Richard Bennett Hatfield
From Open Encyclopedia
| Rank: | 26th | |
| Term of Office: | November 12, 1970 – October 26, 1987 | |
| Predecessor: | Louis Robichaud | |
| Successor: | Frank McKenna | |
| Date of Birth: | April 9, 1931 | |
| Place of Birth: | Woodstock, New Brunswick | |
| Date of Death: | April 26, 1991 | |
| Spouse: | none | |
| Profession: | Lawyer, Sales Manager | |
| Political Party: | Progressive Conservative | |
The Honourable Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC , BA , LL.B (April 9, 1931 – April 26, 1991) was a New Brunswick politician and long time Premier of the province (1970-1987).
Hatfield was first elected to the provincial legislature in 1961 and became leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick in 1969 leading the party to victory in the 1970 election. During Hatfield's long tenure he became prominent on the national stage allying with federal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau during the constitutional negotiations that led to the 1982 patriation of the Canadian constitution and the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He also took leadership in helping create equality between the province's French-Canadian minority and English Canadian majority.
His attempts at attracting investment to the province and developing the economy were less successful. In the 1970s the Hatfield government financed the manufacture of the Bricklin SV-1 in hopes of creating an auto industry in the province. Although a visionary project that produced an advanced quality sports car, huge cost overuns and poor management led to the company's demise.
Hatfield's last years in office were plagued by personal scandal. In October 1984 he was charged with criminal possession of marijuana after a small amount of the drug was found in his suitcase during a routine inspection of luggage during that year's royal visit by Queen Elizabeth II. He was acquitted on the charges.
Hatfield was a life-long bachelor, and lived alone in a house full of collector dolls. Many suspected him of being a homosexual, and even a Liberal opponent, Joe Daige, responded to Hatfield's accusations of being unoriginal by saying, "I'd rather be a second hand rose then a faded pansy." Hatfield would spend lots of time in New York and Europe, once saying to a reporter that "[He was] elected to run New Brunswick, not live there."
The 1987 election saw Hatfield's Tories lose every seat in the legislature. Hatfield resigned as Premier and party leader immediately. In 1990 he was appointed to the Canadian Senate by Brian Mulroney but was soon stricken with an inoperable brain tumour and died in 1991. He was 60. His funeral, which was held in Fredericton, was attended by Premiers and Prime Ministers, friends and opponents.
External links
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