John Robson
|
|
John Robson (14 March, 1824 – June 29, 1892) was a British Columbian journalist and politician. Excited by the gold rush, Robson came to British Columbia from Upper Canada in 1859. After trying to pan for gold and failing he eventually became editor of the New Westminster British Columbian two years later. In 1869 he became editor of the Daily British Colonist until getting a job with the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1875.
Robson was an advocate for responsible government and joining Canadian confederation. He served on the New Westminster town council in the 1860s before being appointed to the British Columbia Legislative Council. Once the colony joined confederation in 1871 he ran and was elected to the new province's first legislative assembly where he became an opponent of Amor De Cosmos and George Anthony Walkem and became an advocate of reform including female suffrage. He repeatedly introduced private member's bills to give women the vote only to see them voted down. However, he also moved a motion to deny the vote to Chinese and Native Canadians but supported the right of employers to hire Chinese labour.
In 1883 he joined the cabinet of William Smithe serving as Minister of Finance and Provincial Secretary and remained in government until 1889 when he was selected Premier upon the death of A.E.B. Davie in 1889.
Robson's government promoted immigration of white settlers to the province and railway development to facilitate an expanding population. He also implemented measures to protect agricultural land from development in order to provide homesteads for new farmers coming to the province. Robson remained premier until his death in 1892 after he hurt his finger in the door of a carriage and got blood poisoning.
John Robson is interred in the Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia.
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online (http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=40526)
|
Preceded by: A.E.B. Davie 1887-1889 |
Premier of British Columbia 1889-1892 |
Succeeded by: Theodore Davie 1892-1895 |