John B . McNair John Babbitt McNair , CC ( November 20 , 1889 – June 14 , 1968 ) 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 . Despite province wide protests , on April 27 , 1950 McNair ' s government implemented a four percent provincial sales tax to help finance the public education system and social services . McNair served as premier for twelve years until the defeat of his government in 1952 at which time he returned to the practise of law . In 1955 he was named Chief Justice of New Brunswick and became the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of the province in 1965 . In 1967 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada . Life Story . The Honourable John Babbitt McNair was born to James McNair and Francis Anne Lewis on November 20 , 1889 , in Andover , Victoria County , New Brunswick . As a youth he attended Andover Grammar School and Florenceville Consolidated School before enrolling at the University of New Brunswick in 1907 . He distinguished himself as a scholar before graduating with his B . A . in 1911 , receiving numerous awards including the Lieutenant - Governors Award and served as his class valedictorian . He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University , where he further distinguished himself by earning first - class honours , and received a B . A . in 1913 and a B . C . L . in 1914 . Following the outbreak of the First World War , McNair enlisted with the Armed Forces and served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France and Germany . By the war ’ s close he had attained the rank of Lieutenant . Following the outbreak of the Second World War , McNair volunteered once again and served as a Captain in the Royal Canadian Artillery Reserves . Following his return to New Brunswick in 1919 , McNair was admitted to the bar and entered into a law partnership with J . J . F . Winslow at Fredericton . Over the next 15 years he became a leading member of several fraternal , religious and other community organizations . He also became a barrister and solicitor of some note , eventually being appointed a King ’ s Counsel on July 16 , 1935 . It was during this period that McNair became involved in public affairs . A rising - star in the Liberal Party , in October 1932 he became President of the New Brunswick Liberal Association . He held this position until 1940 . During the election campaign of June 1935 , McNair was instrumental in A . Alison Dysart ’ s successful election to the premier ’ s office . At the same election , the 46 year - old McNair was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a representative for York County . McNair was appointed Attorney - General in Premier Dysart ’ s cabinet on July 16 , 1935 . He held this position for the next seventeen years , until his retirement from politics in 1952 . In the Legislative Chambers , McNair distinguished himself as a gifted speaker and was widely regarded as the most able member of Dysart ’ s government . Dysart frequently suffered from ill - health and during his many absences from the Legislature McNair served as Acting Premier . Although defeated in York County at the general election of November 20 , 1939 , a by - election was created for McNair in Victoria County and on January 20 , 1940 he was re - elected . Shortly afterwards Dysart retired from political life , and on March 13 , 1940 McNair was sworn in as premier . He also continued as Attorney - General and , with a reputation as a hands - on administrator , he also briefly added the portfolios of Labour , Health and Labour , and Lands and Mines to his responsibilities . Considered to have been New Brunswick ’ s most intellectually gifted premier , McNair was also a shrewd politician and excellent debater who regularly used his cutting wit to fend off criticism from the Opposition benches . He was perhaps the last premier to write all his own speeches , which he did by hand either at his home on Waterloo Row or at his cabin at Gordon Vale . Governing the province during the war years and through harsh economic times , McNair is credited with introducing a succession of budgetary surpluses , undertaking a massive rural electrification program , improving education in rural areas , expanding the role of the civil service , centralizing the provincial government offices and New Brunswick Electric Power Commission in Fredericton . Following the war , he introduced a variety of social benefit programs , began the modernization of the highway system , and created a Department of Industry and Reconstruction to ensure a smooth economic and social transition for the province from wartime to peacetime . He was also instrumental in modernizing politics . For the August 1944 general election , McNair became the first politician in Canada to employ the services of a professional advertising agency to direct a political campaign . Following this tremendously successful campaign , the Liberals won all but five seats in the Legislature . After a similar election campaign in June 1948 , McNair ’ s Liberals were returned to office with a similar majority . McNair continued as premier until his party ’ s defeat at the polls in 1952 . McNair then returned to his Fredericton law practice . In July 1955 he was appointed a Justice in Appeal , Supreme Court of New Brunswick . In October 1955 he was appointed Chief Justice in Appeal , Supreme Court of New Brunswick . He retired from the bench in 1964 on account of age . During his career after politics , McNair was also a member of the Senate for the University of New Brunswick , Chairman of the Selection Committee for the Awarding of the Beaverbrook Scholarships , and a member of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery Board . In June 1965 , at age 76 , McNair was appointed Lieutenant - Governor of New Brunswick . He held this position until January 31 , 1968 when illness forced him to resign . He died six months later on June 14 , 1968 . McNair married Mary MacGregor Crocket on May 17 , 1921 , and they had three daughters and one son . Not long after McNair assumed the premiership , his wife ’ s health deteriorated in an alarming fashion and she spent much of her time in hospitals . Therefore , in addition to assuming the responsibility for the affairs of the province , McNair also shouldered the heavy responsibility of raising four children . Following the death of his first wife in 1961 , McNair married Margaret Jones on April 27 , 1963 . Among the many awards the Hon . John B . McNair received in his life were an honorary L . L . D . from the University of New Brunswick in 1938 and an honorary D . C . L . from Mount Allison University in 1951 . He was designated a Companion of the Order of Canada on July 6 , 1967 , but the award had to be presented posthumously as the scheduled ceremony did not take place until September 23 , 1968 .