Robert Martin Strachan (December 1, 1913 – July 21, 1981) was a trade unionist and politician. He was the longest serving Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia history.[1]
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Strachan was a carpenter by trade. He immigrated to Canada after quitting a 10-shilling-a-week job as messenger boy in Glasgow to go to Nova Scotia on a $10-a-week farm labor scheme. He moved west, in 1931, to the northern B.C. copper-smelting town of Anyox and then to Powell River, where he became a carpenter and an active unionist eventually becoming British Columbia head of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.[1]
Strachan remained in the legislature, however, and was appointed Highways Minister when the NDP formed government for the first time as a result of the 1972 general election. He was appointed to the new position of Minister of Transport and Communications in 1973. Strachan oversaw the implementation of the NDP's promise to institute public automobile insurance and was responsible for the creation of the government owned Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Strachan left politics in 1975 when he was appointed the province's agent general to the United Kingdom by PremierDave Barrett. He served in the position for almost two years.[1]
robert, strachan, strachan, redirects, here, other, people, strachan, disambiguation, robert, martin, strachan, december, 1913, july, 1981, trade, unionist, politician, longest, serving, leader, opposition, british, columbia, history, british, columbia, leader. Bob Strachan redirects here For other people see Bob Strachan disambiguation Robert Martin Strachan December 1 1913 July 21 1981 was a trade unionist and politician He was the longest serving Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia history 1 Robert StrachanBritish Columbia Leader of the OppositionIn office April 6 1956 April 12 1969Preceded byArnold WebsterSucceeded byThomas R BergerLeader of the British ColumbiaCo operative Commonwealth Federation New Democratic PartyIn office April 6 1956 April 12 1969Preceded byArnold WebsterSucceeded byThomas R BergerMember of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Cowichan MalahatCowichan Newcastle 1952 1966 In office June 12 1952 October 5 1975Preceded byAndrew Mowatt WhiskerSucceeded byBarbara WallacePersonal detailsBorn 1913 12 01 December 1 1913Glasgow ScotlandDiedJuly 21 1981 1981 07 21 aged 67 Victoria British ColumbiaCause of deathLung CancerPolitical partyBritish Columbia New Democratic PartyOccupationCarpenter Trade UnionistBorn in Glasgow Scotland Strachan was a carpenter by trade He immigrated to Canada after quitting a 10 shilling a week job as messenger boy in Glasgow to go to Nova Scotia on a 10 a week farm labor scheme He moved west in 1931 to the northern B C copper smelting town of Anyox and then to Powell River where he became a carpenter and an active unionist eventually becoming British Columbia head of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America 1 In 1952 he was elected to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly as an MLA for the socialist Co operative Commonwealth Federation In 1956 he was elected CCF leader thus becoming Leader of the Opposition to the Social Credit government of W A C Bennett Strachan s CCF ran in the 1960 general election on the platform of nationalizing the province s private hydro electric company B C Electric Bennett denounced the idea during the election campaign but in 1961 turned around and announced plans to do exactly that in order to create BC Hydro leading Strachan to denounce the Social Credit government as hypocrites 2 3 He remained leader after the party transformed into the British Columbia New Democratic Party in 1961 He defeated a leadership challenge by Young Turk Thomas Berger in 1967 but sensing a mood for change he stepped down in 1969 1 4 Strachan remained in the legislature however and was appointed Highways Minister when the NDP formed government for the first time as a result of the 1972 general election He was appointed to the new position of Minister of Transport and Communications in 1973 Strachan oversaw the implementation of the NDP s promise to institute public automobile insurance and was responsible for the creation of the government owned Insurance Corporation of British Columbia Strachan left politics in 1975 when he was appointed the province s agent general to the United Kingdom by Premier Dave Barrett He served in the position for almost two years 1 He died of lung cancer in 1981 1 References Edit a b c d e Canadian Press Robert Strachan Led CCF NDP in opposition for 13 years in B C House Globe and Mail July 22 1981 Palmer Vaughn Robert Bonner was the bright young Mr Fixit for W A C Bennett Vancouver Sun August 17 2005 Mitchell David J The power of politics A Bennett takeover to change the Socreds Globe and Mail October 15 1983 Johnson William Two heroic men in a conflict Globe and Mail July 6 1983 Preceded byArnold Webster Leader of the Opposition in the British Columbia Legislature1956 1969 Succeeded byThomas Berger Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Strachan amp oldid 1090317458, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
