Very cool political history anniversary for today, particularly for all my friends from Nova Scotia!It was on this day that Nova Scotia Premier Robert Stanfield entered the 1967 Conservative leadership race. He went on to victory at the storied convention that followed at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. Stanfield fought three elections against Pierre Trudeau -- 1968, 1972 and 1974 -- and while he didn't become Prime Minister, he played the leading role in modernizing his party and preparing it for power later, in 1979 and 1984.Most importantly, from my standpoint, Bob Stanfield left a legacy of decency in politics we all could use reminding of today. Mr. Stanfield was a remarkable man and Canadian, and most deserving of the honorific "Right Honourable" that he received from Mr. Mulroney as part of Canada 125 celebrations in 1992.[caption id="attachment_573255" align="aligncenter" width="440"]
Robert Stanfield, on the campaign trail[/caption]Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.
Robert Stanfield, on the campaign trail[/caption]Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.