30 Facts About Rodmond Roblin

Sir Rodmond Palen Roblin was a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada.

The Rodmond Roblin family was established in Sophiasburgh by the Loyalist farmers Philip and Elizabeth Rodmond Roblin from Smith's Clove in Orange County, New York.

Rodmond Roblin was educated at Albert College in Belleville, arrived in Winnipeg in 1877, and worked as a grain merchant.

Rodmond Roblin served as reeve of Dufferin for five years and as warden for two and was a school trustee in the community.

Rodmond Roblin entered provincial politics in the 1886 Manitoba election, running as a Liberal Party candidate against the Conservative cabinet minister David H Wilson in the constituency of Dufferin North.

Rodmond Roblin lost the race by five votes but won a subsequent by-election held on May 12,1888.

Rodmond Roblin was then a supporter of Greenway and was re-elected by acclamation when the new premier called another provincial election for July 1888.

Rodmond Roblin's reforms triggered a national political crisis known as the Manitoba Schools Question.

Greenway's government was re-elected in the 1892 election, and Rodmond Roblin was personally defeated in the rural constituency, including the town of Morden.

Greenway won another landslide victory in the 1896 election, but Rodmond Roblin was this time returned to the legislature for the constituency of Woodlands.

Rodmond Roblin became the parliamentary leader of the Conservatives for a second time but stood aside to allow Hugh John Macdonald to become the official leader of the party in 1897.

Rodmond Roblin, who was re-elected in Woodlands, but despite being was the main architect of the Conservative victory, he was left out of cabinet.

Rodmond Roblin became premier in his place and took the powerful cabinet position of Railway Commissioner.

Rodmond Roblin's Conservatives won 31 seats in the 1903 election against 9 for Greenway's Liberals.

Rodmond Roblin's machine coasted to easy victories in 1907 and 1910 by winning 28 of 41 seats on both occasions.

Rodmond Roblin played a crucial role in the 1911 federal election on reciprocity by putting his electoral machine at the disposal of the federal Conservative Party.

Rodmond Roblin thus helped to defeat Sir Wilfrid Laurier and put Robert Borden in power.

Rodmond Roblin's government promoted significant, expansions in health, education, and road services, all of which were required to service Manitoba's rapidly-increasing population.

Rodmond Roblin created Manitoba's first crown corporations by expropriating Bell's telephone services to create a state-owned system, the first effective public utilities system in Canada.

Rodmond Roblin is often remembered today for his opposition to women's suffrage and for clashing with Nellie McClung on the issue.

McClung made Rodmond Roblin appear foolish in her famous "parliament of women" parodying the premier's patronizing comments on traditional gender roles.

Rodmond Roblin resisted demands to enact a labour code to protect workers and was sometimes reluctant to enforce the province's existing legislation.

Rodmond Roblin is remembered for folding to pressure from Winnipeg's business community.

Rodmond Roblin was reluctant to enforce the legislation because his government received significant revenues from the sale of alcohol.

Rodmond Roblin's government went into the election weakened by a scandal involving the construction of new legislative buildings.

Rodmond Roblin's opponents accused the government of corruption and claimed misappropriation of funds and overspending.

When Rodmond Roblin rejected calls for a formal investigation into the legislative buildings scandal, the Liberal opposition petitioned the Lieutenant Governor to take direct action.

Rodmond Roblin formally resigned as premier on May 12,1915, and the Liberal leader, Tobias Norris, was called to form a new administration.

Rodmond Roblin was indicted but was eventually discharged of criminal responsibility.

Rodmond Roblin is the grandfather of another Manitoba premier, Dufferin Roblin.