Jean Bieler

Jean H. Bieler (20 November 1892 – 17 February 1978) was a Swiss-born Canadian civil servant who became Deputy Treasurer of the League of Nations (1919–1941). Later in his career he was Deputy Finance Minister of the Province of Quebec (1941–1966), serving five successive Quebec Prime Ministers.

After his retirement, Bieler became president of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec between 1966 and 1969.

Biography - Early life
Jean Bieler was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 20 November 1892, the first of five sons of Professor Charles Biéler and Blanche Merle-D'Aubigné. His father Charles was Director of Collège Gaillard in Geneva and his mother Blanche was the daughter of the historian Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné. Jean spent twelve years with his parents and brothers, Étienne, André and Jacques, before the whole family immigrated to Canada in 1908. His father Charles accepted the position of registrar of the Presbyterian College in Montreal, being Professor of Theology, French literature, Psychology and History. Jean completed his secondary studies at the High School of Montreal. Bieler went to McGill University, which awarded him his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1915. During WW1, on the 23rd of February 1916 he became administrator of the  No. 3 Canadian Hospital in Boulogne. The war letters between Jean, his brothers, and his parents are the subject of a book written by his son Philippe Bieler. After the war, Jean completed his law degree at Khaki University, a temporary wartime branch of McGill University located in Ripon, England.

Brothers Étienne Samuel Biéler and André Charles Biéler later became renowned as physicist and painter respectively.

Professional life
Bieler became Deputy Treasurer of the League of Nations in Geneva (1919–1941).

He initially worked as the private secretary of Sir Herbert Brown Ames, financial director and Canadian delegate to the League. Later, under the direction of Sir James Eric Drummond, he continued to oversee the financial management of the organization and was involved in the construction of the Palace of Nations in Geneva.

Jean Bieler conducted regular periodical missions to Canada to assess both the political and financial situation of the country and report to the Secretary General. These missions were of particular importance as he was also acting as a public relations ambassador of the League.

In 1936 Bieler was sent by the Secretary General Joseph Avenol on a mission to Syria to oversee the financial position of The League on the resettlement of Assyrians in Syria.

As a spokesman for the League of Nations, on another mission to Canada in 1938, Bieler had to gage the government's feelings and allegiances on the impending World War: "Be this as it may, the Canadian Cabinet had, last September, with possibly one dissentient voice, unanimously decided - as I was informed by a reliable source - to recommend Parliament which would have been rapidly summoned for the purpose, to declare war if the United Kingdom became involved."

During the war, in 1941, Jean Bieler was involved in organising a meeting between senior Allied and German officials at Le Vallon estate in Geneva.

The League of Nations reduced its operations during World War II, and Bieler was recruited as Assistant Treasurer, by James Arthur Mathewson, the Provincial Treasurer of Quebec. He moved to Quebec City in 1941. Bieler served as Deputy Finance Minister of the Province of Quebec, under the governments of Adélard Godbout, Maurice Duplessis, Paul Sauvé, Antonio Barrette and Jean Lesage. Bieler played an important part in the nationalisation of electric companies in Quebec and in the foundation of Hydro-Québec.

Bieler was diligent in defining his and other Deputy Minister's roles, and was posthumously praised by historians for his competence: "...The elevation of Bourque was an unlikely choice, made possible only by the presence in the finance department of a very able Deputy Minister, Jean Henri Bieler".

Later, after his retirement, Bieler became president of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec. (1966-1969).

Family life
Bieler married Raymonde de Candolle on February 14th 1930, daughter of Richard Émile Augustin de Candolle, botanist, and of Louise Frossard de Saugy. They had four children: Philippe, Marc, Anne and Françoise.

Jean and Raymonde became close friends and confidants of George Vanier and Pauline Vanier.

Jean Henri Bieler died in the town of Mount Royal on February 17th 1978. He is buried at the Abbott's Corner #1 Cemetery in Frelighsburg, Québec.