Blair's government built a three_quarters of a mile long bridge across the Saint John River linking Fredericton with villages and factories on the other side of the river. His government also went to court to win the right to grant liquor licences. He also extended the franchise, which had been exclusively male, to widows and unmarried women who owned property. He was opposed, however, to universal female suffrage. His government also abolished the Legislative Council (the legislature's Upper House).
The Liberal government almost lost the 1889 election but was able to stay in power with the support of independent MLAs. Blair lost his own seat in the 1892 election, due to Protestant opposition to his policy of accommodating Acadians and other Catholics (including appointing several to his cabinet and other government positions), but was able to re-enter the house through a by_election.
In order to prevent him from becoming a major opposition figure, Laurier appointed Blair to head the Board of Railway Commissioners in December 1903 taking Blair out of active politics and out of the House of Commons. However, Blair resigned from the Board sixteen days before the 1904 Canadian election in order to campaign against Laurier but withdrew from the campaign after discussions with Laurier. He died on January 25, 1907 of a heart attack.
AndrewBlair is a partner in the firm's professional liability and commercial litigation team.
Since arriving at the firm in 1990, Andrew has gained extensive experience in advising both solicitors and their insurers on the whole range of possible claims which can be brought against solicitors.
Andrew has an active interest in mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and has successfully resolved a number of disputes using ADR.
Blair Valley was divided between 2 states in 1764-67 when Mason and Dixon laid out a line of milestones which bore the letters M for Maryland and P for Pennsylvania.
AndrewBlair was one of the earliest settlers (1749) in the Maryland part of this valley, in what was then Frederick County (now Washington County).
Blair was descended from one of the pioneer families of this region for whom Blair's Fork was named.