Ezekiel Hart
Ezekiel Hart (1770-1843) was a prominent figure in Quebec's early Jewish community, notable for being the first Jewish Canadian elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. Born in Trois-Rivières to a successful merchant family, Hart initially followed in his father's footsteps by engaging in the fur trade and later establishing a prosperous business in imports. His growing wealth allowed him to become a significant landowner in the region.
Hart's political career began in 1807 when he was elected to represent Trois-Rivières, but his tenure was marred by a significant controversy known as the Hart Affair. He refused to take the customary Christian oath of office, insisting on using the Hebrew Bible instead, which resulted in his exclusion from the assembly. This incident sparked public debate on the rights of Jewish Canadians, eventually leading to the enactment of an emancipation act in 1832 that granted full civil and political rights to Jews in Lower Canada, marking a significant milestone in Canadian history. Hart's legacy is closely tied to this pivotal moment in the struggle for Jewish political emancipation.
Ezekiel Hart
Politician
- Born: May 15, 1770
- Birthplace: Trois-Rivières, Quebec
- Died: September 16, 1843
- Place of death: Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Contribution: Ezekiel Hart was a prominent Canadian businessman, lawyer, militia member, politician, and landowner. He was also the first Jewish Canadian elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada.
Early Life and Education
Ezekiel Hart was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, on May 15, 1770. He was one of four sons, and eight children, born to Aaron Hart, a successful businessman and landowner, and Dorothea Judah. Hart studied for a period of time in the United States.
Businessman and Militiaman
Like his father, Hart was a successful merchant and landowner. In 1792, he became involved in his father’s fur trade. In 1796, he founded the Three Rivers M. and E. Hart Company with two of his brothers. Soon after his father’s death, however, Hart withdrew from the business, selling everything to his brother Moses, and entered the import industry. With the inheritance of the seigneury of Bécancour and the purchase of property in Trois-Rivières and Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Hart became wealthy landowner.
In June 1803, he was admitted to the militia and held the rank of lieutenant in the Eighth Battalion of Trois-Rivières during the War of 1812. In May 1830, he was promoted to colonel of the First Battalion of Saint-Maurice.
Political Career
On April 11, 1807, Hart was elected representative for Trois-Rivières in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, becoming the first Jewish Canadian ever elected to the Assembly.
Despite his victory, however, Hart, who was very proud of his Jewish faith, was never allowed to take office. When being sworn into the assembly, Hart stated that he would take his oath on the Hebrew Bible, refusing to take the customary oath “on the true faith of a Christian.” As a result, chaos erupted in the assembly, and Attorney General Jonathan Sewell objected to the form of the oath, stating that it was not given in the manner required. Hart was not permitted to take his seat at the January 29, 1808, opening legislative session.
Hart’s supporters protested the decision. As a result, a second election was called. Again, Hart was triumphant; however, the assembly soon passed a law barring Jewish Canadians from voting in the assembly. Nominated again in 1809, Hart withdrew his candidacy, realizing that the assembly would continue to find ways to prevent his participation.
Personal Life
Hart married Frances Lazarus in February 1794 and is believed to have had ten children. He died in Trois-Rivières on September 16, 1843. During his funeral, most of the stores in the town were closed.
Legacy
As a result of what was to be known as the Hart Affair, a debate regarding Jewish political emancipation occurred. Petitions submitted in 1828 and 1831 resulted in the passage of an 1832 emancipation act granting full rights, both civil and political, to Canadian Jews in Lower Canada. This was the first time in the British Empire that a law was passed providing equal rights to Jews.
Bibliography
Godfrey, Sheldon J., and Judith C. Godfrey. Search Out the Land: The Jews and the Growth of Equality in British Colonial America 1740–1867. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s UP, 1995. Print.
“The Lost Cause of Ezekiel Hart.” Maclean’s 6 July 1992: 31. Print.
Menkis, Richard. “Antisemitism and Anti-Judaism in Pre-Confederation Canada.” Antisemitism In Canada: History and Interpretation. Ed. Alan Davies. Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier UP, 1992. Print.
Vaugeois, Denis. “Hart, Ezekiel.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography. U of Toronto, 1988. Web. 8 Aug. 2013.