Gideon Robertson
Gideon Decker Robertson, (August 26, 1874 – August 5, 1933) was a Canadian Senator and Canadian Cabinet minister. Robertson was a telegrapher by profession and had links with conservatives in the labour movement. In January 1917, he was appointed to the Senate as a Conservative as a means of bringing in labour representation during the First World War. When Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden formed a Unionist government in October as a means of creating a national government for the war effort, he included Robertson in the cabinet, making him minister without portfolio despite not having a seat in the House of Commons, to represent organised labour. Winnipeg General Strike On November 8, 1918, Robertson became Minister of Labour. He held this portfolio in 1919 during the Winnipeg General Strike. At the beginning of the strike Robertson and Minister of Interior Arthur Meighen went to the city to meet the "Citizens' Committee of 1000" which had been formed by local businessmen and professionals in opposition to the strike. He refused to meet the Central Strike Committee to hear their demands. Robertson ordered federal government employees to return to work or lose their jobs. On June 17, he ordered the arrest