Ezekiel Hart
Ezekiel Hart Esq. | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1770 Trois-Rivières, Province of Quebec |
| Died | 16 September 1843 (aged 73) Trois-Rivières, United Province of Canada |
| Spouse |
Frances Lazarus
(m. 1794; died 1821) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, politician |
Ezekiel Hart (15 May 1770 – 16 September 1843) was an entrepreneur and politician in British North America. He is often said to be the first Jew to be elected to public office in the British Empire.
He was elected twice by the voters of Trois-Rivières to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. Some members consistently prevented him from taking his seat by observing that as a Jew, he could not take the oath of office, which included the phrase "on the true faith of a Christian".