization.

His authorship has made Mr. Morin equally widely known. He was actively interested in the literary work of the Cercle Ville Marie as its secretary from 1886 until 1888. He is the author of Vingt Ans Après, the second edition of which was brought forth in 1909. He is silver medalist of the Ligue Nationale de la Prévoyance et de la Mutualité, of Paris, France, and honorary vice president of the Antiquarian and Numismatic Society of Montreal. His active interest in affairs of vital importance to the city has been manifest in his capable public service as alderman of Montreal, to which position he was elected in 1910. His political support is given to the liberal party and his religious faith is that of the Roman Catholic church. He is prominent in club circles, is a member of the St. Denis and Reform Clubs, and is secretary of the Maison des Etudiants. His library, which is extensive and well selected, furnishes him his chief source of recreation and interest.

Mr. Morin was married in 1893 at Biddeford, Maine, to Miss Fannie, daughter of the Hon. D. Cote. In 1896 he wedded Alphonsine, daughter of Victor Cote, of St. Hyacinthe. They reside at No. 703 St. Urbain Street with their eleven children, and spend their summer months in their attractive villa on the slope of Mount St. Bruno. His life has been so varied in its activities and so honorable in its purposes as to leave an indelible impress for good upon the community and through his professional, business and fraternal connections Mr. Morin has come to be recognized as one of the leading residents of Montreal.