Andrew George Blair | |
|---|---|
 Blair, photographed between 1883 – 1903 | |
| 7thPremier of New Brunswick | |
| In office March 3, 1883 – July 17, 1896 | |
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Lieutenant Governor | Robert Duncan Wilmot Samuel Leonard Tilley John Boyd John James Fraser |
| Preceded by | Daniel L. Hanington |
| Succeeded by | James Mitchell |
| MLA forYork | |
| In office June 25, 1878 – October 22, 1892 Serving with John James Fraser,Edward Ludlow Wetmore,Richard Bellamy,Thomas Colter,Frederick P. Thompson,William Wilson,George J. Colter,David R. Moore, John Anderson | |
| Preceded by | Robert Robinson |
| Succeeded by | George W. Allen |
| MLA forQueens | |
| In office October 22, 1892 – July 17, 1896 Serving with Laughlin Farris | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Hetherington |
| Succeeded by | Isaac W. Carpenter |
| Member of theCanadian Parliament forSunbury—Queen's | |
| In office August 25, 1896 – November 7, 1900 | |
| Preceded by | George Gerald King |
| Succeeded by | Robert Duncan Wilmot, Jr. |
| Member of theCanadian Parliament forCity of St. John | |
| In office November 7, 1900 – December 27, 1903 | |
| Preceded by | John V. Ellis |
| Succeeded by | John Waterhouse Daniel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1844-03-07)March 7, 1844 Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | January 25, 1907(1907-01-25) (aged 62) Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 sons and 5 daughters |
| Relatives | Andrew Brewin (grandson) |
| Alma mater | Fredericton Collegiate School |
| Occupation | Lawyer, lecturer |
| Profession | politician |
Andrew George BlairPC KC (March 7, 1844 – January 25, 1907) was aCanadian politician inNew Brunswick, Canada. He served as the seventhpremier of New Brunswick for 13 years and 136 days, the second-longest tenure in the province's history, behindRichard Hatfield's tenure of 16 years and 310 days.
He was first elected to theLegislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1878 after unsuccessful attempts in the previous two elections. Though Blair was a supporter of SirJohn A. Macdonald's federalLiberal-Conservatives, he joined theparliamentary opposition in the legislature and, in 1879, becameleader of the opposition to theConservative government ofPremierJohn James Fraser. He molded the disparate opposition into the modernLiberal Party of New Brunswick, instituting party platforms ormanifestos. He launched the first province-wide political campaign in an era when campaign had been run largely on aconstituency basis. He took the party to power in 1883, winning enough support in the newly elected legislature to form a government. Blair became premier andAttorney-General.
Blair's government built a three-quarters of a mile longbridge across theSaint John River, linkingFredericton with villages and factories, notably that ofBoss Gibson, on the other side of the river, in spite of opposition by the federal government, which maintained that it was beyond provincial power to do so.[1] His government also went to court to win the right to grantliquor licenses. He also extended thefranchise, which had been exclusively male, to widows and unmarried women who owned property. He was opposed, however, to universalfemale suffrage. His government also abolished theLegislative Council (the legislature'sUpper House).
The Liberal government almost lost the 1889 election but was able to stay in power with the support of independentMembers of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Blair lost his ownseat in the 1892 election, due toProtestant opposition to his policy of accommodatingAcadians and otherCatholics. Blair had appointed several Acadians and other Catholics to hiscabinet and other government positions. Blair was able to re-enter the house through aby-election.
After leading his party to a major electoral victory in 1895, Blair left provincial politics in 1896 when he was appointed Minister of Railways and Canals in thefederal Cabinet ofLiberalPrime MinisterWilfrid Laurier. He was sworn in as Minister of Railways and Canals on 13 July 1896,[1] entered theHouse of Commons of Canada in an August 1896by-election forSunbury and Queens riding,[1] and was re-elected in the1900 election.
In December 1901, Blair's daughter Bessie drowned while skating on the ill-frozenOttawa River at a party put on by the Governor-General;Henry Harper dove in to try to rescue her, but drowned as well.[1] His actions are remembered by the statue on Parliament Hill toSir Galahad.
Blair notified the government of his resignation on 13 July 1903;[1][2] in his speech on 16 July he outlined his reasons for his opposition to Laurier's plan to build theGrand Trunk Pacific Railway.[3] The official New Brunswick biography has the date of his resignation 20 July.[4] He spoke about the reason for his resignation for five hours in the House of Commons on 11 August.[1][4][5] He did not see why the government "should build and own the lean section . . . and provide a company with government credit to enable them to build and operate the fat section," and referred to discussions about the railway thatWilfrid Laurier had had with other ministers behind his back, although he was the Minister charged with the portfolio.[3] He further stated that other Ministers had been allowed to discuss with Grand Trunk officers plans for the transcontinental without informing him.[1]
In order to prevent him from becoming a major opposition figure, Laurier appointed Blair to head the Board of Railway Commissioners in December 1903, taking Blair out of active politics and out of the House of Commons. However, Blair resigned from the Board sixteen days before the1904 election in order to campaign against Laurier. He withdrew from the campaign, however, after discussions with Laurier.[1]
Blair died on January 25, 1907, of a heart attack during a dinner party inFredericton, New Brunswick.[6] He was buried in theBeechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, Ontario.
One of Blair's grandsons,Andrew Brewin, served as amember of Parliament for theNew Democratic Party.[7]
| British Crown colony (1854–67) | |
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| Canadian Province (1867–present) | |
