Robertson, Wishart McLea, 1891-1967 : Senator Wishart McLea Robertson was born at Barrington Passage, Nova Scotia on 15 February, 1891. Robertson was a third generation Liberal politician serving Barrington Passage and Shelburne County. His father, Thomas Robertson (1852-1902) was a civil servant, author, entrepreneur and politician. First elected to the House of Commons in 1878, Thomas served until 1887. In 1894, he entered provincial politics, representing Shelburne until his death in 1902. At the time of his death Thomas Robertson was the Speaker of the provincial legislature. Thomas's father, Robert Robertson (1817-1901), was also a politician: he represented Barrington Township from 1855 to 1867 and Shelburne County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1867 until 1877.
Wishart Robertson attended school in Barrington Passage and Brooklyn, New York before heading west to work on the Transcontinental Railway at the age of fifteen in 1906. From 1912 to 1916, Robertson worked for the Cape Breton Life Underwriters Association. In 1916, Robertson enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, serving as a lieutenant in the 219th and 85th battalions. Robertson fought in France in 1917 before being sent home after an attack of trench fever weakened his arches and left him flat-footed. Following the war Robertson married Ethel Walker and in 1920 they settled in Halifax. He became involved in a series of automobile dealerships and garages, eventually becoming the owner of Provincial Motors in Halifax.
In 1928, Robertson took up the family tradition of representing Shelburne County by entering politics, successfully campaigning for a seat in the provincial assembly. He served until 1933. That year a reduction in the number of assembly seats from forty-three to thirty reduced from two to one the number of representatives for Shelburne. Robertson stepped aside, allowing the more senior representative of the county, Henry R. L. Bill, to contest the seat for the Liberals. He continued, however, to work for the party at the provincial and federal levels for the rest of his life.
His efforts were rewarded in 1943 when Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King called Robertson to the Senate. From 1943 to 1945, Robertson also served as President of the National Liberal Federation, the national office of the party. In 1945, King named Robertson as Government Leader in the Senate, a role he served until 1953. He was also a member of the King and Louis St. Laurent Cabinets during this period, as Minister without Portfolio. In 1953 Robertson became Speaker of the Senate. He remained Speaker until 1957, when the Liberals lost the federal election to John Diefenbaker's Progressive Conservative party.
Robertson remained a Senator until December, 1965. Plagued by ill-health in his later years, he died on 16 August, 1967.
