Tilley, Sir Samuel Leonard (1818-1896), served as premier of the Canadian colony of New Brunswick from 1861 to 1865, and again in 1866. He represented New Brunswick at three conferences at which the delegates agreed on the terms of a Canadian union. These conferences were the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences of 1864 and the London Conference of 1866. The delegates became known as the Fathers of Confederation.
In the mid-1860’s, many New Brunswickers opposed a plan for confederation because they feared they would lose political rights. Tilley helped persuade the people to join the Dominion of Canada by assuring them that the larger provinces would not control the smaller ones.
In 1867, Tilley became minister of customs in the Cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada. Tilley was promoted to minister of finance in 1873 and held that office under Macdonald again from 1878 to 1885. Tilley prepared a program to develop Canadian industries by putting a tariff on many imported products. This program was called the National Policy. Tilley was knighted in 1879. He was born in Gagetown, N. B.
