Cindy Nicholas
Encyclopedia
Cynthia Maria Nicholas, CM
(born August 20, 1957) is a former athlete and former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Liberal
from 1987 to 1990.
and the University of Windsor
. She currently works as a lawyer in Scarborough, Ontario.
At age 16 she attained provincial fame by swimming across Lake Ontario
in 15 hours and 10 minutes. She would later swim across the English Channel
on 19 occasions, including the first two way crossing by a woman. She went on to complete a record 5 two way crossings (see below for list of successful two way channel swims) including 2 in one year, earning her the soubriquet Queen of the Channel. (The title now belongs to Alison Streeter
who has completed 43 crossings). For her efforts, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada
in 1979. In 1993, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
and into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 2005.
Two Way Channel Swims
1977 - 19 h 55 mins (10 h 05 mins quicker than the previous record)
being the first woman to complete the two way crossing and breaking the previous mans record.
1979 - 19 h 12 mins
1981 - 22 h 21 mins
1982 - 18 h 55 mins
1982 - 20 h 09 mins
, defeating New Democratic Party
candidate Menno Vorster by 3,396 votes. Progressive Conservative
incumbent William C. Davis
(who is not to be confused with Bill Davis
, the former Premier of Ontario
) finished third. For the next three years, Nicholas served as a backbench supporter of David Peterson
's government. She was parliamentary assistant to the Solicitor General from 1989 to 1990.
The Liberals were defeated by the NDP in the 1990 provincial election
and Nicholas lost her seat to NDP candidate Steve Owens by 3,068 votes. She returned to a successful legal practice in Scarborough
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born August 20, 1957) is a former athlete and former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served in 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...
as 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...
from 1987 to 1990.
Background
Nicholas was educated at the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and 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...
. She currently works as a lawyer in Scarborough, Ontario.
At age 16 she attained provincial fame by swimming across Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
in 15 hours and 10 minutes. She would later swim across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
on 19 occasions, including the first two way crossing by a woman. She went on to complete a record 5 two way crossings (see below for list of successful two way channel swims) including 2 in one year, earning her the soubriquet Queen of the Channel. (The title now belongs to Alison Streeter
Alison Streeter
Alison Streeter MBE is a British long-distance swimmer. She has swum across the English Channel 43 times, more than anyone in the world and earning her the title of Queen of the English Channel. This total includes a triple-channel swim. She also completed seven Channel crossings in one year...
who has completed 43 crossings). For her efforts, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 1979. In 1993, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
and into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 2005.
Two Way Channel Swims
1977 - 19 h 55 mins (10 h 05 mins quicker than the previous record)
being the first woman to complete the two way crossing and breaking the previous mans record.
1979 - 19 h 12 mins
1981 - 22 h 21 mins
1982 - 18 h 55 mins
1982 - 20 h 09 mins
Politics
She was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1987 provincial electionOntario 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...
, defeating New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
candidate Menno Vorster by 3,396 votes. Progressive Conservative
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...
incumbent William C. Davis
William C. Davis
William C. Davis is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1987, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party...
(who is not to be confused with Bill Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
, the former Premier of Ontario
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
) finished third. For the next three years, Nicholas 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. She was parliamentary assistant to the Solicitor General from 1989 to 1990.
The Liberals were defeated by the NDP in the 1990 provincial 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....
and Nicholas lost her seat to NDP candidate Steve Owens by 3,068 votes. She returned to a successful legal practice in Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
.