437:, where they formed the governments and ran powerful political machines. Additionally, Manning was becoming concerned with the leftward trajectory of both the federal Liberals and the Progressive Conservatives. He encouraged Thompson to try to bring about a merger of the federal Social Credit and Progressive Conservative parties.
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to the PCs in hopes of influencing that party. He resigned as leader of Social Credit in March 1967 by citing the lack of support for the federal Social Credit Party from its provincial wings. He then sought the
Progressive Conservative nomination for his old seat. Despite vehement opposition from
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came from Quebec and regarded
Caouette as their leader. The number of Socreds from English Canada was declining, as was made sharply clear at the 1962 election. Additionally, the party's English wing, including Thompson, had largely abandoned
360:, which was won by Thompson. Years later, Caouette claimed that he would have won, but Manning told him to tell the Quebec delegates to vote for Thompson because the West would never accept a francophone Catholic as party leader.
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Despite the massive linguistic imbalance in his caucus, Thompson refused to cede the leadership of the party to
Caouette. That caused the party to split, and most of the party's Quebec MPs followed Caouette into his new
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371:. However, he was one of only four Socreds elected from English Canada, and 26 came from Quebec led by Caouette. Under the circumstances, Thompson was all but forced to name Caouette as the party's
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in
British Columbia through the 1970s. At various times he also served as chairman of the university's board of governors and vice president of development at the school.
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In his last years, Thompson was instrumental in bringing the former
Emperor Haile Sellassie's children out of Ethiopia and to safety in the west after the 1974
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in the other two). That meant that the government had to rely on smaller parties such as Social Credit to pass legislation and remain in power.
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Thompson was frustrated by the lack of support that the national party enjoyed from the provincial Social Credit parties in
Alberta and
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Thompson returned to Canada in 1958 and resumed his activities with Social Credit. He soon became president of the national
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and, after the war, became deputy minister of education and helped to rebuild the nation's public school system.
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in favour of fiscal conservatism. In contrast, Caouette and other Quebec
Socreds still held fast to the theory.
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in which no one party had a majority of seats (the PCs won the largest plurality in the first election, the
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and did much to rebuild the party after it was shut out of
Parliament in the massive
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as leader of the Social Credit Party of Canada and backed him in a hotly-contested
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in 1939 and worked as a chiropractor and then as a teacher before serving in the
263:, to Canadian parents and moved to Canada in 1918 with his family. Raised in
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from its creation. His age prevented him from running as a candidate in the
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604:"Finding aid to Robert Norman Thompson fonds, Library and Archives Canada"
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the local riding association, he won the nomination and was re-elected in
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and head up nation's air force academy. He became a confidant of
Emperor
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Under
Thompson's leadership, the Socreds returned to the Commons in the
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but was defeated in his attempt. He retired from politics and taught
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The Social Credit Party was sharply divided after 1962. Most Socred
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621:"Robert Norman Thompson fonds, Trinity Western University Archives"
503:''The Americans are our best friends, whether we like it or not.''
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provincial election. Instead he became youth leader of the party.
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Dufresne, Bernard, “Quebec’s Socreds vote to Disown Thompson”,
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In the late 1980s, Thompson was on the executive board of the
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Negotiations failed, but with the backing of both Manning and
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Social Credit writings of Robert Thompson on Premier's Page.
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politician, chiropractor, and educator. He was born in
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Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Alberta
589:"Robert Thompson resigns as leader of Socred Party",
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to teach and tried to win a seat from that province,
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British Columbia candidates for Member of Parliament
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Robert N. Thompson – Parliament of Canada biography
495:. His intervention probably saved them from death.
307:to serve as the founding commander of the Imperial
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775:Progressive Conservative Party of Canada MPs
638:Robert N. Thompson and Political Realignment
386:The 1962, 1963, and 1965 elections produced
344:saw Thompson as the ideal person to succeed
19:For other people named Robert Thompson, see
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27:
424:Social Credit Party of Canada split, 1963
251:(May 17, 1914 – November 16, 1997) was a
111:June 18, 1962 – October 30, 1972
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644:William Aberhart Historical Foundation
525:A Christian Voice from the Marketplace
770:Social Credit Party of Canada leaders
429:Move to the Progressive Conservatives
63:July 7, 1961 – March 9, 1967
7:
367:. Thompson himself was elected from
755:American people of Canadian descent
790:Canadian people of British descent
750:Politicians from Duluth, Minnesota
548:There is a Robert Norman Thompson
319:Return to Canada and Social Credit
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712:National Leaders of Social Credit
531:Liberation: The First to Be Freed
375:. Thompson was re-elected in the
21:Robert Thompson (disambiguation)
800:Officers of the Order of Canada
513:Canadians, It's Time You Knew!
303:In 1944, Thompson was sent to
289:Social Credit Party of Alberta
1:
325:Social Credit Party of Canada
269:Palmer School of Chiropractic
51:Social Credit Party of Canada
554:Library and Archives Canada
539:, Robert N. Thompson. 1990.
533:, Robert N. Thompson. 1987.
527:, Robert N. Thompson. 1979.
521:, Robert N. Thompson. 1965.
515:, Robert N. Thompson. 1965.
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356:, the movement's leader in
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558:Trinity Western University
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640:Article by Geoffrey Olson
519:Commonsense for Canadians
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722:Alexander Bell Patterson
697:Party political offices
329:Progressive Conservative
273:Royal Canadian Air Force
267:, he graduated from the
198:Progressive Conservative
86:Alexander Bell Patterson
580:, 2 September 1963, p.1
537:The House of Minorities
287:Thompson supported the
760:Canadian chiropractors
444:, Thompson decided to
283:Early political career
244:Robert Norman Thompson
153:Robert Norman Thompson
417:Ralliement créditiste
365:1962 federal election
765:Canadian Protestants
677:Member of Parliament
670:Harris George Rogers
661:Parliament of Canada
493:Ethiopian Revolution
465:, Thompson moved to
409:social credit theory
388:minority parliaments
213:Hazel Kurth Thompson
122:Harris George Rogers
94:Member of Parliament
309:Ethiopian Air Force
16:Canadian politician
331:(PC) landslide of
32:Robert N. Thompson
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719:Succeeded by
687:Succeeded by
475:political science
471:Surrey—White Rock
369:Red Deer, Alberta
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176:November 16, 1997
166:Duluth, Minnesota
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702:Preceded by
667:Preceded by
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467:British Columbia
457:British Columbia
442:Robert Stanfield
435:British Columbia
313:Haile Selassie I
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187:British Columbia
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144:Personal details
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446:cross the floor
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350:leadership vote
339:Alberta Premier
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194:Political party
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381:1965 elections
342:Ernest Manning
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463:1972 election
461:Prior to the
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277:World War II
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227:chiropractor
183:Fort Langley
178:(1997-11-16)
163:May 17, 1914
129:Succeeded by
106:
81:Succeeded by
58:
25:
745:1997 deaths
740:1914 births
205:(1935–1967)
200:(1967–1972)
117:Preceded by
69:Preceded by
734:Categories
716:1961–1967
684:1962–1972
564:References
560:Archives.
224:Politician
218:Occupation
159:1914-05-17
419:in 1963.
398:Divisions
346:Solon Low
261:Minnesota
107:In office
59:In office
680:Red Deer
544:Archives
392:Liberals
352:against
305:Ethiopia
299:Ethiopia
253:Canadian
230:educator
189:, Canada
99:Red Deer
88:(acting)
275:during
265:Alberta
358:Quebec
257:Duluth
210:Spouse
168:, U.S.
607:(PDF)
550:fonds
507:Books
499:Quote
451:1968
379:and
377:1963
333:1958
293:1935
173:Died
149:Born
97:for
552:at
477:at
404:MPs
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335:.
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248:OC
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37:OC
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