David William Warner
Encyclopedia
David William Warner is a former politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
on three separate occasions (spanning four terms) between 1975 and 1995, and served as Speaker
of the Assembly during Bob Rae
's administration.
. His daughter Barbara Warner ran for the Ontario NDP in the 2003 provincial election
, in the riding of Scarborough Southwest.
as a candidate of the federal New Democratic Party
in the elections of the 1972
and 1974
, but finished a distant third in the riding of York—Scarborough
on both occasions.
Warner was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election
, defeating Progressive Conservative
candidate Brian Harrison by fewer than 1,000 votes in the riding of Scarborough—Ellesmere. He was re-elected by roughly the same margin in the 1977 provincial election
. The Progressive Conservatives under Bill Davis
held a minority government
throughout this period, and Warner served as a member of the opposition. He was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Alan Robinson
in the 1981 election
, when the Davis government won a majority victory.
Warner was re-elected in the 1985 provincial election
, defeating Robinson by 219 votes as the Tories were reduced to a precarious minority government under the new leadership of Frank Miller
. The Liberals
under David Peterson
were able to form a minority government with outside support from the NDP, and Warner served as his party's critic for Education and Skills Development over the next two years. He was again defeated in the 1987 provincial election
, losing to Liberal Frank Faubert
by 481 votes.
The NDP won a majority government in the 1990 provincial election
, as Warner defeated Faubert by about 4,500 votes in a rematch from 1987. He was chosen Speaker of the Legislature on November 19, 1990, and held this position throughout the Rae government's mandate. He was the first speaker to be elected by the legislature, rather than appointed by the premier
. His tenure in this office was generally free of controversy, unlike the tenures of his Progressive Conservative successors.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
, and Warner lost his seat to Progressive Conservative Marilyn Mushinski
by over 5,000 votes. He has not sought a return to elected office since this time.
Association of Canada, and is also the president of the Canadian Cuban Friendship Association in Toronto.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, 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 New Democratic Party 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...
on three separate occasions (spanning four terms) between 1975 and 1995, and served as Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Assembly during Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's administration.
Background
Warner worked as a teacher and served as chair of Elementary Public Schools in ScarboroughScarborough, 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...
. His daughter Barbara Warner ran for the Ontario NDP in the 2003 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, in the riding of Scarborough Southwest.
Politics
He ran for the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as a candidate of the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in the elections of the 1972
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
and 1974
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
, but finished a distant third in the riding of York—Scarborough
York—Scarborough
York—Scarborough was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1988. It was located in the province of Ontario...
on both occasions.
Warner was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1975
The Ontario general election of 1975 was held on September 18, 1975, to elect the 125 members of the 30th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating 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...
candidate Brian Harrison by fewer than 1,000 votes in the riding of Scarborough—Ellesmere. He was re-elected by roughly the same margin in the 1977 provincial election
Ontario 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....
. The Progressive Conservatives under 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...
held a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
throughout this period, and Warner served as a member of the opposition. He was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Alan Robinson
Alan Robinson
Alan M. Robinson is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1981 to 1985, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Frank Miller. Robinson was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.Robinson was born in Toronto, Ontario, and...
in the 1981 election
Ontario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, when the Davis government won a majority victory.
Warner was re-elected in the 1985 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
, defeating Robinson by 219 votes as the Tories were reduced to a precarious minority government under the new leadership of Frank Miller
Frank Miller (politician)
Frank Stuart Miller, was a Canadian politician, who served as the 19th Premier of Ontario for four months in 1985.-Early life and political career:...
. The Liberals
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...
under 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....
were able to form a minority government with outside support from the NDP, and Warner served as his party's critic for Education and Skills Development over the next two years. He was again defeated in 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...
, losing to Liberal Frank Faubert
Frank Faubert
Frank J. Faubert was a Canadian provincial and municipal politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1987 to 1990, and was the final Mayor of Scarborough before its amalgamation into the City of Toronto...
by 481 votes.
The NDP won a majority government 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....
, as Warner defeated Faubert by about 4,500 votes in a rematch from 1987. He was chosen Speaker of the Legislature on November 19, 1990, and held this position throughout the Rae government's mandate. He was the first speaker to be elected by the legislature, rather than appointed by the premier
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...
. His tenure in this office was generally free of controversy, unlike the tenures of his Progressive Conservative successors.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial 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 Warner lost his seat to Progressive Conservative Marilyn Mushinski
Marilyn Mushinski
Marilyn Mushinski is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003, and was a cabinet minister under Mike Harris.-Background:...
by over 5,000 votes. He has not sought a return to elected office since this time.
After politics
Warner is now a board member of the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Association of Canada, and is also the president of the Canadian Cuban Friendship Association in Toronto.