Joseph-Laurent Bertrand (November 6, 1741 – October 29, 1813) was a Roman Catholic priest from Lower Canada.
In his first parish, the church was destroyed by fire and in the resulting turmoil over re-building, he became unhappy with the situation and asked for a transfer.
The lawsuit had raised questions about the Roman Catholic Church and its legal status after the conquest.
Although the ruling did not explicitly state the fact, it set precedent for the future in creating parishes in Quebec.
Joseph-Laurent Bertrand had lost a case but his tenacity in pursuing the best interests of his parishes made him a respected community and religious leader.