Bert Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Albert Benjamin Rutter Lawrence MC
(March 31, 1923 – March 28, 2007) was a Canadian
politician and lawyer.
, Alberta
, Lawrence grew up in Ottawa, Ontario and was educated at Ashbury College in Ottawa, Ontario and at Royal Military College of Canada
in Kingston, Ontario
.
, Lawrence served as a Lieutenant in the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment
(VIII Recce) when they landed in Normandy in the first week of July 1944. He was decorated with the Military Cross
by King George VI for engineering a bridge in an advance action at the Risle River near Brionne, France. In October 1944, he was injured in a V2 rocket attack near Antwerp, but in February 1945 he returned to his regiment and saw action in Germany
to the last day of the war. He was promoted to captain at the end of the war.
Lawrence was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in 1963 as a Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). He first represented the Ottawa
-area riding
of Russell and then, beginning with the 1967 election
, representing Carleton East. In 1969, Ontario Premier
John Robarts
brought Lawrence into the cabinet
as minister without portfolio
, and promoted him in 1970 to Minister of Financial and Commercial Affairs.
He ran in the 1971 Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership convention to succeed Robarts, and came in fifth place. The new premier, Bill Davis
, made Lawrence his Minister of Health until 1972 when he became Provincial Secretary for Resources Development.
Lawrence left Queen's Park in 1974, resigning from the legislature to return to his law practice.
He attempted a move to federal politics by running as the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
candidate for Ottawa—Carleton
in the 1980 federal election
but was defeated by Liberal
Jean-Luc Pépin
. He died in Gatineau, Quebec in 2007.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(March 31, 1923 – March 28, 2007) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and lawyer.
Education
Born in CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Lawrence grew up in Ottawa, Ontario and was educated at Ashbury College in Ottawa, Ontario and at Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
Career
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Lawrence served as a Lieutenant in the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment
8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)
The 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment , commonly abbreviated to 8 Recce, VIII Recce or 8 Canadian Recce, was the reconnaissance arm of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division during World War II.- Formation and structure :8 Recce was formed at Guillemont Barracks, near Aldershot in...
(VIII Recce) when they landed in Normandy in the first week of July 1944. He was decorated with the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
by King George VI for engineering a bridge in an advance action at the Risle River near Brionne, France. In October 1944, he was injured in a V2 rocket attack near Antwerp, but in February 1945 he returned to his regiment and saw action in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to the last day of the war. He was promoted to captain at the end of the war.
Lawrence was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
in 1963 as a Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). He first represented the Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
-area riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Russell and then, beginning with the 1967 election
Ontario general election, 1967
The Ontario general election of 1967 was held on October 17, 1967, to elect the 117 members of the 28th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, representing Carleton East. In 1969, Ontario Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
John Robarts
John Robarts
John Parmenter Robarts, PC, CC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and statesman, and the 17th Premier of Ontario.-Early life:...
brought Lawrence into the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
as minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
, and promoted him in 1970 to Minister of Financial and Commercial Affairs.
He ran in the 1971 Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership convention to succeed Robarts, and came in fifth place. The new premier, Bill Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
, made Lawrence his Minister of Health until 1972 when he became Provincial Secretary for Resources Development.
Lawrence left Queen's Park in 1974, resigning from the legislature to return to his law practice.
He attempted a move to federal politics by running as the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
candidate for Ottawa—Carleton
Ottawa—Carleton
Ottawa–Carleton was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1988. This riding was created in 1966 from parts of Carleton, Ottawa East and Russell ridings....
in the 1980 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
but was defeated by Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Jean-Luc Pépin
Jean-Luc Pépin
Jean-Luc Pépin, PC, CC was a Canadian academic, politician and Cabinet minister.Pepin was a political science professor at the University of Ottawa when he was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1963 election as a Liberal Member of Parliament from Quebec.From 1965 to 1972, he...
. He died in Gatineau, Quebec in 2007.