▁st ance , ▁Mer cier ▁was ▁very ▁much ▁a ▁prec ursor ▁of ▁later ▁national ist ▁premiers ▁in ▁future ▁dec ades ▁who ▁confront ed ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁and ▁tried ▁to ▁win ▁more ▁power ▁for ▁Quebec . ▁He ▁promoted ▁contacts ▁with ▁franc oph ones ▁in ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁North ▁America ▁outside ▁of ▁Quebec ▁including ▁Western ▁Canada ▁and ▁New ▁England . ▁Those ▁franc oph ones ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁been ▁assim il ated ▁into ▁the ▁English - Can ad ian ▁or ▁American ▁culture ▁to ▁the ▁extent ▁they ▁would ▁be ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁ ▁Mer cier ▁promoted ▁reform , ▁economic ▁development , ▁Catholic ism , ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁language . ▁He ▁won ▁popular ity ▁but ▁also ▁made ▁enemies . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁as ▁the ▁Member ▁for ▁the ▁district ▁of ▁Bon av ent ure ▁and ▁his ▁party ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁election ▁with ▁an ▁increased ▁majority . ▁ ▁Political ▁down fall ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁by ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁August e - R éal ▁Ang ers ▁after ▁a ▁report ▁concluded ▁that ▁his ▁government ▁had ▁di vert ed ▁public ▁funds . ▁He ▁lost ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁election , ▁and ▁gave ▁up ▁the ▁party ▁leadership ▁to ▁F éli x - G ab riel ▁March and . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁brought ▁to ▁trial ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁and ▁found ▁not ▁guilty ▁when ▁a ▁second ▁report ▁concluded ▁differently ▁on ▁the ▁matter . ▁ ▁However , ▁his ▁health ▁had ▁greatly ▁d eter