Robert N. Thompson
Encyclopedia
Robert Norman Thompson was a Canadian
politician
, chiropractor
, and educator. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota
, to Canadian parents and moved to Canada in 1918 with his family. Raised in Alberta
, he graduated from the Palmer School of Chiropractic
in 1939 and worked as a chiropractor and then as a teacher before serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force
during World War II
.
from its creation. His age prevented him from running as a candidate in the 1935
provincial election. Instead he became youth leader of the party.
to serve as the founding commander of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force
and head up nation's air force academy. He became a confidante of Emperor Haile Sellassie and, after the war, became deputy minister of education and helped rebuild the nation's public school system.
and Social Credit Party of Alberta
leader Ernest Manning
saw Thompson as the ideal person to succeed Solon Low as leader of the Social Credit Party of Canada
and backed him in a hotly contested leadership vote
against Réal Caouette
, the movement's leader in Quebec
. Thompson won, but some believe that Caouette actually won, only to be rejected by the party's powerful Alberta wing. Manning had previously told the convention that the Alberta Socreds would never accept a francophone Catholic as national party leader. After the 1962 federal election
, Thompson appointed Caouette as the party's deputy leader. 26 of the 30 Socreds elected that year came from Quebec. Thompson was re-elected in the 1963
and 1965 elections
.
The 1962 and 1965 elections produced minority parliament
s in which no one party had a majority of seats. This meant that the government had to rely on smaller parties such as Social Credit to pass legislation and remain in power.
came from Quebec and regarded Caouette as leader. The number of Socreds from English Canada was declining. However, Thompson refused to cede the leadership of the party to Caouette. This caused the party to split: most of the Quebec Socred Members of Parliament
(MPs) followed Caouette into his new Ralliement créditiste in 1963.
and the Progressive Conservative Party
and encouraged Thompson to try to bring about a merger of the federal Social Credit and Progressive Conservative parties. Negotiations failed but, with the backing of both Manning and Robert Stanfield
, Thompson decided to seek the nomination of the Progressive Conservative Party in an attempt to influence that party. He resigned as leader of Social Credit in March 1967 citing the lack of support for the federal Social Credit Party from its provincial wings and, in 1968, won the Progressive Conservative nomination in Red Deer, Alberta
, against the opposition of the local Tory riding association. He was re-elected as a Progressive Conservative MP from Alberta in the 1968 election
.
, Thompson moved to British Columbia
to teach and tried to win a seat from that province, but was defeated in the attempt. He retired from politics and taught political science
at Trinity Western University
in British Columbia through the 1970s. At various times he also served as chairman of the university's board of governors and vice president of development at the school.
In the late 1980s, Thompson was on the executive board of the World Anti-Communist League
.
In his last years, Thompson was instrumental in bringing the former Emperor Haile Sellassie's children out of Ethiopia and to safety in the west following the Ethiopian Revolution
. His intervention probably saved them from a near-certain death.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, chiropractor
Chiropractor
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges , "focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to...
, and educator. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, to Canadian parents and moved to Canada in 1918 with his family. Raised in 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...
, he graduated from the Palmer School of Chiropractic
Palmer College of Chiropractic
Palmer College of Chiropractic is a chiropractic school located in Davenport, Iowa. It was established in 1897 by Daniel David Palmer and is considered "The Fountainhead" as it was the first school of chiropractic in the world. For many years, Palmer College of Chiropractic was the world's largest...
in 1939 and worked as a chiropractor and then as a teacher before serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
during World War II
World 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...
.
Early political career
Thompson supported the Social Credit Party of AlbertaSocial Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
from its creation. His age prevented him from running as a candidate in the 1935
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
provincial election. Instead he became youth leader of the party.
Ethiopia
In 1944, Thompson was sent to EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
to serve as the founding commander of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force
Ethiopian Air Force
The Ethiopian Air Force is the air arm of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and is tasked with protecting the air space, providing support to the ground forces as well as assisting during national emergencies.- Early years :...
and head up nation's air force academy. He became a confidante of Emperor Haile Sellassie and, after the war, became deputy minister of education and helped rebuild the nation's public school system.
Return to Canada and Social Credit
Thompson returned to Canada in 1958 and resumed his activities with Social Credit and soon became president of the Canadian Social Credit League. Premier of AlbertaPremier of Alberta
The Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
and Social Credit Party of Alberta
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
leader Ernest Manning
Ernest Manning
Ernest Charles Manning, , a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any premier in the province's history, and was the second longest serving provincial premier in Canadian history...
saw Thompson as the ideal person to succeed Solon Low as leader of the Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
and backed him in a hotly contested leadership vote
Social Credit Party of Canada leadership conventions
The Canadian social credit movement first contested the 1935 federal election in order to capitalize from the Alberta Social Credit League's surprise victory in Alberta's August 1935 provincial election...
against Réal Caouette
Réal Caouette
David Réal Caouette was a Canadian politician from Quebec. He was a Member of Parliament and leader of the Social Credit Party of Canada and founder of the Ralliement des créditistes...
, the movement's leader in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Thompson won, but some believe that Caouette actually won, only to be rejected by the party's powerful Alberta wing. Manning had previously told the convention that the Alberta Socreds would never accept a francophone Catholic as national party leader. After the 1962 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
, Thompson appointed Caouette as the party's deputy leader. 26 of the 30 Socreds elected that year came from Quebec. Thompson was re-elected in the 1963
Canadian federal election, 1963
The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.-Overview:During the Tories' last year in...
and 1965 elections
Canadian federal election, 1965
The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the House...
.
The 1962 and 1965 elections produced minority parliament
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
s in which no one party had a majority of seats. This meant that the government had to rely on smaller parties such as Social Credit to pass legislation and remain in power.
Division in the party
The Social Credit Party was divided after 1962, as a majority of the caucusCaucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
came from Quebec and regarded Caouette as leader. The number of Socreds from English Canada was declining. However, Thompson refused to cede the leadership of the party to Caouette. This caused the party to split: most of the Quebec Socred Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs) followed Caouette into his new Ralliement créditiste in 1963.
Move to the Progressive Conservatives
Thompson was frustrated by the lack of support the national party enjoyed from the provincial Social Credit parties in Alberta and British Columbia where they formed the governments and ran powerful political machines. As well, Manning was becoming concerned with the leftward trajectory of both the federal Liberal PartyLiberal 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...
and the Progressive Conservative Party
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....
and encouraged Thompson to try to bring about a merger of the federal Social Credit and Progressive Conservative parties. Negotiations failed but, with the backing of both Manning and Robert Stanfield
Robert Stanfield
Robert Lorne Stanfield, PC, QC was the 17th Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He is sometimes referred to as "the greatest prime minister Canada never had", and earned the nickname "Honest Bob"...
, Thompson decided to seek the nomination of the Progressive Conservative Party in an attempt to influence that party. He resigned as leader of Social Credit in March 1967 citing the lack of support for the federal Social Credit Party from its provincial wings and, in 1968, won the Progressive Conservative nomination in Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
, against the opposition of the local Tory riding association. He was re-elected as a Progressive Conservative MP from Alberta in the 1968 election
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...
.
British Columbia
Prior to the 1972 electionCanadian 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...
, Thompson moved to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to teach and tried to win a seat from that province, but was defeated in the attempt. He retired from politics and taught political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Trinity Western University
Trinity Western University
Trinity Western University is a private, Christian liberal arts university located in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.The school was founded in 1962 as Trinity Junior College, and now enrolls approximately 4000 students and sits on a campus....
in British Columbia through the 1970s. At various times he also served as chairman of the university's board of governors and vice president of development at the school.
In the late 1980s, Thompson was on the executive board of the World Anti-Communist League
World Anti-Communist League
The World League for Freedom and Democracy is an international anti-communist political organization founded in 1966 in Taipei, Republic of China , under the initiative of Chiang Kai-shek. It was founded with the aim of opposing Communism around the world through "unconventional" methods...
.
In his last years, Thompson was instrumental in bringing the former Emperor Haile Sellassie's children out of Ethiopia and to safety in the west following the Ethiopian Revolution
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
. His intervention probably saved them from a near-certain death.
External links
- Robert N. Thompson and Political Realignment Article by Geoffrey Olson
- The Trinity Western University Archives, repository for the Robert N. Thompson Collection