John B. McNair

John B. McNair
McNair, pictured in a 1944 newspaper
23rd Premier of New Brunswick
In office
March 13, 1940 – October 7, 1952
MonarchsGeorge VI
Elizabeth II
Lieutenant GovernorWilliam G. Clark
David L. MacLaren
Preceded byAllison Dysart
Succeeded byHugh John Flemming
22nd Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
In office
June 9, 1965 – January 31, 1968
MonarchElizabeth II
Governors GeneralGeorges Vanier
Roland Michener
PremierLouis Robichaud
Preceded byJoseph Leonard O'Brien
Succeeded byWallace Samuel Bird
MLA for York
In office
June 27, 1935 – November 20, 1939
Preceded byB. H. Dougan
Succeeded byC. Hedley Forbes
In office
August 28, 1944 – September 22, 1952
Preceded byArthur J. McEvoy
Succeeded byWilliam J. West
MLA for Victoria
In office
January 24, 1940 – August 28, 1944
Preceded byJohn W. Niles
Succeeded byMichael F. McCloskey
Personal details
Born
John Babbitt McNair

(1889-11-20)November 20, 1889
Andover, New Brunswick, Canada
DiedJune 14, 1968(1968-06-14) (aged 78)
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Resting placeFredericton Rural Cemetery
Political partyLiberal
Spouses
Mary MacGregor Crocket
(m. 1921; died 1961)
Margaret Jones
(m. 1963)
Children3 daughters, 1 son
Alma materUniversity of New Brunswick
Oxford University
ProfessionLawyer, Politician, Judge

John Babbitt McNair CC QC (November 20, 1889 – June 14, 1968) was the 23rd premier of New Brunswick from 1940 to 1952. He worked as a lawyer, politician and judge.

Born in Andover, New Brunswick, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick in 1911 with a B.A. degree. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, at Oxford University he earned a B.A. in 1913 and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 1914, graduating with first-class honours.

At the onset of World War I he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and served on the battlefields of France and Belgium. Captain McNair served again during World War II as a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery Reserves.

John McNair was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1935 New Brunswick general election and served as Attorney-General in the government of Premier Dysart and served as president of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick from 1932 to 1940. He lost his seat in the 1939 election but returned in 1940, succeeding Dysart as leader of the party and premier.

Despite province wide protests, on April 27, 1950 McNair's government implemented a four percent provincial sales tax to help finance the public education system and social services.

McNair served as premier for twelve years until the defeat of his government in 1952 at which time he returned to the practise of law. In 1955 he was named Chief Justice of New Brunswick and became the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of the province in 1965.

In 1967 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.