Carman McClelland
Encyclopedia
John Carman McClelland is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1987 to 1995.
degree York University
and a law degree from the University of Windsor
. Before entering political life, he practised law as an associate at the firm of Fogler, Rubinoff, Toronto. He was also a board member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.
In 1995, he resumed his legal practice and is now a member and VP of the Peel
Law Association Executive Committee.
, losing to New Democrat (NDP) Ted Bounsall
by over 3,500 votes in Windsor—Sandwich
. The next year, McClelland narrowly lost the race for a seat on the Windsor
Board of Education representing Ward 1. In 1980, he was appointed as a board member for Ward 1 after the death of trustee Donald Hill, but was again narrowly defeated in the general election that November. He did not seek office again until the 1987 provincial election
, when he was easily elected in Brampton North
as part of a Liberal landslide victory
. McClelland served as a backbench supporter of David Peterson
’s government for the next three years.
Prior to the 1990 election
, McClelland was challenged for the Liberal nomination in his riding by the representative of a group which claimed the Peterson government had made insufficient outreach efforts to Ontario’s Sikh
community. He won the nomination challenge, and went on to defeat NDP challenger John Devries by only 98 votes in the general election. The Liberals were upset by the NDP provincially, and McClelland moved to the opposition benches for the next five years. In 1993, he brought forward a private member’s bill dealing with the possibility of electoral recall.
The Progressive Conservatives
won a majority government in the 1995 Ontario election
, and McClelland lost to PC candidate Joe Spina
by 5,348 votes.
McClelland changed parties and was the PC candidate for the riding of Brampton-Springdale in the 2007 Ontario election
, but lost to the Liberal candidate by nearly 7,000 votes. He has also been President (2008-2009) of the Brampton Board of Trade.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1987 to 1995.
Background
McClelland moved to Canada at a young age, and received a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
and a law degree from the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
. Before entering political life, he practised law as an associate at the firm of Fogler, Rubinoff, Toronto. He was also a board member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.
In 1995, he resumed his legal practice and is now a member and VP of the Peel
Peel County, Ontario
Peel County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1851 from a portion of York County. In 1973, Peel County became the Regional Municipality of Peel, as a result of the Ontario provincial government's regionalization of the rapidly developing counties...
Law Association Executive Committee.
Politics
McClelland first ran for the Ontario legislature in the general election of 1977Ontario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, losing to New Democrat (NDP) Ted Bounsall
Ted Bounsall
Dr. Edwin "Ted" Bounsall is a former Canadian politician and a retired chemistry professor from the University of Windsor. He graduated from Imperial College in 1964...
by over 3,500 votes in Windsor—Sandwich
Windsor—Sandwich
Windsor—Sandwich was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It came into existence for the first time with the 1934 Ontario election, and was eliminated with the 1967 election as a result of redistribution...
. The next year, McClelland narrowly lost the race for a seat on the Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
Board of Education representing Ward 1. In 1980, he was appointed as a board member for Ward 1 after the death of trustee Donald Hill, but was again narrowly defeated in the general election that November. He did not seek office again until the 1987 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, when he was easily elected in Brampton North
Brampton North
Brampton North is a former provincial electoral district in Ontario. It existed for the 1987, 1990, and 1995 elections. It was abolished in 1999 into Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale, Brampton Centre, Brampton West—Mississauga...
as part of a Liberal landslide victory
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
. McClelland served as a backbench supporter of David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
’s government for the next three years.
Prior to the 1990 election
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, McClelland was challenged for the Liberal nomination in his riding by the representative of a group which claimed the Peterson government had made insufficient outreach efforts to Ontario’s Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
community. He won the nomination challenge, and went on to defeat NDP challenger John Devries by only 98 votes in the general election. The Liberals were upset by the NDP provincially, and McClelland moved to the opposition benches for the next five years. In 1993, he brought forward a private member’s bill dealing with the possibility of electoral recall.
The Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
won a majority government in the 1995 Ontario election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and McClelland lost to PC candidate Joe Spina
Joe Spina
Joe Spina is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003, representing a Brampton-area riding for the Progressive Conservative Party....
by 5,348 votes.
McClelland changed parties and was the PC candidate for the riding of Brampton-Springdale in the 2007 Ontario election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, but lost to the Liberal candidate by nearly 7,000 votes. He has also been President (2008-2009) of the Brampton Board of Trade.