A new biography of John Robarts, Progressive
Conservative premier from 1961-71, focuses almost as much on the
excessive drinking of himself and his first wife and fights with
his second as it does his political achievements.
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A family-approved biography written by an
academic has existed since the 1980s, but friends of Robarts felt
it was “too dry” and persuaded TV commentator Steve Paikin to write
another.
Public Triumph, Private Tragedy – The Double Life
Of John P. Robarts (Viking) plunges deeper into what is generally
considered a politician’s private life than any book this writer
has seen in 41 years covering politics.
Robarts married Norah McCormick in their hometown
London. She opposed his entering politics and after he became an
MPP, she refused to live in Toronto.
She did not want to leave her bridge-playing
friends and criticized him more than the opposition parties, saying
one public event she attended was “boring” so loudly some in the
audience heard it.
Robarts had been a hearty drinker and began
having a Scotch in the morning and bar-hopping at night so friends
feared for his health. But he was at his desk working each
morning.
His wife also started drinking heavily and became
an alcoholic.
When Robarts quit politics, he asked Norah again
to join him in Toronto, but she refused and they divorced.
Robarts at 56 met a “very sexy” nurse, Katherine
Sickafuse, only 28, when he struck up a conversation in a
restaurant, and they married.
One of his friends explained he wanted sex and
she wanted his power and position, but both were
disappointed.
She sunbathed nude at their cottage and his
friends thought her domineering, but he was putty in her
hands.
Robarts’s son, Tim, upset by an irrational mother
and largely absent father, drank, took drugs and shot himself dead
on a riverbank and Robarts felt guilty.
Norah not long after got drunk while home alone
and choked to death on her supper.
Robarts, once physically powerful, had a series
of strokes, walked with a cane and was depressed.
His wife prevented some of his friends visiting
him and most of the things that made life worth living were
gone.
He said he and Katherine both wanted a divorce,
but could not afford to live separately and later they agreed to
try again to make their marriage work.
But soon after he took a shotgun in their
bathroom and shot himself dead through the roof of his mouth.
Robarts’s brother’s first question was, “did she
do it?” Katherine complained one of her husband’s friends wanted
her arrested for murder, and she tried to bar several of his
friends from the burial service.
This makes engrossing as well as sad reading and
reminds being away from home can strain politicians’ relations with
wives and the mighty are not immune from tragedy, but both are well
known.
Most of the more sensational events also happened
after Robarts stopped being premier and there is no evidence any
affected his job.
But all the concentration on them leaves less
room for examining Robarts’s policies, which were important — but
not as exciting as sex and booze.
Eric Dowd is a veteran member of the Queen’s
Park press gallery.
