Chesley Crosbie
Encyclopedia
Chesley A. Crosbie (1905-1962) was a Newfoundland
businessman and politician.
Crosbie belonged to a prominent St. John's family involved in hotels, fish exporting, insurance, shipping and manufactring. His father, Sir John Chalker Crosbie
, was the founder of Crosbie and Company Limited and served in the country's government as Minister of Shipping in 1917, in Acting Prime Minister in 1918 and Minister of Finance and Customs from 1924 until his retirement in 1928.
After the elder Crosbie's death in 1932, Chesley Crosbie took over the family business and attempted to expand it further by investing in whaling.
Crosbie was a delegate to the Newfoundland National Convention
and favoured responsible government
. On March 20, 1948, he split with the Responsible Government League
, the main opposition party to Joey Smallwood
, and formed the Party for Economic Union with the United States that promoted free trade
with the US instead of Confederation with Canada
. He and many younger convention delegates feared that the RGL was disorganized and bound to lose the referendum campaign unless a new party was formed.
The divided anti-Confederation forces were defeated by Smallwood's Confederate Association
in the 1948 Newfoundland referendums
. Crosbie subsequently served as a member of the seven person delegation sent to Ottawa to negotiate the final Terms of Union with Canada Dissatisfied with the negotiations, he refused to sign the final agreement citing objections to its financial terms and retired from public life.
His son, John Crosbie
, became a prominent politician serving as cabinet minister in both a provincial and federal level, the latter in the government of Brian Mulroney
, where he fulfilled his father's dream as an architect of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
businessman and politician.
Crosbie belonged to a prominent St. John's family involved in hotels, fish exporting, insurance, shipping and manufactring. His father, Sir John Chalker Crosbie
John Chalker Crosbie
Sir John Chalker Crosbie, was a Newfoundland politician and businessman.Born in Brigus, Newfoundland, the son of George Graham Crosbie and Martha, he started a company, Crosbie and Company, which was an exporter of fish. In 1908, he was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly...
, was the founder of Crosbie and Company Limited and served in the country's government as Minister of Shipping in 1917, in Acting Prime Minister in 1918 and Minister of Finance and Customs from 1924 until his retirement in 1928.
After the elder Crosbie's death in 1932, Chesley Crosbie took over the family business and attempted to expand it further by investing in whaling.
Crosbie was a delegate to the Newfoundland National Convention
Newfoundland National Convention
The Newfoundland National Convention of 1946 was a forum established to decide the constitutional future of Newfoundland-Nominations:On 11 December 1945 the Government of Britain announced that there would be an election to a National Convention, which would debate constitutional options and make a...
and favoured responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
. On March 20, 1948, he split with the Responsible Government League
Responsible Government League
The Responsible Government League was a political movement in the Dominion of Newfoundland.The Responsible Government League of Newfoundland, led by Peter Cashin, was formed in February 1947 by anti-Confederation delegates to the Newfoundland National Convention on the future of the colony...
, the main opposition party to Joey Smallwood
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
, and formed the Party for Economic Union with the United States that promoted free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
with the US instead of Confederation with Canada
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
. He and many younger convention delegates feared that the RGL was disorganized and bound to lose the referendum campaign unless a new party was formed.
The divided anti-Confederation forces were defeated by Smallwood's Confederate Association
Confederate Association
The Confederate Association was a political party formed and led by Joey Smallwood and Gordon Bradley to advocate that the Dominion of Newfoundland join Canadian Confederation. The party was formed on February 21, 1948 prior to the launch of the 1948 Newfoundland referendums on Confederation...
in the 1948 Newfoundland referendums
Newfoundland referendums, 1948
The Newfoundland Referendums of 1948 were a series of two referendums to decide the political future of the Dominion of Newfoundland. Before the referendums, Newfoundland was in debt and went through several delegations to determine whether the country would join Canada, remain under British rule...
. Crosbie subsequently served as a member of the seven person delegation sent to Ottawa to negotiate the final Terms of Union with Canada Dissatisfied with the negotiations, he refused to sign the final agreement citing objections to its financial terms and retired from public life.
His son, John Crosbie
John Crosbie
John Carnell Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC is a retired provincial and federal politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
, became a prominent politician serving as cabinet minister in both a provincial and federal level, the latter in the government of Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, where he fulfilled his father's dream as an architect of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.