David Young (Ontario politician)
Encyclopedia
David Young was a politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. He was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris
and Ernie Eves
.
Young was educated at Osgoode Hall Law School
of York University
in Toronto
, and practiced law after his graduation. He worked at the firm of Benson McMurtry from 1981 to 1987, and has been a partner in Benson Percival Brown since 1987. Young has also served as a Director of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem
, and was for ten years an Executive Member of the Ratepayer's Association.
He began his political career as a school trustee, serving on the North York
Public School Board from 1991 to 1997. In the provincial election of 1999
, he was elected to the Ontario legislature for the north Toronto
riding of Willowdale
, defeating Liberal
candidate Fahimeh Mortazavi by about 3,500 votes.
Young was named Attorney-General and Minister responsible for Native Affairs in the government of Mike Harris on February 8, 2001. He was generally regarded as one of the more centrist figures in Harris's government, and supported Ernie Eves
to replace Harris as Premier
in 2002. When Eves was sworn into office on April 15, 2002, he kept Young in the Attorney-General's portfolio.
In 2002, Young introduced the Legal Aid Services Amendment Act (Bill 181), which permitted Legal Aid Ontario
to hire staff lawyers and contract with individual lawyers and law firms. Many criticized this intermingling of the private and public sectors, and suggested that the bill would lead to the introduction of a two-tier legal system in Ontario
. Young also increased the hourly payment rates of Legal Aid Ontario workers by 5% an hour.
After a cabinet shuffle on February 25, 2003, Young became the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Many expected that Young would be re-elected in the provincial election of 2003
, despite a general decline in Tory support throughout Toronto. Young's performance in cabinet was generally respected, and he was sometimes described as a possible successor to Eves as party leader. The provincial trend, however, was too much to overcome: the Tories were defeated in all of their Toronto seats, and Young lost the Willowdale riding to Liberal candidate David Zimmer
by 1,866 votes.
In 2004, Young supported John Tory
's successful bid to replace Eves as leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario
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 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...
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...
, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
and Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
.
Young was educated at Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
of 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....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and practiced law after his graduation. He worked at the firm of Benson McMurtry from 1981 to 1987, and has been a partner in Benson Percival Brown since 1987. Young has also served as a Director of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
, and was for ten years an Executive Member of the Ratepayer's Association.
He began his political career as a school trustee, serving on the North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
Public School Board from 1991 to 1997. In the provincial election of 1999
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, he was elected to the Ontario legislature for the north Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
riding of Willowdale
Willowdale (electoral district)
Willowdale is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.The riding was created in 1976 from part of Eglinton....
, defeating 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...
candidate Fahimeh Mortazavi by about 3,500 votes.
Young was named Attorney-General and Minister responsible for Native Affairs in the government of Mike Harris on February 8, 2001. He was generally regarded as one of the more centrist figures in Harris's government, and supported Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
to replace Harris as Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
in 2002. When Eves was sworn into office on April 15, 2002, he kept Young in the Attorney-General's portfolio.
In 2002, Young introduced the Legal Aid Services Amendment Act (Bill 181), which permitted Legal Aid Ontario
Legal Aid Ontario
Legal Aid Ontario is a publicly funded and publicly accountable non-profit corporation, responsible for administering the legal aid program in the province of Ontario, Canada...
to hire staff lawyers and contract with individual lawyers and law firms. Many criticized this intermingling of the private and public sectors, and suggested that the bill would lead to the introduction of a two-tier legal system in Ontario
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....
. Young also increased the hourly payment rates of Legal Aid Ontario workers by 5% an hour.
After a cabinet shuffle on February 25, 2003, Young became the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Many expected that Young would be re-elected in the provincial election of 2003
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....
, despite a general decline in Tory support throughout Toronto. Young's performance in cabinet was generally respected, and he was sometimes described as a possible successor to Eves as party leader. The provincial trend, however, was too much to overcome: the Tories were defeated in all of their Toronto seats, and Young lost the Willowdale riding to Liberal candidate David Zimmer
David Zimmer
David Zimmer is a Canadian provincial legislator in Ontario's Legislative Assembly, representing the North York area riding of Willowdale for the Ontario Liberal Party.-Background:...
by 1,866 votes.
In 2004, Young supported John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
's successful bid to replace Eves as leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party.