Clifford William Robinson
Encyclopedia
Clifford William Robinson (September 1, 1866 – July 27, 1944) was a New Brunswick
lawyer, businessman and politician, the 12th Premier of New Brunswick
.
He was born in Moncton, New Brunswick and was educated in Point de Bute
, Saint John
and Moncton before attending Mount Allison University
. Robinson worked as a bookkeeper from 1886 to 1889 before studying law. He was called to the bar in 1892 and set up practice in Moncton. In 1897 he became both mayor
of Moncton and a member of the provincial House of Assembly
as a Liberal. He served as Speaker
and Provincial Secretary
before becoming Premier
in 1907. The Liberals had been in power since 1883, however, and voters opted for a change in the 1908 election which brought the Conservatives
to power. Robinson continued in the legislature as an opposition MLA
.
When the Liberals returned to power in 1917, Robinson became minister without portfolio
and then Minister of Lands and Mines
in the governments of Walter E. Foster and Peter J. Veniot until 1924 when he was appointed to the Canadian Senate
by Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King
.
Robinson was the main shareholder and, for a time, president for the Moncton Transcript
. He also helped establish a French language
newspaper l'Acadien. He was president or director for a number of businesses in the Moncton area, helped found the Central Trust Company Limited and the Petitcodiac Hydro Development Company and also helped establish Moncton radio station CKCW
.
He died in office in Montreal
at the age of 77.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
lawyer, businessman and politician, the 12th Premier of New Brunswick
Premier of New Brunswick
The Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
.
He was born in Moncton, New Brunswick and was educated in Point de Bute
Point de Bute, New Brunswick
Point de Bute is a community in Westmorland County in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada.Point de Bute is the birthplace of World War I flying ace, Albert Desbrisay Carter and the scientist Edwin Colpitts....
, Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
and Moncton before attending Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
. Robinson worked as a bookkeeper from 1886 to 1889 before studying law. He was called to the bar in 1892 and set up practice in Moncton. In 1897 he became both mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Moncton and a member of the provincial House of Assembly
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
as a Liberal. He served as Speaker
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is the presiding officer of the provincial legislature. Since 1994 the position has been elected by MLAs using a secret ballot. Previously, the Speaker had been appointed by motion of the house, in practice moved by the Premier of New...
and Provincial Secretary
Provincial Secretary
The Provincial Secretary was a senior position in the executive councils of British North America's colonial governments, and was retained by the Canadian provincial governments for at least a century after Canadian Confederation was proclaimed in 1867...
before becoming Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
in 1907. The Liberals had been in power since 1883, however, and voters opted for a change in the 1908 election which brought the Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right political party in New Brunswick, Canada. It has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony...
to power. Robinson continued in the legislature as an opposition MLA
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
.
When the Liberals returned to power in 1917, Robinson became 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 then Minister of Lands and Mines
Department of Natural Resources (New Brunswick)
The Department of Natural Resources is a department in the Government of New Brunswick, Canada. It is responsible for management of the Province's forests including timber utilization, trail management, insect and disease protection including spruce budworm and gypsy moth, fire protection,...
in the governments of Walter E. Foster and Peter J. Veniot until 1924 when he was appointed to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
.
Robinson was the main shareholder and, for a time, president for the Moncton Transcript
Times & Transcript
The “Times & Transcript” is New Brunswick's largest newspaper circulation daily newspaper with an average paid daily circulation of approximately 40,000, and readership of approximately 110,000. It serves Metro Moncton and eastern New Brunswick. Its offices and printing facilities are located on...
. He also helped establish a French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
newspaper l'Acadien. He was president or director for a number of businesses in the Moncton area, helped found the Central Trust Company Limited and the Petitcodiac Hydro Development Company and also helped establish Moncton radio station CKCW
CKCW-FM
CKCW-FM is an Canadian radio station broadcasting at a frequency of 94.5 MHz in Moncton, New Brunswick. The station plays an adult top 40 format and is owned by the Maritime Broadcasting System....
.
He died in office in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
at the age of 77.