born: Alloa, Scotland, 29 November 1818
died: Toronto, Ontario, 9 May 1880
representing: Province of Canada
position: Pro-Confederation

George Brown grew up and received his early education in Edinburgh, Scotland, before emigrating from his homeland with his father to New York, U.S.A., in 1837. In 1843, father and son moved to Toronto and started Banner, a newspaper for Upper Canadian Presbyterians.

Only one year later Brown started the Toronto paper Globe in which he strongly supported reformers and encouraged responsible government. Through his support Brown helped bring about the Reform party's 1848 victory in Upper Canada. The Globe was used as an important tool in the Reform movement.

In 1851 Brown entered the Canadian Assembly representing Kent. With his reform ideals Brown won over the Upper Candian reform Clear Grits and was a strong supporter of unification of the British North American colonies.

At Charlottetown he played a major and extremely vital role on the side of Confederation after forming a coalition with his Conservative rivals John A. Macdonald, Alexander Tilloch Galt, and Sir George-Etienne Cartier in order to strengthen the support for unification.