Robert Muir (politician)

For other people of the same name, see Robert Muir.
Robert Muir
Member of Parliament
In office
10 June 1957 – 24 June 1968
Preceded by William Murdoch Buchanan – Liberal
Succeeded by Electoral district abolished
Constituency Cape Breton North and Victoria
Member of Parliament
In office
25 June 1968 – 26 March 1979
Preceded by Electoral district established
Succeeded by Russell MacLellan – Liberal
Constituency Cape Breton—The Sydneys
Senator for Nova Scotia
In office
28 March 1979 – 10 November 1994
Constituency Cape Breton—The Sydneys
Personal details
Born 10 November 1919(1919-11-10)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Died 31 August 2011(2011-08-31) (aged 91)
Coxheath, Nova Scotia
Political party Progressive Conservative
Residence Coxheath, Nova Scotia
Profession Miner, businessman, salesman

Robert (Bob) Muir (10 November 1919 – 31 August 2011) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, first in the House of Commons and later in the Senate. Muir sat in both chambers as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He was born in Scotland and raised on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Before he became a politician, he was also a miner, a union official, a salesman and a businessman during his career. He died at his home in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in 2011.

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Early life

Muir was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 10 November 1919.[1] After his father died in 1920, he and his mother immigrated to Canada.[2] After leaving school in grade 8, he worked in the coal mines until injuries ended his ability to do so.[2] Before he was injured for the final time, he was elected as the secretary of his United Mine Workers of America (UMW) local.[2] After recuperating from his injuries, he worked in insurance for London Life until he was elected to parliament.[1] He later served as chair of the Miners' Hospital in Cape Breton.[3]

Political career

Muir began politics as a member of the Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia municipal council, where he served from 1948 to 1958.[4] He entered federal politics in the 1957 Canadian general election, winning the Cape Breton North and Victoria electoral district in Nova Scotia.[2] His old riding was abolished after the 1966 electoral district redistribution.[4] Muir then ran in the newly created Cape Breton—The Sydneys electoral district in the 1968 Canadian general election and won the seat.[1] Muir won election eight consecutive times, stepping down in 1979 after having served in the 30th Canadian Parliament.[4]

On March 28 1979, two-days after an election call, Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Muir to the Senate.[5] Muir sat in the self-designated Senate division of Cape Breton-The Sydneys.[4] Muir retired from the Senate on 10 November 1994.[4] He died at home, in Coxheath, Nova Scotia on 31 August 2011, aged 91, from respiratory failure.[2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Collins, Julie (2011-09-01). "Bob Muir remembered as a man of the people". The Cape Breton Post (Sydney, Nova Scotia): p. A8. Archived from the original on 2011-11-21. http://www.webcitation.org/63N08mn9Z. Retrieved 2011-09-02. 
  2. ^ a b c d e "Senator Robert Muir, 91 Coxheath". The Cape Breton Post (Sydney, Nova Scotia): p. 4. 2011-09-02. Archived from the original on 2011-09-11. http://www.webcitation.org/61dAnISqd. Retrieved 2011-09-02. 
  3. ^ "Former Nova Scotia Parliamentarian Robert Muir dies at 91". CBC News (Halifax, Nova Scotia). 2011-08-31. Archived from the original on 2011-11-21. http://www.webcitation.org/63MzyaJxu. Retrieved 2011-09-01. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "MUIR, The Hon. Robert (Biography)". Ottawa: Parliament of Canada. Archived from the original on 2011-11-21. http://www.webcitation.org/63N0lkBxp. Retrieved 2011-09-01. 
  5. ^ The Canadian Press (1979-03-29). "Tory MP becomes Senator as Trudeau names five to chamber". The Globe and Mail (Toronto): p. 2. 
  6. ^ MacLean, Greg (2011-08-31). "Bob Muir dead". CJCB Radio AM 1270 (Sydney, Nova Scotia). Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. http://www.webcitation.org/61dAV8eKM. Retrieved 2011-09-03. 

External links