Jean Talon

Talon's activity showed great zeal for the public good. In terms of promoting agriculture, he erected a brewery near the river St.Charles in 1668 to support cultivation of wheat. Furthermore, hemp was highly needed in the colony for making coarse cloth. To promote the production of hemp, he created a monopoly of thread. He seized all the thread on the shops, and gave notice that to acquire thread, they had to exchange it with hemp.

Talon promoted commerce through his introduction of the shipbuilding industry. Through encouragement of shipbuilding, he had in mind the extension of the colony's trade with the West Indies and France. He also encouraged the development of the fishing industry along St.Lawrence River.

To further encourage the growth of the colony, Talon established various policies to promote marriage and bearing of children. To young women who married, the intendant gave 50 livres in household supplies and some provisions. According to the king’s decree, each youth who married at or before the age of twenty was entitled to 20 livres, called "the king’s gift." Read Less