In the 19th century, commerce and politics often went hand in hand. Louis Renaud was no exception, though he worked mostly behind the scenes. A close friend of Sir George-Étienne Cartier, he shared his ideas with him about the province’s future. His contemporaries praised his quick mind and his “indomitable energy.” An ambitious businessman, he extended his network in the trade of grain, flour and provisions from one continent to another—from Canada to Great Britain, via France and the United States.