Article

George Isaac Smith

Published Online February 18, 2009

Last Edited March 4, 2015

George Isaac Smith, lawyer, politician, premier of NS (b at Stewiacke, NS 6 Apr 1909; d at Truro, NS 19 Dec 1982). He began his career as a lawyer and served with the army in WWII. He then became politically involved, helping to

Smith, George Isaac

 George Isaac Smith, lawyer, politician, premier of NS (b at Stewiacke, NS 6 Apr 1909; d at Truro, NS 19 Dec 1982). He began his career as a lawyer and served with the army in WWII. He then became politically involved, helping to recruit R.L. STANFIELD as Progressive Conservative Party leader in NS in 1948. Smith entered the legislature in 1949 and occupied various strategic Cabinet posts, until 1967 when he replaced Stanfield as premier. He supported regional equalization and federal-provincial conferences, and was praised for decisiveness in the government takeover of Sydney Steel in 1968. After his administration was defeated in 1970, he resigned as party leader in 1971. He remained an MLA until 1974 and was appointed a senator in 1975.