Background
Bouchard was born in Brisbane, Queensland, to parents Josiah Bouchard and his wife Eliza Ann (née Arrowsmith).
Bouchard was born in Brisbane, Queensland, to parents Josiah Bouchard and his wife Eliza Ann (née Arrowsmith).
After attending South Brisbane State School and also being privately educated, he became an articled clerk at age 14, working for Peter MacPherson from 1879 until 1892. First entering politics as an alderman on the South Brisbane Municipal Council, Bouchard entered Queensland Parliament as a Ministerialist at the 1904 state election, winning the seat of Brisbane South. He held the seat for four years but was defeated in a close-run contest in 1908.
During his public career he was also the Commissioner for the South Brisbane Technical College and School of Arts.
Bouchard was a keen lawn bowls player, being one of Queensland"s best known champions and an interstate representative. He was president of the South Brisbane Bowling Club in 1906-1907 and went on to be president of the Queensland Bowling Association.