Taché, Sir Étienne Paschal

Taché, Sir Étienne Paschal (ātyĕn` päskäl` täshā`), 1795–1865, Canadian statesman, b. Quebec prov. He fought with the British in the War of 1812 and then became a doctor. He entered (1848) cabinet-level politics as commissioner of public works in the Baldwin–La Fontaine administration. He was receiver general in several administrations from 1849 to 1857. In 1856 he became joint premier with John A. Macdonald, but he retired in 1857. He was called from retirement to again become joint premier in 1864 in the second Taché-Macdonald administration. He presided over the Quebec conference (1864) on confederation, but he died before confederation was achieved. He was knighted in 1858.