John Alexander Robertson
Encyclopedia
John Alexander Robertson (October 6, 1913 - February 19, 1965) was a Canadian Senator.
Robertson was a freight train conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway
at the time of his surprise appointment by John George Diefenbaker to the Canadian Senate
in 1962. He was told of his appointment while in a caboose
at Ignace, Ontario
.
He had previously been an unsuccessful Progressive Conservative
candidate in the 1958 federal election
but was defeated in the riding of Kenora—Rainy River
by 217 votes. He also ran in a 1961 provincial by-election
to fill the Kenora
seat in the Ontario legislature but was again defeated.
Robertson was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta
and worked as a grocery store manager in the 1930s before joining the CPR. During World War II
, he served in the Canadian Army as a member of the Canadian Provost Corps
as a corporal
and then acting sergeant
.
He died of a heart attack at the age of 52.
Robertson was a freight train conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
at the time of his surprise appointment by John George Diefenbaker to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
in 1962. He was told of his appointment while in a caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
at Ignace, Ontario
Ignace, Ontario
Ignace is a township in the Kenora District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located at Highway 17 and Secondary Highway 599, and on the Canadian Pacific Railway between Thunder Bay and Kenora. It is on the shore of Agimak Lake, and, as of 2006, the population of Ignace was 1,431.The town was...
.
He had previously been an unsuccessful Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
candidate in the 1958 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
but was defeated in the riding of Kenora—Rainy River
Kenora—Rainy River
Kenora—Rainy River was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 2004. It was located in the province of Ontario...
by 217 votes. He also ran in a 1961 provincial by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to fill the Kenora
Kenora (electoral district)
Kenora is a federal and former provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004, and was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from the early twentieth century....
seat in the Ontario legislature but was again defeated.
Robertson was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat", is a city of 61,097 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is enclaved within Cypress County along with the nearby Town of Redcliff, although neither is part of the county....
and worked as a grocery store manager in the 1930s before joining the CPR. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the Canadian Army as a member of the Canadian Provost Corps
Canadian Provost Corps
The Canadian Provost Corps was the military police corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Provost Corps was authorized on 15 Jun 1940. The Canadian Provost Corps was amalgamated into the Canadian Forces in 1968.-Canadian Military Police Corps:...
as a corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
and then acting sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
.
He died of a heart attack at the age of 52.