A Gladstone on the Pacific
“While Robson’s personality is overshadowed by the unilateral authority of Sir James Douglas, or the eccentric intensity of Amor De Cosmos, Antak posits that he was just as formative in the shaping of BC. Indeed, as a social and political reformer, Robson played a driving role in the establishment of a distinctly Canadian brand of liberalism on the Pacific coast. While Antak never makes the comparison, his portrayal of Robson paints a picture of something like a Gladstone of the Pacific.” Matthew Downey reviews John Robson: British Columbian, by Ivan E. Antak (Victoria: Tellwell Talent, 2025) $25 / 9781834184142
