{"id":1485,"date":"2007-08-19T13:31:00","date_gmt":"2007-08-19T17:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.calgarygrit.ca\/?p=1485"},"modified":"2007-08-19T13:31:00","modified_gmt":"2007-08-19T17:31:00","slug":"quarter-finals-east","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.calgarygrit.ca\/?p=1485","title":{"rendered":"Quarter-Finals – East"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE: <\/em><\/strong>At the close of voting Tuesday night, it was Mowat by 4 votes and Levesque by 6 votes in two of the closest races to date in the contest. The two men will square off in the Eastern semi. The Western quarter-finals should get rolling later today.<\/p>\n

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The first round of Canada’s Best Premier is done and the bracket has now conveniently broken itself up into a “western side” and an “eastern side”. In the West it will be Peter Lougheed<\/span> against Ed Schreyer<\/span> and Ernest Manning against WAC Bennett. Those votes will go live mid-week, for now, a look at the two eastern quarter-final duels. Voting will remain open until Tuesday night at 11 pm Mountain time.<\/p>\n

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Oliver Mowat<\/span><\/a> (12) vs. Louis Robichaud<\/span><\/a> (4)<\/strong><\/div>\n

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Game Story: It’s because of matchups<\/span> like this that I love running these summer contests. You have a man few outside of New Brunswick have ever heard of, up against a man who was Premier before anyone voting in this poll was born. And, yet, they would both make for worthy winners of this contest and managed to knock off more famous opponents in the first round. Mowat<\/span> led Ontario for 24 years near the province’s birth and helped get Wilfrid Laurier<\/span> elected on the national scene after that while Robichaud<\/span> oversaw the modernization of New Brunswick. This one could certainly go either way.<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a>Oliver Mowat<\/span> career highlights <\/a>(Ontario 1872-96<\/em>): As Premier, Mowat<\/span> fought the federal government over jurisdiction of provincial issues, such as liquor, timber, and mineral rights and won, greatly decentralizing Canada. He introduced the secret ballot and extended suffrage beyond property owners. He also created the municipal level of government in Ontario and the Children’s Aid Society. Oh, and he’s Farley Mowat’s<\/span> great uncle.<\/div>\n
Louis Robichaud<\/span> career highlights <\/a>(New Brunswick 1960-70<\/em>): Robichaud<\/span> became Premier of New Brunswick at the age of 35. Once in office, change was quick and massive. Robichaud’s<\/span> term saw the end of temperance inspired liquor \"\"<\/a>laws, the introduction civil service unions, universal free health care, the creation of 3 of New Brunswick’s four public universities, a renewed exploration of natural resources, and most notably Equal Opportunity and Official Bilingualism. Robichaud<\/span> abolished country governments, resulting in dramatically better health and education for those living in rich cities compared to those living in poor rural counties. Robichaud<\/span> improved the situation for Acadiens<\/span>, establishing official bilingualism<\/span> and l’Universit\u00e9<\/span> du<\/span> Moncton<\/span>.<\/div>\n

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