Robert Gordon Robertson
- May 19, 1917
- January 15, 2013
- 95 years
About Robert Gordon Robertson
Robert Gordon Robertson, 95, Canadian civil servant, 7th Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.
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Full Biography
|(Robert) Gordon Robertson, PC CC FRSC (May 19, 1917 – January 15, 2013) was the commissioner of the Northwest Territories from November 15, 1953 to July 12, 1963 who, having been sworn in at the age of 36, remains the youngest person to ever hold the office. He went on to become Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, the top position in the Canadian public service.
Biography
Born in Davidson, Saskatchewan, Robertson was educated at University of Saskatchewan, Exeter College, Oxford (where he was a Rhodes Scholar) and University of Toronto. He joined the Department of External Affairs in 1941. From 1945 to 1948 he worked in the Prime Minister's Office of William Lyon Mackenzie King, and from 1948 to 1953 he was in the Privy Council Office under Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. In 1953 he was appointed Deputy Minister of the newly formed Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources. By virtue of that position he was also Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. He remained in this combination of positions until 1963, when incoming Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson appointed him Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, the top position in the Canadian public service. He held this position under Pearson and then under Pierre Trudeau until 1975. In that year, Trudeau appointed him Secretary to the Cabinet for Federal-Provincial Relations, to support Trudeau in his constitutional reform agenda. He remained in that position for most of the government of Joe Clark, retiring in December 1979.
Awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Saskatchewan for outstanding service with the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources and Commissioner of the Northwest Territories Council in 1959. In 1970, he won the Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada.
Robertson was a recipient of the Public Service Outstanding Achievement Award in 1972; in 1976 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, and a member of the Privy Council in 1982.
Robertson served as chancellor of Carleton University in Ottawa from 1980 to 1990.
In 2000, Robertson published Memoirs of a Very Civil Servant, which recounted his experiences as a senior civil servant under five Canadian prime ministers.
In 2022, in association with the Inuit Advisory Council and Inuit in the region and in the North, Carleton University re-named Robertson Hall (named after Robertson) to Pigiarvik (ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᒃ), which is an Inuit name that translates to “a place to begin” or “the starting place."
Personal life
Robertson was born to John Gordon Robertson and Lydia A. Paulson. A prominent leader in Saskatchewan John Gordon Robertson served as Live Stock Commissioner in the province of Saskatchewan following his service in the Great War. Additionally John Robertson held many administrative offices in the province and served on several boards and organisations. Robert Gordon Robertson had one brother, former chairman of the CDIC, Ronald Neil Robertson, and one sister, Jessie Lucille Robertson.
The Honourable Robert Gordon Robertson died on January 15, 2013.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Articles & News
- "The Honorable Robert Gordon Robertson P.C., C.C., M.A., DU., F.R.S.C."v1.theglobeandmail.com
- "Robert Gordon Robertson, Obit"cbc.ca
- "Former Privy Council Clerk Gordon Robertson Dies"ctvnews.ca
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gordon_Robertson
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 4, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Robert Gordon Robertson's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Robert Gordon Robertson born?
- A.Davidsoncorrect
- B.Toronto
- C.Regina
- D.Ottawa
Robert Gordon Robertson was born in Davidson, Saskatchewan.
Source: Biography section
2.At what age was Robert Gordon Robertson sworn in as commissioner of the Northwest Territories?
- A.45
- B.36correct
- C.30
- D.42
Robert Gordon Robertson was sworn in as commissioner at the age of 36.
Source: Introductory paragraph
3.What position did Robert Gordon Robertson hold immediately before being appointed Clerk of the Privy Council?
- A.Deputy Minister of the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resourcescorrect
- B.Chancellor of Carleton University
- C.Secretary to the Cabinet for Federal-Provincial Relations
- D.Live Stock Commissioner
Robert Gordon Robertson served as Deputy Minister of the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources before becoming Clerk of the Privy Council.
Source: Biography section
4.Which university did Robert Gordon Robertson attend as a Rhodes Scholar?
- A.University of Saskatchewan
- B.University of Toronto
- C.Exeter College, Oxfordcorrect
- D.Carleton University
Robert Gordon Robertson attended Exeter College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar.
Source: Biography section
5.Under which Canadian prime minister did Robert Gordon Robertson retire from the public service in 1979?
- A.Lester B. Pearson
- B.Joe Clarkcorrect
- C.William Lyon Mackenzie King
- D.Louis St. Laurent
Robert Gordon Robertson retired in December 1979 during the government of Joe Clark.
Source: Biography section
6.What was the name of Robert Gordon Robertson's brother who chaired the CDIC?
- A.John Gordon Robertson
- B.Ronald Neil Robertsoncorrect
- C.Pierre Robertson
- D.Lester B. Robertson
Robert Gordon Robertson had one brother named Ronald Neil Robertson.
Source: Personal life section
7.In what year was Robert Gordon Robertson made a Companion of the Order of Canada?
- A.1970
- B.1976correct
- C.1972
- D.1982
Robert Gordon Robertson was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1976.
Source: Biography section
8.Which institution awarded Robert Gordon Robertson an honorary doctorate of laws in 1959?
- A.University of Saskatchewancorrect
- B.University of Toronto
- C.Carleton University
- D.Oxford University
Robert Gordon Robertson received an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1959.
Source: Biography section
9.What specific task was Robert Gordon Robertson assigned by Pierre Trudeau in 1975?
- A.Chancellor of Carleton University
- B.Secretary to the Cabinet for Federal-Provincial Relationscorrect
- C.Clerk of the Privy Council
- D.Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
Pierre Trudeau appointed Robert Gordon Robertson as Secretary to the Cabinet for Federal-Provincial Relations in 1975.
Source: Biography section
10.What title did John Gordon Robertson hold in the province of Saskatchewan?
- A.Live Stock Commissionercorrect
- B.Chancellor
- C.Prime Minister
- D.Clerk of the Privy Council
John Gordon Robertson served as Live Stock Commissioner in the province of Saskatchewan.
Source: Personal life section
11.When did Robert Gordon Robertson die?
- A.January 15, 2013correct
- B.July 12, 1963
- C.December 1979
- D.May 19, 1917
The Honourable Robert Gordon Robertson died on January 15, 2013.
Source: Personal life section
12.What was the title of the book Robert Gordon Robertson published in 2000?
- A.The Commissioner's Journey
- B.Memoirs of a Very Civil Servantcorrect
- C.Constitutional Reform and the Cabinet
- D.A Life in Public Service
Robert Gordon Robertson published Memoirs of a Very Civil Servant in 2000.
Source: Biography section
13.Between which years did Robert Gordon Robertson serve as chancellor of Carleton University?
- A.1970 to 1980
- B.1980 to 1990correct
- C.1975 to 1985
- D.1990 to 2000
Robert Gordon Robertson served as chancellor of Carleton University from 1980 to 1990.
Source: Biography section
14.What was the name of the building renamed to Pigiarvik in 2022?
- A.The Privy Council Office
- B.The Saskatchewan Livestock Board
- C.Exeter College Hall
- D.Robertson Hallcorrect
Carleton University re-named Robertson Hall to Pigiarvik in 2022.
Source: Biography section
15.In what year did Robert Gordon Robertson join the Department of External Affairs?
- A.1936
- B.1953
- C.1945
- D.1941correct
Robert Gordon Robertson joined the Department of External Affairs in 1941.
Source: Biography section
16.What prize did Robert Gordon Robertson win from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada in 1970?
- A.Public Service Outstanding Achievement Award
- B.Vanier Medalcorrect
- C.Honorary Doctorate of Laws
- D.The Order of Canada
Robert Gordon Robertson won the Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada in 1970.
Source: Biography section
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