Civil servant.
Born on the French island of St. Pierre et Miquelon, he came to Canada in 1896 at the age of 11. Educated in Nova Scotia (BA), he came west in 1906 on a harvesting excursion. He became the first lay teacher at Provencher School in St. Boniface and entered the civil service in 1909 when he was appointed Secretary-Treasurer in St. Vital. Around 1911, he was made an inspector of bilingual schools in Manitoba, a position he served until returning to his post as Secretary-Treasurer two years later. He remained in St. Vital until 1933 when he became City Clerk and Treasurer in St. Boniface. He resigned these posts in 1950 but served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Winnipeg Suburban Municipal Association until 1952.
He was an honorary life member of the St. Boniface Kiwanis Club and Secretary of the Free Press Movement of Manitoba. An active member of the Children’s Aid Society of Eastern Manitoba, he was also a member of the Red Cross and Community Chest. He was decorated by the French government for his services in the Second World War.
He and his wife Theresa shared six children: Hector, Eugene, John, Simone, Rose Aimee and Noella. On 21 October 1956, he died in the St. Boniface Hospital at the age of 73.
“Poulain to end municipal life,” Winnipeg Tribune, 13 June 1950. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B10, page 144]
“Ed Poulain honored by suburban group”, Winnipeg Tribune, 26 January 1952. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B10]
“Former St. Boniface city clerk dies at 73,” Winnipeg Free Press, 23 October 1956, page 6.
This profile was prepared by Sarah Ramsden and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 8 July 2012
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