Andrew George Blair

Andrew George Blair (March 7, 1844 – January 25, 1907) was a Canadian politician in New Brunswick, Canada. He served as the seventh premier of New Brunswick for 13 years and 136 days, the second-longest tenure in the province's history, behind Richard Hatfield's tenure of 16 years and 310 days.

He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1878 after unsuccessful attempts in the previous two elections. Though Blair was a supporter of Sir John A. Macdonald's federal Liberal-Conservatives, he joined the parliamentary opposition in the legislature and, in 1879, became leader of the opposition to the Conservative government of Premier John James Fraser. He molded the disparate opposition into the modern Liberal Party of New Brunswick, instituting party platforms or manifestos. He launched the first province-wide political campaign in an era when campaign had been run largely on a constituency basis. He took the party to power in 1883, winning enough support in the newly elected legislature to form a government. Blair became premier and Attorney-General. His actions are remembered by the statue on Parliament Hill to Sir Galahad.

Blair notified the government of his resignation on 13 July 1903; in his speech on 16 July he outlined his reasons for his opposition to Laurier's plan to build the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The official New Brunswick biography has the date of his resignation 20 July. He did not see why the government "should build and own the lean section . . . and provide a company with government credit to enable them to build and operate the fat section," and referred to discussions about the railway that Wilfrid Laurier had had with other ministers behind his back, although he was the Minister charged with the portfolio. He was buried in the Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, Ontario.

One of Blair's grandsons, Andrew Brewin, served as a member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party.