Dufferin Roblin
Encyclopedia
Dufferin "Duff" Roblin, PC
, CC
, OM
(June 17, 1917 – May 30, 2010) was a Canadian
businessman and politician. Known as "Duff," he served as the 14th Premier
of Manitoba
from 1958 to 1967. Roblin was appointed to the Canadian Senate
on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
. In the government of Brian Mulroney
, he served as Senate Leader. He was the grandson of Sir Rodmond P. Roblin, who also served as Manitoba Premier.
and the University of Chicago
. He was a car dealer before entering politics, and served as a Wing Commander in the Royal Canadian Air Force
from 1940 to 1946.
Like his grandfather, Roblin was a member of Manitoba's Conservative Party, which was renamed the Progressive Conservative Party
in 1942. During the 1940s, the Manitoba Conservatives were part of a coalition government with the Liberal-Progressives
, and Conservative leader Errick Willis
was a prominent cabinet minister in the governments of John Bracken
, Stuart Garson
and Douglas Campbell
.
in 1949
as an "Independent Progressive Conservative" opposing the coalition. Running in the multi-member riding of Winnipeg South
, he finished well ahead of the official Progressive Conservative candidate, and soon emerged as the leading voice for anti-coalition Tories in the province.
Willis resigned as a cabinet minister in August, 1950, and Progressive Conservative delegates overwhelmingly voted to leave the coalition at their annual convention later in the year. Some party members tried to convince Roblin to stand against Willis for the leadership, but he declined.
Roblin was re-elected for Winnipeg South in 1953
, but the Progressive Conservative Party as a whole fared poorly, winning only 12 seats out of 57. Willis was blamed for the party's loss, and another effort was made to draft Roblin as leader.
When Willis called a leadership convention for 1954, Roblin quickly declared himself as a candidate. He built up a strong organization throughout the province, and was able to defeat Willis on the second ballot. Somewhat counter-intuitively, most of Roblin's support came from rural delegates. For the next four years, Roblin was involved in the arduous task of rebuilding a strong Progressive Conservative network throughout the province.
Ideologically, Roblin was a Red Tory
. He opposed the caution and 'small-government' ideology of Liberal-Progressive
Premier Douglas Campbell
, and pledged to expand government services if elected. He was also fairly liberal on most social issues. While not a socialist, Roblin was unquestionably to the "left" of Campbell's Liberals (a point that he would later acknowledge in his memoirs).
. Roblin himself was elected for the new single-member constituency of Wolseley, located in the centre of Winnipeg. His government quickly enacted a series of progressive reforms, which were supported by the social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
. Roblin was thereby able to build up a successful legislative record, and won the support of many centre-left voters who were previously uncommitted. His government lost a parliamentary vote of confidence in 1959, but was re-elected with majority status (36 of 57 seats) in the ensuing election
later in the year.
Roblin's government upgraded highways, created parks, and built the Red River Floodway
around Winnipeg, popularly known as "Duff's Ditch". It reintroduced French language
instruction in schools, modernized hospitals, expanded social spending and strengthened social welfare programs. It also improved postsecondary education, and promoted urban development by consolidating the various municipalities in the Winnipeg area into a single metropolitan entity. In the field of primary education, Roblin's ministry brought Manitoba's system of one-room schoolhouses into the modern era by building consolidated schools. The Progressive Conservatives were re-elected with landslide mandates in the 1962
and 1966 elections
, and Roblin never faced any serious competition in his own riding.
Roblin resigned in 1967 to run for the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservative Party
at its 1967 leadership convention
. He ran a strong campaign, but placed second to Nova Scotia
Premier Robert Stanfield
.
Roblin was a candidate in Winnipeg South Centre
for the 1968 federal election
, but lost to Liberal
E.B. Osler by over 10,000 votes. Roblin was hurt by an unpopular provincial sales tax introduced by his government, as well as the more general "Trudeaumania" phenomenon. After the election, he was named as vice-president of Canadian Pacific Investments. In 1970, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
.
, Roblin ran for the House of Commons
in the Ontario
riding of Peterborough
. He was soundly defeated by Liberal
Hugh Faulkner
, and later referred to the entire campaign as a lapse in judgement.
In 1978, Roblin was appointed to the Senate
by Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
, officially representing the Manitoba region of Red River
. He was the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate during Joe Clark
's brief tenure as Prime Minister (1979–1980), and served as Deputy Opposition Leader from 1980 to 1984.
Following Brian Mulroney
's landslide victory in the 1984 election
, Roblin was appointed Leader of the Government in the Senate, and served in Mulroney's cabinet until June 29, 1986. In this capacity, he was particularly interested in matters relating to African economic development.
Roblin retired from the Senate on June 17, 1992, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75. He received the President's Award of the Winnipeg Press Club in 1999, and published his memoirs (entitled Speaking for Myself) in the same year.
At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former provincial premier. Roblin died at the age of 92 on the afternoon of May 30, 2010. Upon his death, former provincial NDP leader Ed Schreyer said that "Duff Roblin led a Conservative administration the likes we’ve not seen elsewhere in Canada and not likely to see again. It was positive in every respect. He brought Manitoba into the modern era, with desired changes in education, hospital finance, roads, social assistance and flood protection."
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, CC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OM
Order of Manitoba
The Order of Manitoba is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Instituted in 1999 when Lieutenant Governor Peter M...
(June 17, 1917 – May 30, 2010) was a 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...
businessman and politician. Known as "Duff," he served as the 14th Premier
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
from 1958 to 1967. Roblin 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...
on the advice of Prime Minister 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,...
. In the 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...
, he served as Senate Leader. He was the grandson of Sir Rodmond P. Roblin, who also served as Manitoba Premier.
Early life
Roblin was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Charles Dufferin Roblin and Sophie Murdoch, and was educated at the University of ManitobaUniversity of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He was a car dealer before entering politics, and served as a Wing Commander 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...
from 1940 to 1946.
Like his grandfather, Roblin was a member of Manitoba's Conservative Party, which was renamed the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
in 1942. During the 1940s, the Manitoba Conservatives were part of a coalition government with the Liberal-Progressives
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
, and Conservative leader Errick Willis
Errick Willis
Errick French Willis was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as leader of the province's Conservative Party between 1936 and 1954, and was responsible for beginning and ending the party's alliance with the Liberal-Progressive Party...
was a prominent cabinet minister in the governments of John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
, Stuart Garson
Stuart Garson
Stuart Sinclair Garson, was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as the 12th Premier of Manitoba from 1943 to 1948, and later became a federal cabinet minister....
and Douglas Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell, OC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1958...
.
As MLA of Winnipeg South
There were opponents of the coalition in both in the Liberal and Conservative ranks. Roblin was a part of the latter group, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of ManitobaLegislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
in 1949
Manitoba general election, 1949
Manitoba's general election of November 10, 1949 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election pitted the province's coalition government, made up of the Liberal-Progressive Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, against a variety of...
as an "Independent Progressive Conservative" opposing the coalition. Running in the multi-member riding of Winnipeg South
Winnipeg South
Winnipeg South is a Canadian federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1979, and since 1988. It covers the south of the city of Winnipeg...
, he finished well ahead of the official Progressive Conservative candidate, and soon emerged as the leading voice for anti-coalition Tories in the province.
Willis resigned as a cabinet minister in August, 1950, and Progressive Conservative delegates overwhelmingly voted to leave the coalition at their annual convention later in the year. Some party members tried to convince Roblin to stand against Willis for the leadership, but he declined.
Roblin was re-elected for Winnipeg South in 1953
Manitoba general election, 1953
Manitoba's general election of June 8, 1953 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. This was the first election held in Manitoba after the breakup of a ten-year coalition government led by the Liberal-Progressives and Progressive Conservatives...
, but the Progressive Conservative Party as a whole fared poorly, winning only 12 seats out of 57. Willis was blamed for the party's loss, and another effort was made to draft Roblin as leader.
When Willis called a leadership convention for 1954, Roblin quickly declared himself as a candidate. He built up a strong organization throughout the province, and was able to defeat Willis on the second ballot. Somewhat counter-intuitively, most of Roblin's support came from rural delegates. For the next four years, Roblin was involved in the arduous task of rebuilding a strong Progressive Conservative network throughout the province.
Ideologically, Roblin was a Red Tory
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
. He opposed the caution and 'small-government' ideology of Liberal-Progressive
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
Premier Douglas Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell, OC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1958...
, and pledged to expand government services if elected. He was also fairly liberal on most social issues. While not a socialist, Roblin was unquestionably to the "left" of Campbell's Liberals (a point that he would later acknowledge in his memoirs).
As Premier
Under Roblin's leadership, the Tories won a minority government in 1958Manitoba general election, 1958
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1958 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was the first to be held in Manitoba after a comprehensive electoral redistribution in 1956...
. Roblin himself was elected for the new single-member constituency of Wolseley, located in the centre of Winnipeg. His government quickly enacted a series of progressive reforms, which were supported by the social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation , known informally as the Manitoba CCF, was a provincial branch of the national Canadian party by the same name. The national CCF was the dominant social-democratic party in Canada from the 1930s to the early 1960s, when it merged with the labour movement...
. Roblin was thereby able to build up a successful legislative record, and won the support of many centre-left voters who were previously uncommitted. His government lost a parliamentary vote of confidence in 1959, but was re-elected with majority status (36 of 57 seats) in the ensuing election
Manitoba general election, 1959
Manitoba's general election of May 14, 1959 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
later in the year.
Roblin's government upgraded highways, created parks, and built the Red River Floodway
Red River Floodway
The Red River Floodway is an artificial flood control waterway in Western Canada, first used in 1969. It is a long channel which, during flood periods, takes part of the Red River's flow around the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba to the east and discharges it back into the Red River below the dam at...
around Winnipeg, popularly known as "Duff's Ditch". It reintroduced 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...
instruction in schools, modernized hospitals, expanded social spending and strengthened social welfare programs. It also improved postsecondary education, and promoted urban development by consolidating the various municipalities in the Winnipeg area into a single metropolitan entity. In the field of primary education, Roblin's ministry brought Manitoba's system of one-room schoolhouses into the modern era by building consolidated schools. The Progressive Conservatives were re-elected with landslide mandates in the 1962
Manitoba general election, 1962
Manitoba's general election of December 16, 1962 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a second majority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin...
and 1966 elections
Manitoba general election, 1966
The Manitoba general election held on June 23, 1966, was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a third consecutive majority win for the Progressive Conservative Party led by Dufferin Roblin...
, and Roblin never faced any serious competition in his own riding.
Roblin resigned in 1967 to run for the leadership of the federal 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....
at its 1967 leadership convention
Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 1967
The 1967 Progressive Conservative leadership election was held to choose a leader for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. The convention was held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 4th and 9th, 1967...
. He ran a strong campaign, but placed second to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Premier 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"...
.
Roblin was a candidate in Winnipeg South Centre
Winnipeg South Centre
Winnipeg South Centre is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1979 and since 1988.-Geography:...
for the 1968 federal 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...
, but lost to Liberal
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...
E.B. Osler by over 10,000 votes. Roblin was hurt by an unpopular provincial sales tax introduced by his government, as well as the more general "Trudeaumania" phenomenon. After the election, he was named as vice-president of Canadian Pacific Investments. In 1970, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
Later years
In the 1974 federal electionCanadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
, Roblin ran for the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
riding of Peterborough
Peterborough (electoral district)
Peterborough is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1953.The riding's borders have differed slightly since its creation in 1953, but has always included most or all of Peterborough County and its county seat of...
. He was soundly defeated by Liberal
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...
Hugh Faulkner
Hugh Faulkner
James Hugh Faulkner, PC is a former Canadian politician. He completed his BA at McGill University and his MBA at IMI Geneva, Switzerland....
, and later referred to the entire campaign as a lapse in judgement.
In 1978, Roblin was appointed to the 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
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
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,...
, officially representing the Manitoba region of Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
. He was the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate during Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
's brief tenure as Prime Minister (1979–1980), and served as Deputy Opposition Leader from 1980 to 1984.
Following 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...
's landslide victory in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, Roblin was appointed Leader of the Government in the Senate, and served in Mulroney's cabinet until June 29, 1986. In this capacity, he was particularly interested in matters relating to African economic development.
Roblin retired from the Senate on June 17, 1992, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75. He received the President's Award of the Winnipeg Press Club in 1999, and published his memoirs (entitled Speaking for Myself) in the same year.
At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former provincial premier. Roblin died at the age of 92 on the afternoon of May 30, 2010. Upon his death, former provincial NDP leader Ed Schreyer said that "Duff Roblin led a Conservative administration the likes we’ve not seen elsewhere in Canada and not likely to see again. It was positive in every respect. He brought Manitoba into the modern era, with desired changes in education, hospital finance, roads, social assistance and flood protection."