George Van Roggen
Encyclopedia
George Clifford Van Roggen (July 22, 1921 - June 8, 1992) was a Canadian Senator and a long time advocate of free trade with the United States.
Van Roggen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. After graduating in law from the University of British Columbia
, Van Roggen went to Whitehorse, Yukon
in 1949 becoming the town's only practicing lawyer. He later became future Conservative MP Eric Nielsen's law partner.
He returned to Vancouver in 1957 to practice corporate law specializing in corporate real estate.
He was a Liberal Party
activist and served as British Columbia campaign chair for the Liberals under Lester Pearson and served in the same role under Pierre Trudeau
for the 1968
and 1972 federal elections
.
The issue of free trade with the United States had been a dead letter in Canadian politics since the defeat of Sir Wilfrid Laurier
's government in the 1911 federal election
on the issue of what was called "reciprocity"
with the United States. In 1966, Van Roggen spearheaded the approval of a pro-free trade resolution at a national Liberal Party conference. The motion passed but Prime Minister Pearson responded by saying the issue should not be considered "at this time."
He was appointed to the Senate in 1971. In 1974, he became chairman of the Senate's Committee of Foreign Affairs
and had the committee conduct a study of free trade
with the United States which recommended the negotiation of a free trade agreement. This recommendation was endorsed by the Senate in 1982 and was adopted by the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada in 1985. In turn, the Progressive Conservative
government of Brian Mulroney
accepted the Commission's recommendation and proceeded to negotiate the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
in 1987 which was ratified in 1988.
By this time, the Liberals under leader John Turner
had come out against free trade putting Van Roggen in an awkward position. He resigned as chairman of the Senate Foreign Committee in 1986 rather than vote against what had been his idea. When the Senate stalled passage of the Free Trade Agreement, Prime Minister Mulroney called the 1988 federal election
and campaigned on the issue and was re-elected. After the election, Van Roggen voted with Conservative Senators to approve the Free Trade Agreement while his fellow Liberal senators abstained. The Agreement passed and came into effect on January 1, 1989.
Van Roggen was described as a "C.D. Howe Liberal" and considered an economic conservative but a social liberal who supported a social safety net.
Van Roggen died of liver cancer in Vancouver in 1992.
Van Roggen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. After graduating in law from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, Van Roggen went to Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
in 1949 becoming the town's only practicing lawyer. He later became future Conservative MP Eric Nielsen's law partner.
He returned to Vancouver in 1957 to practice corporate law specializing in corporate real estate.
He was a Liberal Party
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...
activist and served as British Columbia campaign chair for the Liberals under Lester Pearson and served in the same role under Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
for the 1968
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
and 1972 federal elections
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
.
The issue of free trade with the United States had been a dead letter in Canadian politics since the defeat of Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
's government in the 1911 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1911
The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Canada.-Summary:...
on the issue of what was called "reciprocity"
Reciprocity (Canadian politics)
In nineteenth and early twentieth century Canadian politics, the term reciprocity was used to describe the concept of free trade with the United States of America...
with the United States. In 1966, Van Roggen spearheaded the approval of a pro-free trade resolution at a national Liberal Party conference. The motion passed but Prime Minister Pearson responded by saying the issue should not be considered "at this time."
He was appointed to the Senate in 1971. In 1974, he became chairman of the Senate's Committee of Foreign Affairs
Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs
The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade was first established in March 1938 under the name of Committee on External Relations...
and had the committee conduct a study of 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 United States which recommended the negotiation of a free trade agreement. This recommendation was endorsed by the Senate in 1982 and was adopted by the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada in 1985. In turn, the Progressive Conservative
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....
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...
accepted the Commission's recommendation and proceeded to negotiate the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
The Free Trade Agreement was a trade agreement signed by Canada and the United States on October 4, 1988. The agreement, finalized by October 1987, removed several trade restrictions in stages over a ten year period, and resulted in a great increase in cross-border trade...
in 1987 which was ratified in 1988.
By this time, the Liberals under leader John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
had come out against free trade putting Van Roggen in an awkward position. He resigned as chairman of the Senate Foreign Committee in 1986 rather than vote against what had been his idea. When the Senate stalled passage of the Free Trade Agreement, Prime Minister Mulroney called the 1988 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
and campaigned on the issue and was re-elected. After the election, Van Roggen voted with Conservative Senators to approve the Free Trade Agreement while his fellow Liberal senators abstained. The Agreement passed and came into effect on January 1, 1989.
Van Roggen was described as a "C.D. Howe Liberal" and considered an economic conservative but a social liberal who supported a social safety net.
Van Roggen died of liver cancer in Vancouver in 1992.