Robert Coates (politician)

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The Honourable
Robert Coates
PC QC
Minister of National Defence
In office
September 17, 1984 – February 12, 1985
Prime MinisterBrian Mulroney
Preceded byJean-Jacques Blais
Succeeded byErik Nielsen (acting)
Member of Parliament
for Cumberland
Cumberland—Colchester North; (1968–1979)
Cumberland—Colchester; (1979–1988)
In office
June 10, 1957 – November 20, 1988
Preceded byAzel Randolph Lusby
Succeeded byBill Casey
Personal details
Born
Robert Carman Coates

(1928-03-10)March 10, 1928
Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedJanuary 12, 2016(2016-01-12) (aged 87)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Spouse
Mary Blanche Wade
​
(m. 1954)​
Children2
Alma mater
Profession
  • Author
  • Barrister
  • Lawyer

Robert Carman Coates PC QC (March 10, 1928 – January 12, 2016) was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.

Early life and education[edit]

Coates was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, the son of a cattle buyer.

In 1951 Coates received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mount Allison University in nearby Sackville, New Brunswick. In 1954, Coates graduated from Dalhousie Law School in Halifax. Prior to his election, Coates was a lawyer and member of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society.[1]

Political career[edit]

Coates was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1957 election as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Cumberland, Nova Scotia. Coates was a backbencher during the John Diefenbaker and Joe Clark governments. He was appointed to the Cabinet of Brian Mulroney as Defence Minister following the Tory victory in the 1984 election.[2]

Coates's main initiative was the re-introduction of separate uniforms for the naval, land and air branches of the military.[3] Liberal Paul Hellyer had unified the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force into an integrated Canadian Forces with a single uniform in 1967. Hellyer had scrapped the traditional British style uniforms and ranks of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force. The new uniforms resembled those of the US air force.[4]

Coates resigned from the Cabinet on February 12, 1985, after it emerged that he visited several strip clubs during a trip to West Germany in November 1984.[5][6][7][8] Coates did not run in the 1988 election.[9][10]

Death[edit]

Coates died in Halifax on January 12, 2016, after a short illness, at the age of 87.[11][12]

Personal life[edit]

In 1954, Coates married Mary Blanche Wade of Perth Junction, New Brunswick. The couple had two children, David Wade and Jodi.

Archives[edit]

There is Robert C. Coates fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[13]

Electoral record[edit]

1957 Canadian federal election: Cumberland
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Robert Carman Coates 10,065
Liberal Randolph Lusby 8,398
1958 Canadian federal election: Cumberland
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Robert Carman Coates 11,379
Liberal Azel Randolph Lusby 7,525
1962 Canadian federal election: Cumberland
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Robert Carman Coates 9,524
Liberal H. Keith Russell 7,817
New Democratic Carson Carlyle Spicer 1,265
Social Credit John Vincent Forbes 165
1963 Canadian federal election: Cumberland
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Robert Carman Coates 9,034
Liberal H. Keith Russell 8,082
New Democratic Carson Carlyle Spicer 874
1965 Canadian federal election: Cumberland
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Robert Carman Coates 9,560
Liberal C. Elmer Bragg 7,088
New Democratic Carson C. Spicer 1,327

References[edit]

  1. ^ Janigan, Mary (February 25, 1985). "The man who would not fit". macleans.ca. MacLeans. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  2. ^ "40-member Cabinet includes 23 first-time ministers". The Globe and Mail. September 18, 1984.
  3. ^ "Coates makes first moves to change forces' uniforms". The Globe and Mail. September 21, 1984.
  4. ^ Morton, Desmond A Military History of Canada, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1999 page 252
  5. ^ Miller, Robert (February 25, 1985). "The downfall of a minister". macleans.ca. MacLeans. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  6. ^ Morton, Desmond A Military History of Canada, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1999 page 265
  7. ^ "Coates resigns over nightclub visit". The Globe and Mail. February 13, 1985.
  8. ^ Wren, Christopher S. (February 13, 1985). "Canadian Defense Minister resigns in a scandal". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  9. ^ "Coates touted for Senate seat after deciding to resign as MP". The Globe and Mail. September 20, 1988.
  10. ^ "Conservative Coates feted by colleagues". Amherst Daily News. March 26, 2012. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  11. ^ Cole, Darrell (January 13, 2016). "Mourning a people's politician". Amherst News Citizen-Record. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  12. ^ "Former MP Robert Coates dies at 87". The Chronicle Herald. January 12, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  13. ^ "Robert C. Coates fonds, Library and Archives Canada". 25 November 2016. Retrieved 2020-09-02.

External links[edit]

24th Ministry – Cabinet of Brian Mulroney
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Jean-Jacques Blais Minister of Defence
1984–1985 		Erik Nielsen
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