Robert Duncan Wilmot

Robert Duncan Wilmot ( born October 16, 1809 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, † February 13, 1891 in Sunbury County, New Brunswick) was a Canadian politician. As one of the Fathers of Confederation, he is among the pioneers of the Canadian federal government established in 1867. From 1867 to 1880 he was a senator, then to 1885, Vice Governor of the Province of New Brunswick.

Biography

Wilmot was the son of the merchant and shipyard owner John McNeil Wilmot and moved at the age of five years to Saint John. He worked for his father's company and was from 1835 to 1840 its representative in Liverpool. There was his son, who later became member of Parliament, Robert Duncan Wilmot junior, was born. After his return, was involved in the construction of mills, ships and railways. He was also a director of the railway company European and North American Railway.

1846 followed Wilmot's election to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick selected. In 1849 and 1850 he served as mayor of Saint John, from 1856 to 1857 as provincial secretary in John Hamilton Gray's short-lived Conservative government. After he was voted out of office in 1861, he succeeded in 1865, the re-election as a member of the newly formed Anti- Confederation Party, which was against the accession of New Brunswick for the Canadian Confederation. Wilmot was a minister without portfolio in the government of Albert James Smith, but in April 1866 failed after only seven months. Meanwhile, he had changed his mind regarding the accession to the Confederacy.

In December 1866, Wilmot delegate to the London Conference where the final details of the founding of the Canadian state were negotiated. He was appointed on 23 October 1867, Canadian Senator by Royal Proclamation. As of November 1878, he headed the Senate as a speaker and was ex officio of the Federal Government by John Macdonald on. On 10 February 1880, he resigned and was sworn in the following day as Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick. This representative office he held until 11 November 1885.

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