Robert Henry McGregor

Robert Henry McGregor PC (1 March 1886 – 25 October 1965) was a long-time Canadian parliamentarian.

The Honourable Robert H. McGregor PC
Member of Parliament for York East
In office 14 October 1935 – 17 June 1962
Preceded by	Riding created
Succeeded by	Steve Otto
Member of Parliament for York South
In office 14 September 1926 – 13 October 1935
Preceded by	William Findlay Maclean
Succeeded by	Earl Lawson
Personal details
Born	Robert Henry McGregor (1886-03-01)1 March 1886 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	25 January 1965(1965-01-25) (aged 78) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Progressive Conservative (1945-1965) National Government (1940-1945) Conservative (until 1940)
Spouse(s)	Olive Linda Moorcroft ​ ​ (m. 1907; died 1926)​ Estelle Orr ​ (m. 1929)​ [1]
Children	3
Profession	Horticulturist

MacGregor was a contractor and horticulturalist by profession. He grew up in the Todmorden area of suburban Toronto, and was once an Elementary School student of a teacher named William Thomas Diefenbaker, father of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. His initial experience in politics began in 1912 when he was appointed a school trustee for York Township. Following the formation of North York Township, he eventually became the first reeve of East York. In 1922, R.H. McGregor Elementary School, located in the eventual centre of East York, was erected and named in his honour.

He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1926 federal election and sat continuously in the chamber for thirty-six years until his defeat in the 1962 federal election when he was 79 years old.^[2]

Originally elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for York South, he switched to the new Toronto riding of York East when it was created for the 1935 federal election. He won election a total of eight consecutive times^[2] and was Dean of the House of Commons being its longest-serving member in the last years of his career.^[3]

Despite his long tenure in the House of Commons he spoke rarely and was nicknamed "Silent Bob" McGregor. His only recorded Parliamentary speech occurred when being feted in the House on his 74th birthday. On that occasion he remarked "If a good many hon. Members made fewer speeches in the House, they would be here longer."^[1][3]

Though never a member of Cabinet, he was elevated to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on 21 December 1960, on Diefenbaker's recommendation in recognition of McGregor's long tenure of service.^[4]

Electoral record

v t e 1935 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	11,634
	Liberal	Goldie Fleming	8,922
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Arthur Henry Williams	7,864
	Reconstruction	John Warren	4,054
	Independent Liberal	Denis McCarthy	975

v t e 1940 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	National Government	Robert Henry McGregor	16,741
	Liberal	Robert Allan Irwin	12,429
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Edward Bigelow (Ted) Jolliffe	4,931

v t e 1945 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Progressive Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	19,908
	Liberal	Donald Robert Morrison	14,036
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Frederick C. Madill	8,654
	Labor–Progressive	John Francis White	465
	Social Credit	Carl Clark Pinkney	355

v t e 1949 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Progressive Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	22,364
	Liberal	Walter Melville Martin	21,398
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Frederick C. Madill	13,448

v t e 1953 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Progressive Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	11,062
	Liberal	Joseph Douglas Thomas	8,701
	Co-operative Commonwealth	True Davidson	5,815
	Labor–Progressive	Margery Ferguson	472

v t e 1957 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Progressive Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	17,236
	Liberal	Ray S. Tower	9,078
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Sid Dunkley	6,725
	Social Credit	Henry F. Motton	620

v t e 1958 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Progressive Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	22,900
	Liberal	Ray. S. Tower	8,317
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Sid Dunkley	6,033

v t e 1962 Canadian federal election: York East
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	Steve Otto	16,963
	Progressive Conservative	Robert Henry McGregor	16,827
	New Democratic Party	Sid Dunkley	10,940
	Social Credit	Norman Elston	609