John Robson (politician)

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John Robson

John Robson (born March 14, 1824 in Perth , Ontario , † June 29, 1892 in London ) was a Canadian politician and journalist . He was one of the most influential journalists of his time and was a co-founder of the Confederation League , which was instrumental in British Columbia's accession to the Canadian Confederation . From August 2, 1889 until his death he was Prime Minister of the province.

Journalist and activist

Robson spent his early years as a trader in southern Ontario and Montreal . In 1859 he learned of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush and moved west to what was then the colony of British Columbia . Unsuccessful in prospecting for gold, he helped his brother Ebenezer, a Methodist priest, build a church in New Westminster , the capital of the colony. After its completion, he founded the British Columbian newspaper and called for the colony's self-government and liberal reforms, which brought him into conflict with the autocratic governor James Douglas .

Robson allied with other journalists like Amor De Cosmos and led a campaign against the governor and his officials, including Matthew Baillie Begbie, the chief judge. Begbie had Robson briefly arrested in 1862 after posting an anonymous letter suggesting the judge had taken a bribe. After his release, Robson accused the colonial administration of suppressing freedom of the press.

In 1864 Douglas resigned and Robson stopped his attacks as the colonial parliament gained more and more rights. He advocated the unification of the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island in 1866. Three years later, he moved his journalistic activities to Victoria . His newspaper was soon taken over by the Daily British Colonist (now Times-Colonist ), founded by Amor De Cosmos.

Robson was the Colonist's political editor for six years and was a passionate advocate of the colony joining the Canadian Confederation , which was formed in 1867 from the union of four British colonies. Together with De Cosmos and Robert Beaven (both future prime ministers of the province), Robson founded the Confederation League in 1868 , which actively campaigned for membership. British Columbia finally became Canada's sixth province on July 20, 1871.

Provincial politics

In 1863, still during the colony era, Robson had been elected to New Westminster City Council and had served as mayor in 1866-67 . Otherwise, his political activities were initially limited to writing articles and lobbying . But after British Columbia had joined the Canadian Confederation, he was elected in the first election to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in October 1871 as a member of the constituency Nanaimo .

Robson turned in the provincial parliament against the in his opinion too conservative former comrade De Cosmos and against Prime Minister George Anthony Walkem . He advocated further reforms, such as women's suffrage . Before the general election in January 1874 , he supported the Liberal Party of Canada by Alexander Mackenzie . After his election victory, he received in April 1875 in return a well-paid position as paymaster with the Canadian Pacific Railway ; he gave up his parliamentary mandate. In 1880 he bought the Dominion Pacific Herald newspaper in New Westminster , of which he was editor-in-chief for two years.

After a hiatus of seven years, Robson returned to the Legislative Assembly in 1882, where he represented New Westminster. In February 1883 William Smithe appointed him minister in his government. Robson was responsible for education, finance, agriculture, and mining. After AEB Davie took office , he gave up finance and agriculture. Robson was a staunch opponent of land speculation as he saw it as an obstacle to settlement and economic development in the province. He was responsible for ensuring that the Legislative Assembly in 1886, the small village of Granville, the future terminus of the transcontinental railroad, brought to a city and as proposed by William Cornelius Van Horne in Vancouver renamed.

prime minister

On August 2, 1889, the day after Davies death, Lieutenant Governor Hugh Nelson appointed Robson Prime Minister. His government promoted the construction of the railways, reorganized the constituencies and created the conditions for increased immigration. Robson persuaded the federal government to build a dry dock in Esquimalt immediately west of Victoria , from which the base of the Canadian Pacific Fleet later developed.

Robson's health was in poor health. To ease his workload, he gave up his urban New Westminster constituency and was re-elected in June 1890 in the sparsely populated Cariboo area. In the spring of 1892 his doctor advised him to take a year off from work. Hoping that moving would improve his health, he traveled to London to negotiate a loan with the UK government. On June 20, 1892, Robson jammed a finger in the door of a carriage. The wound caused blood poisoning from which he died nine days later.

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