A lawyer, politician, and judge from Memramcook, Landry defended the citizenship rights of fellow Acadians in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, the House of Commons, and the courtroom, most notably during the crisis surrounding the Common Schools Act of 1871. Promoting moderation and tolerance, he fostered goodwill between French- and English speaking Canadians. A leader of the Acadian Renaissance, when Acadians claimed and asserted their identity in order to have their presence acknowledged, Landry presided over the first three Acadian National Conventions and opened doors to new opportunities for his compatriots.