Robert Wilson (Manitoba politician)

Robert George "Bob" Wilson (born November 2, 1934) is a former politician in Manitoba. He represented Wolseley in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1975 to 1981 as a Progressive Conservative and then independent member.[1]

He was first elected to the assembly in a by-election held on June 25, 1975 after former Liberal leader Izzy Asper resigned his seat. Wilson was re-elected in the 1977 general election,[1] defeating New Democrat Murdoch MacKay by 75 votes.[2] In September 1979, he was charged with conspiracy to import and traffic in marijuana as the result of drug seizures in May and July of that year.[3] Wilson was expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus on November 20, 1980 and subsequently sat as an independent member. He was convicted on November 7, 1980 and sentenced to seven years in prison. His appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was denied on June 15, 1981 and his seat in the assembly was declared vacant on June 17.[1]

In March 2011, Ian Jackson MacDonald, who had escaped police custody in June 1980, was returned to Canada by U.S. authorities. At that time, Wilson expressed hope that information from MacDonald would exonerate him of the earlier charges.[4] In 2014, MacDonald died; his testimony had failed to clear Wilson's name.[5]

References
  1. "MLA Biographies - Living". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  2. "Wolseley". Manitoba Votes 2007. CBC News. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  3. "Shunned Manitoba legislator awaits trial on drug charges". Montreal Gazette. September 17, 1980. p. 27. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  4. "Fugitive has Winnipeg court date". CBC News. March 18, 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  5. "High-living Winnipegger evaded the law for more than 30 years - The Globe and Mail".
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