Coates, Robert C., (Robert Carman), 1928- : Robert Carman Coates, B.A., LL.B. (Cumberland-Colchester North). Born 10 March 1928, Amherst, Nova Scotia, son of late F. Carman Coates and late Rita Bridget O'Brien. Educated at Amherst Senior High, he went on to attend Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick. He graduated in 1951 with a BA in history and political science. Coates continued his studies at Dalhousie Law School in Halifax where he obtained a bachelor of law degree in 1954. Married 27 December 1954 to Mary Blanche, daughter of Dr. Arthur K.Wade, of Perth, New Brunswick. Two children, David Wade and Amy Marijo.
Called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1955, Coates practised in Amherst from 1957 to 1965. He was a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1980.
Coates became involved in the organization of the Progressive Conservative Party at the early stage in his parliamentary career, and he was a member of the select Executive Committee of the National Executive during the planning of the Leadership Convention of the 1976. He was a member of both the Executive Committee of the National Executive and the National Organization Committee of the Progressive Conservative Party. Coates served as President of the Progressive Conservative Association of Canada from 1977 to 1980.
Robert Coates was also an active participant in Parliament and was one of only two opposition M.P.s who held the Chairmanship of a Standing Committee of the House of Commons. He was also the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Management and Members Services from 1977-1984.
He was a member of the select committee on Television and Radio Broadcasting of the House of Commons and was also a member of the Standing Committee on External Affairs and National Defence.
Coates was a strong regional representative from Atlantic Canada, where he was involved in energy, transportation, agriculture, fisheries and small business. He had the honour of being selected as the Chairman of the All-Party Committee on Fundy Tidal Power,1970-1984, which saw all M.P.'s from the Maritime Provinces as members.
Member of Inter-Parliamentary Union and delegate to International Meetings at Dublin, Ireland, and Palma, Spain. Observer to United Nations at Fall Sessions 1966 and 1976. Delegate to meetings of Canada-United States Parliamentary Group held in Washington, D.C. on three occasions; delegate to the 17th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 1971; delegate, as member of the European Parliamentary Group, to a conference at Strasbourg, France, and Brussels, Belgium 10 November 1974; invited guest of Government of China, Taipei, Taiwan, April 1975; delegate to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, United Kingdom Branch Visit, May 1975; delegate to meetings of the North Atlantic Assembly (NATO) Brussels, May 1976, and Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S., November, 1976; Chairman of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Group from 1979 to 1984; Chairman of the Standing Committee of Management and Members' Services; President of the John G. Diefenbaker Memorial Foundation; author of "The Night of the Knives", Member of the Canadian Committee for Soviet Jewry; First elected to the House of Commons in 1957, and reelected in general elections of 1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1980, and 1984. Not a candidate in 1988. Party Politics: Progressive Conservative.
Coates was appointed Minister of National Defence on 17 September 1984, in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Brain Mulroney, and he resigned his portfolio on 12 February 1985.
