Robert Stanfield
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The Right Honourable Robert Stanfield PC, QC |
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|---|---|
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| Leader of the Official Opposition | |
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In office November 9, 1967 – February 21, 1976 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister |
Lester B. Pearson Pierre Trudeau |
| Preceded by | John Diefenbaker |
| Succeeded by | Joe Clark |
| Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada | |
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In office September 9, 1967 – February 21, 1976 |
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| Preceded by | John Diefenbaker |
| Succeeded by | Joe Clark |
| 17th Premier of Nova Scotia | |
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In office November 20, 1956 – September 13, 1967 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Lieutenant Governor |
Alistair Fraser Edward Chester Plow Henry Poole MacKeen |
| Preceded by | Henry Hicks |
| Succeeded by | G.I. Smith |
| MLA for Colchester | |
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In office June 9, 1949 – September 13, 1967 Serving with G.I. Smith |
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| Preceded by |
Gordon Purdy Robert F. McLellan |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Ritcey |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Colchester—Hants |
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In office November 6, 1967 – June 25, 1968 |
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| Preceded by | Cyril F. Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Halifax |
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In office June 25, 1968 – May 22, 1979 |
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| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | George Cooper |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Lorne Stanfield April 11, 1914 Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Died | December 16, 2003 (aged 89) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Resting place |
Camp Hill Cemetery Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Economist, barrister |
| Profession | Politician |
| Religion | Anglican |
Robert Lorne Stanfield, PC, QC (April 11, 1914 – December 16, 2003) was the 17th Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He was born into an affluent Nova Scotia clothing manufacturing and political family in 1914. He graduated from Dalhousie University and Harvard Law School in the 1930s. Stanfield became the leader of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party in 1948, and after a rebuilding period, led the party to government in 1956. As premier, he won three straight elections. His government was credited with modernizing the way the province delivered education and medical services. In 1967, he resigned as premier and became the leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party. He was the leader of the Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and fought three general elections, losing each time to the Liberals under Pierre Trudeau. He resigned as leader in 1976 and from public office in 1979. In retirement, he lived mostly in Ottawa, and died there in 2003 from complications due to pneumonia. He is sometimes referred to as "the best prime minister Canada never had". As one of Canada's most distinguished and respected statesmen, he was one of several people granted the style "The Right Honourable" who were not so entitled by virtue of an office held.
Stanfield was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, the son of Sarah Emma (née Thomas) and entrepreneur Frank Stanfield. His family owned Stanfield's Limited, a large textile company. He studied economics and political science at Dalhousie University and was awarded the Governor General's Silver Medal for achieving the highest standing when he graduated in 1936 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then studied law at Harvard Law School, where he was an honours student near the top of his class. He was the first Canadian to ever edit the Harvard Law Review. During his student days in the 1930s, he witnessed the poverty that the Great Depression produced, causing him to become interested in John Maynard Keynes' economic theories. Stanfield considered himself a socialist at this time. Over time, he was less attached to socialism, but its influence on him remained, as he was considered a Red Tory for his appreciation of the common good.
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Wikipedia