born: Amherst, Nova Scotia, 1811
died: Amherst, Nova Scotia, 14 July 1903
representing: Nova Scotia
position: Anti-Confederation

R.B. Dickey began his first formal education at Windsor Academy and went on to study law. In 1834 he was accepted to the Nova Scotia bar and set up practice in his home town of Amherst.

Dickey entered politics in 1858 when he became a member of the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia. He would remain a member of the Council until 1867 and was a delegate at the Confederation conferences.

Dickey was strongly opposed to Nova Scotia joining Confederation because he felt the financial terms offered by Canada to the Maritime provinces were unjust. He continued to fight for better terms and only moved to support the Dominion when Canada offered more lucrative subsidies in 1866.