Robert Sommers
Encyclopedia
Robert Edward Sommers was an Alberta
born elementary school principal and a politician, who served as a Social Credit
Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
from 1952 to 1958, representing the riding of Rossland-Trail
in the Canadian
province of British Columbia
. He served as Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines from until his resignation February 27, 1956. He was tried and in 1958 was convicted of bribery and conspiracy making him the first cabinet minister in the British Commonwealth to serve a term of imprisonment for accepting bribes in connection with his office.
, Sommers was an elementary school principal in Castlegar
, BC. He was a trumpet player, a local band leader, a part time insurance broker, a Kiwanis
club president and a volunteer firefighter
.. He was re-elected in 1953
, and 1956
. In each election, against several opponents, his popular vote exceeded 50% of the votes cast including his last after he lost his cabinet position.
Sommers resigned his seat automatically upon his conviction on November 7, 1958 for bribery and conspiracy.
accused Sommers of impropriety in the granting of a forest management licence to E.P. Taylor's British Columbia Forest Products (BCFP).
These licences were a new form of tenure in the forests of British Columbia introduced in 1948 based on the 1944 recommendations of the Sloan Commission. Large companies were given cutting rights over Crown land
in perpetuity and in exchange were responsible for forest management, construction of access roads and fire fighting
. The goal was to provide a sustained yield to supply mills over the long term by giving the licence holder a long term interest in the productivity of the land. Forest management licences were extremely valuable. There were accusations that companies made huge profits selling shares issued after a licence was granted before a single tree had been cut. E.P. Taylor's Argus Corporation, which incorporated British Columbia Forest Products to run its BC forest operations in 1946, had been turned down for a forest management licence in 1948. After he became the cabinet minister in charge of granting forest management licences, Sommers, who was then in awkward financial circumstances personally, had meetings with Taylor and the management of Argus at which BCFP sought a licence. Taylor, BC premier W.A.C. Bennett
and Sommers met at the Empress Hotel
in January 1955. Afterwards, Bennett directed Sommers to make the deal. The result was that BCFP was granted FML #22 which covered 250000 acres (1,011.7 km²) between Port Renfrew
and Estevan Point
along the west coast of Vancouver Island
.
A commission led by Justice Arthur Lord found no basis for the charges and Sommers responded to the accusations by suing Vancouver lawyer David Sturdy for libel. The Bennett government stonewalled in the legislature on the basis that the matter was before the courts until Sommers was dropped from cabinet in 1956. In November 1957 he was arrested and charged with bribery. The next year, he and Wick Gray were convicted. BCFP was acquitted. Sommers was sentenced to 5 years in prison but was released after 28 months. While imprisoned, he learned the piano tuning trade. He established a piano business on Vancouver Island after his release in 1961. Sommers was convicted on five of seven charges of receiving bribes. He was found to have received $607 worth of rugs, $3,000 in bonds, $1,000 in cash and $2,500 sent by telegraph making him the first person in the Commonwealth found guilty of conspiring to accept bribes while serving as a Minister.
and restoration from a fellow inmate. He took up residence on Vancouver Island after his release and established a business in that field. Sommers died at age 89 in Nanaimo, British Columbia
in October 2000.
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...
born elementary school principal and a politician, who served as a Social Credit
British Columbia Social Credit Party
The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing political party of British Columbia, Canada, for more than 30 years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election...
Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
from 1952 to 1958, representing the riding of Rossland-Trail
Rossland-Trail
Rossland-Trail was the name of a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia centred on the towns of Rossland and Trail, in the West Kootenay. The riding first appeared in the 1924 election as the result of a redistribution of the former ridings of Greenwood and...
in the 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...
province of 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...
. He served as Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines from until his resignation February 27, 1956. He was tried and in 1958 was convicted of bribery and conspiracy making him the first cabinet minister in the British Commonwealth to serve a term of imprisonment for accepting bribes in connection with his office.
Political career
Prior to his first election as MLA under the banner of the British Columbia Social Credit League as the member for Rossland-Trail in 1952British Columbia general election, 1952
The British Columbia general election, 1952 was the 23rd general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 10, 1952, and held on June 12, 1952. The new legislature met for the...
, Sommers was an elementary school principal in Castlegar
Castlegar, British Columbia
Castlegar is the second largest city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located within the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. It is a regional trade and transportation centre, with a local economy fueled by forestry, mining and tourism...
, BC. He was a trumpet player, a local band leader, a part time insurance broker, a Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
club president and a volunteer firefighter
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
.. He was re-elected in 1953
British Columbia general election, 1953
The British Columbia general election of 1953 was the 24th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 10, 1953, and held on June 9, 1953...
, and 1956
British Columbia general election, 1956
The British Columbia general election of 1956 was the 25th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on August 13, 1956, and held on September 19, 1956. The new legislature met...
. In each election, against several opponents, his popular vote exceeded 50% of the votes cast including his last after he lost his cabinet position.
Sommers resigned his seat automatically upon his conviction on November 7, 1958 for bribery and conspiracy.
Scandal and trial
Sommers downfall began when the Liberal opposition, particularly MLA Gordon GibsonGordon Gibson, Sr.
Gordon Gibson Sr. was a prominent business leader and politician in British Columbia. He represented Lillooet in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1953 to 1956 as a Liberal....
accused Sommers of impropriety in the granting of a forest management licence to E.P. Taylor's British Columbia Forest Products (BCFP).
These licences were a new form of tenure in the forests of British Columbia introduced in 1948 based on the 1944 recommendations of the Sloan Commission. Large companies were given cutting rights over Crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
in perpetuity and in exchange were responsible for forest management, construction of access roads and fire fighting
Fire fighting
Firefighting is the act of extinguishing fires. A firefighter fights fires to prevent loss of life, and/or destruction of property and the environment...
. The goal was to provide a sustained yield to supply mills over the long term by giving the licence holder a long term interest in the productivity of the land. Forest management licences were extremely valuable. There were accusations that companies made huge profits selling shares issued after a licence was granted before a single tree had been cut. E.P. Taylor's Argus Corporation, which incorporated British Columbia Forest Products to run its BC forest operations in 1946, had been turned down for a forest management licence in 1948. After he became the cabinet minister in charge of granting forest management licences, Sommers, who was then in awkward financial circumstances personally, had meetings with Taylor and the management of Argus at which BCFP sought a licence. Taylor, BC premier W.A.C. Bennett
W.A.C. Bennett
William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC, OC was the 25th Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett was and remains the longest-serving premier in British Columbia history. He was usually referred to as W.A.C...
and Sommers met at the Empress Hotel
Empress Hotel
Empress Hotel may refer to:*The Empress in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada*The Empress Hotel in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States*Empress Hotel in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
in January 1955. Afterwards, Bennett directed Sommers to make the deal. The result was that BCFP was granted FML #22 which covered 250000 acres (1,011.7 km²) between Port Renfrew
Port Renfrew, British Columbia
Port Renfrew is a community on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, located approximately 2 hours' drive west of Victoria, British Columbia. Port Renfrew is the western terminus of the Juan de Fuca Trail. Tall Tree Music Festival also calls Port Renfrew home, proving to be...
and Estevan Point
Estevan Point
Estevan Point is a lighthouse located on the headland of the same name on the Hesquiat Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada....
along the west coast of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
.
A commission led by Justice Arthur Lord found no basis for the charges and Sommers responded to the accusations by suing Vancouver lawyer David Sturdy for libel. The Bennett government stonewalled in the legislature on the basis that the matter was before the courts until Sommers was dropped from cabinet in 1956. In November 1957 he was arrested and charged with bribery. The next year, he and Wick Gray were convicted. BCFP was acquitted. Sommers was sentenced to 5 years in prison but was released after 28 months. While imprisoned, he learned the piano tuning trade. He established a piano business on Vancouver Island after his release in 1961. Sommers was convicted on five of seven charges of receiving bribes. He was found to have received $607 worth of rugs, $3,000 in bonds, $1,000 in cash and $2,500 sent by telegraph making him the first person in the Commonwealth found guilty of conspiring to accept bribes while serving as a Minister.
Aftermath
During his time in prison, Sommers learned the trade of piano tuningPiano tuning
Piano tuning is the act of making minute adjustments to the tensions of the strings of a piano to properly align the intervals between their tones so that the instrument is in tune. The meaning of the term in tune in the context of piano tuning is not simply a particular fixed set of pitches...
and restoration from a fellow inmate. He took up residence on Vancouver Island after his release and established a business in that field. Sommers died at age 89 in Nanaimo, 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...
in October 2000.
Further reading
- Sommers and Gray v. The Queen. - Decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, 25 June 1959 - [1959] Supreme Court ReportsSupreme Court ReportsThe Supreme Court Reports is the official reporter of the Supreme Court of Canada. Since the creation of the Supreme Court, all of its decisions have been published in the Reports, in both English and French. The first volume was published in 1877 containing the first case ever heard by the...
, pages 678-690. - Paddy Sherman, Bennett, Toronto, McClelland and StewartMcClelland and StewartMcClelland & Stewart Limited is a Canadian publishing company. It is partially owned by Random House of Canada, now a subsidiary of Bertelsmann....
, 1966 - Google Books Donald Gutstein, Vancouver Ltd. mentions the Sommers defence in an article about Vancouver lawyer Jack Nicholson
- The Baroud Gibbs paper of The International Cooperation Group is also available at the Department of Justice website.
- The Sommers scandal was the subject of a play by David Ross