Robert George “Bob” Wilson

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Robert George Wilson
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Municipal official, MLA (1975-1976), MLA (1977-1981).

Born on 2 November 1934, he served for four years on the Winnipeg city council before being elected at a by-election to the Manitoba Legislature, representing the Wolseley constituency, in June 1975, after being defeated as a candidate for Winnipeg Centre in the 1973 general election. Re-elected at the 1977 general election, he was expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus when, in late 1980, he was convicted on two counts of conspiring to import and traffic in marijuana and was sentenced to seven years in prison. He sat as an independent MLA until mid-1981. Appeals to the Manitoba Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada were turned down. Paroled in 1983 and, he maintained his innocence and launched several unsuccessful attempts to overturn the conviction. In 1984, he received a BA degree from the University of Manitoba. He ran unsuccessfully as a school board candidate in the Winnipeg School Division (1992, 1995, 1998) and the St. James-Assiniboia School Division (2002). He received a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977).

Father of Gerry-Jenn Wilson.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Spera House (2 Middle Gate, Winnipeg)

Sources:

“Tory MLA faces drug charges,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 September 1979, page 1.

“Wilson loses appeal,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 May 1981, page 4.

“Man of letters,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 May 1984, page 6.

“Wilson returns drug case to court,” Winnipeg Free Press, 12 July 1987, page 5.

“Having similar name to felon hurts shot at election: candidate,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 October 1998, page 3.

“Will candidate Robert Wilson please stand up,” Winnipeg Free Press, 23 October 2002, page 9.

“Alleged drug-runner too sick to return,” Winnipeg Free Press, 9 February 2011, page 6.

MLA Biographies - Living, Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 19 November 2023