Editing Rodmond Roblin (section)

==Premiership==
Macdonald resigned as premier on October 29, 1900, to run for the [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative Party of Canada]] against [[Clifford Sifton]] in the federal [[electoral district (Canada)|riding]] of [[Brandon (electoral district)|Brandon]].  Roblin became premier in his place and also took the powerful cabinet position of [[Railway Commissioner (Manitoba)|Railway Commissioner]]. In December, he also appointed himself as [[Minister of Agriculture (Manitoba)|Minister of Agriculture]]. That consolidation of power reflected Roblin's personal authority over both the government and the provincial Conservative Party: his control over both would be unquestioned for 14 years.

While Greenway had won elections on [[single-issue]] populism, Roblin relied on [[machine politics]] for his electoral success. Despite (or because of) some coercion, he was able to effectively dispense patronage and could rely on the support of many loyal followers at the community level.

Roblin's Conservatives won 31 seats in the [[1903 Manitoba general election|1903 election]] against 9 for Greenway's Liberals. The extent of that victory may be credited to Greenway's leadership of the Liberal Party since he was increasingly uninterested in provincial politics and was spending much of his time looking for a federal patronage appointment. Roblin's machine also coasted to easy victories in [[1907 Manitoba general election|1907]] and [[1910 Manitoba general election|1910]] by winning 28 of 41 seats on both occasions.

Roblin played a crucial role in the [[1911 Canadian federal election|1911 federal election]] on [[reciprocity (Canadian politics)|reciprocity]] by putting his electoral machine at the disposal of the federal [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative Party]]. Roblin thus helped to defeat Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]] and put [[Robert Borden]] in power. Borden in turn enacted legislation to expand Manitoba's boundaries to their current limit.

Like his counterpart [[James Whitney (politician)|James Whitney]], in [[Ontario]], Roblin expanded the role of government in Manitoba and promoted many initiatives that would be regarded today as progressive. As railway commissioner, he reached an agreement with [[Canadian National Railway|Canadian Northern Railways]] to build an alternate route to the lakehead, and he put control of the rates into the hands of the province. His government also promoted significant, expansions in health, education, and road services, all of which were required to service Manitoba's rapidly-increasing population.

Roblin created Manitoba's first [[crown corporations]] by expropriating Bell's telephone services to create a state-owned system, the first effective public utilities system in Canada. The government also started a state-owned system of grain elevators to assist farmers, but that was less successful.  A scandal involving the elevators weakened his government's hold on power in the early 1910s.

Roblin was more conservative on social issues. He is often remembered today for his opposition to [[women's suffrage]] and for clashing with [[Nellie McClung]] on the issue. McClung made Roblin appear foolish in her famous "parliament of women" parodying the premier's patronizing comments on traditional gender roles.  Roblin also resisted demands to enact a labour code to protect workers and was sometimes reluctant to enforce the province's existing legislation.

Roblin is also remembered for folding to pressure from Winnipeg's business community. In 1904, he took the step of reducing the ages for [[child labour]] and increasing the maximum hours of work for women and children.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Reformers, Rebels and Revolutionaries: The Western Canadian Radical Movement 1899-1919|last=McCormack|first=A. Ross|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=1977|isbn=0-8020-5385-8|location=Canada|pages=8}}</ref>

Roblin's handling of the [[prohibition]] issue was also controversial. Macdonald's government had passed prohibition legislation in 1900, after two separate referendums had confirmed public support for the initiative. Roblin was reluctant to enforce the legislation, however, because his government received significant revenues from the sale of alcohol. He called a third referendum in 1902. When temperance supporters boycotted the poll, prohibition was defeated by a narrow margin.

The [[1914 Manitoba general election|1914 provincial election]] was the start of a watershed period in Manitoba politics. Roblin's government went into the election weakened by a scandal involving the construction of new legislative buildings. His opponents accused the government of corruption and claimed misappropriation of funds and overspending. The Conservatives were re-elected by a reduced margin by winning 28 seats against 20 for the Liberals in an expanded legislature.

When Roblin rejected calls for a formal investigation into the legislative buildings scandal, the Liberal opposition petitioned the [[Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba|Lieutenant Governor]] to take direct action. The Lieutenant-Governor convened his own commission of enquiry, popularly known as the Mathers Commission, as it was led by Chief Justice [[T.A. Mathers]]. After only two weeks, the commission had uncovered enough evidence to force the government's resignation. Roblin formally resigned as premier on May 12, 1915, and the Liberal leader, [[Tobias Norris]], was called to form a new administration. A [[1915 Manitoba general election|new general election]] was called, which the Liberals won a landslide.