Robert Dick Orok (October 2, 1878 – November 8, 1957) was a politician in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. He served in the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

from 1912 to 1915, as a member of the Conservative Party.

Biography

Orok was born in

Midhurst Midhurst () is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester District in West Sussex, England. It lies on the River Rother (Western), River Rother, inland from the English Channel and north of Chichester. The name Midhurst was first reco ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, the son of William Orok and Mary Johnston. He was educated at the

Barrie Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. Although it is physically in the county, Barrie is politically independent. The city is part ...

Collegiate Institute and the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

, and received a certification as a medical doctor. Orok pursued post-graduate studies at Queen's University and the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

. He spent time in the

Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...

gold fields and then practised medicine in Cookstown, Ontario from 1909 to 1911 and, from 1911, at

The Pas The Pas ( , ) is a town in Manitoba, Canada, at the confluence of the Pasquia River and the Saskatchewan River and surrounded by the unorganized Northern Region of the province. It is approximately northwest of the provincial capital, Winn ...

. He also worked as a surgeon on the Hudson Bay Railway. In religion, Orok was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

. In 1904, he married Louise M. Smith. In 1907, Orork married Bessie Vair. He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in a

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

held on October 22, 1912, in the nearly-created northern constituency of

. The constituency occupied at the time, and Orok claimed that it was the largest in the world. Orok won his seat by acclamation, and served as a backbench supporter of

premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

Rodmond Roblin Sir Rodmond Palen Roblin (February 15, 1853 – February 16, 1937) was a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada. Early life and career Roblin was born in Sophiasburgh, in Prince Edward County, Canada West (later Ontario). The Robl ...

's government. Orok was again returned by acclamation through a deferred vote in the 1914 election, after the Conservatives had won a majority government in the rest of the province. Roblin's administration was forced to resign in 1915 amid a serious corruption scandal. A new election was held, which the Liberals won in a landslide. Orok did not seek re-election. He served as a captain in the Canadian Machine Gun Corps and the

Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. History The Militia Medical Service was established in 1898. It consisted of an Army Medical Service (officers) and an Army Medical Corps (oth ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orok, Robert 1878 births 1957 deaths Politicians from Simcoe County Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian Machine Gun Corps officers Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps officers Canadian military personnel from Ontario University of Toronto alumni 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba