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From the Archives: From Tiger to Premier

This is our last issue before the federal election, so this week we want to provide you with a bit of incentive to get involved with the political process.

We know that sometimes it might seem like there’s nothing any one person – especially a poor, overworked student – can do to make a difference. That just isn’t true. Did you know that Dalhousie grads have served as Premier of Nova Scotia for 65 of the 82 years since 1933?

If Robert “loaned his underwear out to friends for their Halloween costume” Stanfield or Darrell “quit student politics because it was interfering with his hockey schedule” Dexter can make it to the very zenith of Nova Scotian politics, surely any of us can make a difference if we put our minds to it!

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the fine young Tigers mentioned in the Gazette over the years who would one day go on to become Premier of this fair province.

 

Angus L. MacDonald – 1933-1940 / 1945-1954

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(Photo: Cape Breton Highlanders 185th Overseas Battalion C.E.F. Booklet)

 

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MacDonald was 29 years old when he came to Dalhousie to study law. He had spent the years after finishing his undergraduate degree serving in the Cape Breton Highlanders battalion during the First World War. At one point young Angus was forced to take command of his battalion, being the only officer left who had not been wounded or killed. After years of brutal service, he eventually did get taken down a mere four days before the end of the war by a near-fatal neck wound from a German sniper. He is by far the most badass Dalhousie political alumni on this list.

While at Dal, MacDonald was quite involved in campus life, serving as the Gazette’s Athletics Editor and prophetically filling the role of Liberal Party leader in Dalhousie’s Mock Parliament.

 

“Mock Parliament of Dalhousie” – Volume 53, Issue 6 – February 16, 1921

The Mock Parliament—sessions of which for several years have not been held—assembled in the Parliament Buildings (Forrest Building) on Feb. 1st, 1921.

The Government (Conservative) benches were well filled and the members of the Cabinet all in their places. The Opposition benches made up in spirit what they lacked in numbers.

Premier H. P. McKeen, addressing the Clerk of the House: ”(…) I nominate as Speaker one with wide experience and qualifications Mr. J. A. Walker.”

  1. L. MacDonald, Leader of Opposition: “1 support the nomination. In this I concur with the Premier. But it won’t happen again–because the Premier is generally wrong.”

(…)

  1. L. MacDonald- (Leader of Opposition): “I congratulate the Premier. He is a hero to take the responsibility of such a Cabinet. (The Cabinet scowls). He has insulted the women of Canada by giving a sham portfolio—that of Education—to first woman in the

Cabinet. The Minister of Railways is a deserter from the Liberals, a hypocrite and a deceiver. Speech from the Throne is like a honeycomb without the honey. I move an amendment that the Speech offers no remedy for our industrial ills and college chills.”

 

Henry Hicks – 1954-1956

When MacDonald passed away in 1954, the Liberals rushed to find a replacement. They settled on the 39-year-old Hicks, a Rhodes Scholar from the class of ‘37. While Henry only lasted two years as premier, he landed on his feet, becoming perhaps the most successful President in the history of Dalhousie University.

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“Dalhousians Win Honours” – Volume 69, Issue 11 – January 8, 1937

Two Rhodes Scholars were chosen this year from Dalhousie, swelling the number of students receiving the award while attending the college by the sea to seven in the last three years. Few universities in Canada can claim such a number of Rhodes Scholars in such a short space of time. Dalhousie was the only university in the Dominion to send two students to Oxford under the scholarship in 1935 and will repeat the feat in 1937 as a result of the recent choice of Henry D. Hicks as Nova Scotia’s Rhodes Scholar, and of John D. Ashley as Newfoundland’s Scholar.

(…)

Henry Hicks, who hails from Bridgetown, NS, won the coveted award during his first year here, having graduated in arts with highest honours from Mount Allison in 1936. He was studying towards a Bachelor of Science degree here when his selection was announced.

At Mount Allison, he represented the university in intercollegiate debating, held executive positions in the Eurhetorian Society, the International Relations Club, and attended two Maritime Model League of Nations Assemblies. He also wrote for the Argosy student publication, was a member of the university’s track team and was prominent in hockey, basketball, tennis and swimming.

 

Robert Stanfield – 1956 –1967

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(Pharos Yearbook, 1936)

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stanfield is often called the “best Prime Minister Canada never had”. Stanfield is best known nationally for giving Trudeau the Elder a few good runs in the 1960s and 1970s, coming within two seats of winning the 1972 federal election. Stanfield began this tradition of agonizing defeats early, losing his 1935 bid to become the male class-rep on student council by a mere four votes out of 198 cast:

 

 

Prior to becoming leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives, Stanfield was Premier of Nova Scotia from 1956-1967. His success against that egg-head Henry Hicks should come as no surprise—as far back as his undergraduate years he demonstrated such important Nova Scotian populist traits as knowing how to have a good time at a party and advocating for a longer hockey season.

 

“Campus Comment” – Volume 66, Issue 7 – November 9, 1933

Did you know that John Rowley went to a party Halloween night dressed in Stanfield’s red underwear?

 

“What do you think about Hockey?” – Volume 66, Issue 8 – November 16, 1933

It has been the custom in previous years to start Hockey after Christmas. A short notice is usually given stating the time and place of practice. Practices are then held about three or four times a week for about two weeks and the team picked.

It appears to the writer that a better plan would be to start hockey about the middle of November and continue it for about three weeks.

(…)

The following are a few comments from some of the boys:

Bob Stanfield-The idea is good, hockey should start before Christmas but I don’t think the Student’s Council will support it.

 

GI Smith – 1967-1970

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GI (“Ike”) Smith succeeded his colleague Stanfield as Premier of Nova Scotia in 1967, when Stanfield stepped down to lead the federal PCs. Smith lasted three years in power—not even the former ace goalie’s skills could save the Conservatives in 1970.

 

“Dalhousie vs. St. Mary’s at the Forum Thurs.” – Volume 63, Issue 11 – January 21, 1931

Dalhousie Tigers play their first Intercollegiate game of the season at the Forum. St. Mary’s College is the rival team, last year’s winners, and a good game is assured. The Tigers are, at last, making a strong bid for the place they once held in Maritime hockey…Six men have turned out for the position of goalie, left vacant by Ken Purtill, owing to a recent appendectomy. Ike Smith of the Law School seems to be the favored one for this important position.

 

Gerald Regan – 1970-1978

Gerald Regan, the Liberal who replaced Smith and governed Nova Scotia through most of the ‘70s, was a big sports fanatic and a regular Gazette contributor. It does not appear that he shared the same passion for American magazines as he did for hockey.

(Pharos, 1952)
(Pharos, 1952)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Law Notes” – Volume 84, Issue 25 – January 22, 1952

FRAUD! Billed for a number of subscriptions to U.S. magazines he did not order, Gerald ‘Gabby’ Regan is scouting around with blood in his eye to discover the culprit who forged his name to subscription blanks and sent cards announcing the ‘gifts’ to a number of persons in the Law School. Big developments may be expected in this case shortly, folks. The circle of suspects is being narrow down one by one. Watch this column for developments. Mr. Regan may not be the only one faced with this dilemma. Moreover, every law student knows inside information as to who did it-or so rumours would indicate.

 

John Buchanan – 1978—1990

 

(Pharos, 1958)
(Pharos, 1958)

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The man who eventually replaced Regan as premier—John Buchanan—started Dal Law not long after Regan graduated. The Gazette doesn’t have much to say about his time here, but we do know one thing: his reckless disregard for timely paperwork filing held up publication of the 1956-57 student directory!

 

“Are You Here?” – Volume 89, Issue 3 — October 17, 1956

 

ADDRESSES or PHONE.NUMBERS of the following are required immediately. YOU are delaying the Students Directory.

 

Alfonzo, Manuel; Allen, Donald; Allen, George; Anderson, Albert; Avis, Gerald; Bauditz, Horst; Baxter, Charles; Baxter, Walter; Beattie, Alan; Bell, Adam; Berry, Gerald; Bogle, John; Bridger. Spencer; Brawn, Charles; Buchanan, John

 

Russell MacLellan – 1997-1999

The next Premier to win an election after Buchanan resigned was the Welsh-born and Irish-educated immigrant Dr. John Savage (not a Dal grad, obviously, but father of current Halifax mayor Mike Savage, who is a Dal alumnus). Despite winning a majority in 1993, his party pressured him to resign before the 1997 election due to low polling numbers. He was replaced with yet another Dal grad, Russell MacLellan, who managed to salvage a minority government.

MacLellan’s success at winning over a hostile Nova Scotian electorate may be traced back to his days on campus, when he was known as a talented actor and theatre director. (It should be noted that Russell appeared in the Gazette relatively frequently due to his involvement in campus theatre, yet we seem to have changed the spelling of his last name every other issue.)

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“IF SPARKS WERE LARKS “– By Mary Holm – Volume 92, Issue 15 – February 17, 1960

An enthusiastic and encouraging audience applauded the opening performance of

Arnold Ridley’s mystery, THE GHOST TRAIN, by Kings College Choral and Dramatic

Society. The cast and its student director, Russell McLellan. who has been active in dramatic circles in Sydney, had obviously worked hard…

 

John Hamm – 1999 – 2006

(Pharos, 1962)
(Pharos, 1962)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MacLellan held onto his minority government for as long as he could, but he was soon overtaken by the Conservatives under yet another Dal grad, John Hamm. This was probably not the first time Hamm left MacLellan in his dust, as both were students together on campus during the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, when Hamm was a both a successful hockey player and a champion distance runner.

 

“HAMM IN ROAD RACE WIN” Volume 89, Issue 4 – October 24, 1956

For the second straight year, John Hamm of Chapel Bay brought honors to his home-bay by winning the annual Road Race. He ran the 2.3 mile course in 13 minutes. The runner-up spot was taken by Art Peters of Radical Bay, who was closely followed by Wally Turnbull of Chapel Bay, Hamm’s win gives Chapel Bay the leadership for the Dysart Interbay Sports Trophy

 

Darrell Dexter – 2009 – 2013

The most recent Dal alumnus to serve as Premier, Dexter defeated John Hamm’s successor Rodney MacDonald in the 2009 election.

(Pharos)
(Pharos)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While working on his BA, Dexter was a regular contributor to the Gazette. He was also active in the student movement, serving as Nova Scotia’s representative on the National Union of Students’ Central Committee. One may question his passion for politics at this early stage though—the Gazette reports that he ended up resigning his NUS position in October 1978 due to “time constraints”, and yet a mere two weeks later, his name was again in the paper:

 

“Intramural hockey” – Volume 111, Issue 10 November 10, 1976

Education C went down to defeat at the hands of an unbeaten Arts team by the score of 9 to 4. M. Lordly, George Thomas, and Bruce Richardson each scored twice for Arts with singles going to Darrell Dexter, B. Woodbury and Pat Findley. Rob Matthews, Bruce Horn, Rick Hayward, and Russ Higgins each had singles for Education.

(Given that almost all Dal Premiers were more noted for their involvement in sports than student politics during their time on campus, Dexter may have made the right call.)

 

John Hillman
John Hillman
John Hillman is the Gazette's Opinions Editor. John is a second-year law student, but he has been at Dalhousie for much longer than that. Recently discovered cave paintings indicate he was first observed lurching around campus by Halifax’s original human settlers some time during the late Pleistocene epoch. He started writing for the Gazette back when you were in elementary school, but he unexpectedly went off the grid a half-decade ago to concentrate on helping found Punditry.ca, a DSU-focused political blog. Where exactly was he hiding between the years 2009-2013? Certain individuals would prefer he not comment. Why has he returned? Not because of a top-secret Illuminati indoctrination project known only as the Omega Initiative, that’s for sure. You can email John at opinions@dalgazette.com.
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