Dianne Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Dianne Cunningham is a politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. She was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1988 to 2003, and a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris
and Ernie Eves
.
Cunningham worked as an elementary school teacher in private life, and entered politics by winning a seat on the London, Ontario
school board in 1973. She retained that position for fifteen years, and also served as a Planning Officer for the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Cunningham was first elected to the Ontario legislature for the riding
of London North
in a 1988 by-election
. The riding had previously been Liberal
, and bordered on the seat belonging to Liberal Premier
David Peterson
; Cunningham's victory made her a rising star in the small Tory caucus
. She ran for the leadership of the then third-place Conservatives in 1990, losing to Mike Harris
in the party's first One Member One Vote election for leader. (see: Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions
). She was considered a Red Tory
, but was hurt by comparisons to Brian Mulroney
, Canada's unpopular Progressive Conservative
Prime Minister
. Her loss to Harris led to a major shift in the political orientation of the party.
Cunningham was re-elected in the 1990 provincial election
, which was won by the New Democratic Party
. During the next five years, the Tories developed a series of right-wing policy initiatives which became known as the "Common Sense Revolution
". Cunningham was not a major contributor to this process. She did, however, serve as her party's Deputy Leader and Caucus Whip
from 1990 to 1995.
She was easily re-elected in the 1995 provincial election
, which the Tories won. While not in the Harris government's inner circle, she was appointed to cabinet
in the minor portfolios of Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister responsible for Women's Issues (Ontario)
. She retained these positions throughout the Harris government's first term. In 1998, she supported Hugh Segal
for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
.
In the provincial election of 1999
, Cunningham narrowly defeated New Democratic Party
Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Marion Boyd
in the redistributed riding of London North Centre
(the Harris government had previously reduced the number of provincial ridings from 130 to 103, forcing many MPPs to run against one another). Following the election, she was promoted to Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, and retained that portfolio for the next four years. She was also re-appointed as Minister responsible for Women's Issues on February 8, 2001. In 2002, she supported Ernie Eves
to replace Mike Harris as party leader.
Cunningham was often criticized for the way her department managed the elimination of OAC
levels from Ontario's high-school system. The decision reduced the standard high-school honours degree program from five years to four, and resulted in a "double cohort" of new university students when the policy first came into effect. University entrance marks were raised to what some considered high levels; for example, the University of Western Ontario
raised their entrance cutoff to an 80% average. Because of this, many students were unable to attend the university of their choice, and poor departmental planning was frequently blamed.
She ran for re-election in the 2003 election
, but lost to Deb Matthews
by over 6,000 votes in the landslide victory that brought the Ontario Liberal Party
to power. Matthews is the sister-in-law of former Premier David Peterson
.
After the election, she was appointed Director of the Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management.
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...
. She 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...
from 1988 to 2003, and 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:...
.
Cunningham worked as an elementary school teacher in private life, and entered politics by winning a seat on the London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
school board in 1973. She retained that position for fifteen years, and also served as a Planning Officer for the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Cunningham was first elected to the Ontario legislature for the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of London North
London North
London North was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was first created for the 1926 provincial election when the London riding was divided in two sections, and then eliminated prior to the 1934 provincial election when the city was re-configured as a single seat...
in a 1988 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. The riding had previously been 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...
, and bordered on the seat belonging to Liberal 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"...
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....
; Cunningham's victory made her a rising star in the small Tory caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
. She ran for the leadership of the then third-place Conservatives in 1990, losing to 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...
in the party's first One Member One Vote election for leader. (see: Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions
Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions
This page lists the results of leadership elections within the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario .Before 1920, leaders of the Conservative Party were usually chosen by caucus...
). She was considered a Red Tory
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
, but was hurt by comparisons to Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, Canada's unpopular Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. Her loss to Harris led to a major shift in the political orientation of the party.
Cunningham was re-elected 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....
, which was won by the 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...
. During the next five years, the Tories developed a series of right-wing policy initiatives which became known as the "Common Sense Revolution
Common Sense Revolution
The phrase Common Sense Revolution has been used as a political slogan to describe common sense conservative platforms in Australia and the U.S. state of New Jersey in the 1990s. Based on the Singapore Model of economics, its main goal is to reduce taxes while balancing the budget by reducing the...
". Cunningham was not a major contributor to this process. She did, however, serve as her party's Deputy Leader and Caucus Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from 1990 to 1995.
She was easily re-elected 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...
, which the Tories won. While not in the Harris government's inner circle, she was appointed to cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
in the minor portfolios of Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister responsible for Women's Issues (Ontario)
Ontario Women's Directorate
The Ontario Women's Directorate is a government agency under the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration responsible for women's issues, specifically: violence against women and economic independence....
. She retained these positions throughout the Harris government's first term. In 1998, she supported Hugh Segal
Hugh Segal
Hugh Segal, CM is a Canadian senator, political strategist, author, and commentator. Segal is credited with helping Stephen Harper become Prime Minister by moderating his image.-Life and career:...
for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
.
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....
, Cunningham narrowly defeated 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...
Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Marion Boyd
Marion Boyd
Marion Boyd is a former Canadian politician, who represented the riding of London Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1999 as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party.-Background:...
in the redistributed riding of London North Centre
London North Centre
London North Centre is an electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
(the Harris government had previously reduced the number of provincial ridings from 130 to 103, forcing many MPPs to run against one another). Following the election, she was promoted to Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, and retained that portfolio for the next four years. She was also re-appointed as Minister responsible for Women's Issues on February 8, 2001. In 2002, she 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 Mike Harris as party leader.
Cunningham was often criticized for the way her department managed the elimination of OAC
OAC
-Organizations:* Ohio Arts Council* Ohio Athletic Conference* One America Committee* Online Archive of California* Ontario Academic Credit* Ontario Access Coalition* Ontario Agricultural College* Ontario Arts Council...
levels from Ontario's high-school system. The decision reduced the standard high-school honours degree program from five years to four, and resulted in a "double cohort" of new university students when the policy first came into effect. University entrance marks were raised to what some considered high levels; for example, the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
raised their entrance cutoff to an 80% average. Because of this, many students were unable to attend the university of their choice, and poor departmental planning was frequently blamed.
She ran for re-election in the 2003 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....
, but lost to Deb Matthews
Deb Matthews
Deborah Drake Matthews, Ph.D. is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of London North Centre for the Ontario Liberal Party, and is currently the province's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care in the government of...
by over 6,000 votes in the landslide victory that brought the Ontario Liberal Party
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...
to power. Matthews is the sister-in-law of former Premier 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....
.
After the election, she was appointed Director of the Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management.