John B. McNair

Who was John B. McNair?

John Babbitt McNair, CC was the 23rd premier of the Province of New Brunswick, Canada from 1940 to 1952. He worked as a lawyer, politician and judge.

Born in Andover, New Brunswick, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick in 1911 with a B.A. degree. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, at Oxford University he earned a B.A. in 1913 and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 1914, graduating with first-class honours.

At the onset of World War I he enlisted in the Canadian Army and served on the battlefields of France and Germany as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Captain McNair served again during World War II as a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery Reserves.

John McNair was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1935 New Brunswick general election and served as Attorney-General in the government of Premier Dysart and served as president of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick from 1932 to 1940. He lost his seat in the 1939 election but returned in 1940, succeeding Dysart as leader of the party and premier.