Robert James Manion

Robert James Manion
Leader of the Opposition
In office
November 14, 1938 – March 25, 1940
Preceded byR. B. Bennett
Succeeded byRichard Hanson (acting)
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office
July 7, 1938 – May 13, 1940
Preceded byR. B. Bennett
Succeeded byRichard Hanson (acting)
Member of Parliament
for London
In office
November 14, 1938 – March 25, 1940
Preceded byFrederick Cronyn Betts
Succeeded byAllan Johnston
Member of Parliament
for Fort William
(Fort William and Rainy River; 1917–1925)
In office
December 17, 1917 – October 13, 1935
Preceded byRiding created
Succeeded byDan McIvor
Personal details
Born(1881-11-19)November 19, 1881
Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
DiedJuly 2, 1943(1943-07-02) (aged 61)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political partyConservative
Other political
affiliations
Unionist (1917-1921)
Spouse
Yvonne Desaulniers
(m. 1906)
Children3
Alma materQueen's University, Kingston
Ontario and at the University of Edinburgh
OccupationPhysician
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/serviceCanadian Army
Years of service1916-1918
RankCaptain
Battles/warsWorld War I

Robert James Manion PC MC (November 19, 1881 – July 2, 1943) was a Canadian politician who led the Conservative Party of Canada from 1938 to 1940. Prior to his leadership of the party, he served in Prime Minister Arthur Meighen and R. B. Bennett's cabinets.

A Liberal prior to World War I, Manion was elected to the House of Commons in 1917 as a member of the pro-conscription Unionist Party led by Prime Minister Robert Borden. After the war, he served as a Conservative Member of Parliament until his defeat in 1935. In 1938, Manion was elected leader of the Conservatives, which was shortly relabeled as National Government. Despite his pro-conscription stance in World War I, Manion campaigned against conscription in World War II in the 1940 federal election. Manion also ran on a platform of forming a wartime coalition national unity government. In the election, the National Government lost in a landslide, keeping their seat count exactly the same as in the 1935 federal election. Manion also lost his seat of London, and subsequently resigned as leader. Shortly after, Manion was appointed director of Civilian Air Raid Defence. He died in 1943 in Ottawa.