Doug Lewis
Encyclopedia
Douglas Grinslade "Doug" Lewis, PC
, QC
, (born April 17, 1938) is a Canadian
former politician.
A chartered accountant
and lawyer
by training, Lewis entered the Canadian House of Commons
when he won the seat of Simcoe North
, Ontario
, as a Progressive Conservative
in the 1979 federal election
. In the short-lived government of Prime Minister
Joe Clark
, he served as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Supply and Service.
Re-elected in the 1980 federal election
that returned the Liberals
to power, Lewis moved to the opposition benches, serving first as Deputy House Leader
from 1981 to February 1983, and then as Official Opposition House Leader until September 1983.
With the victory of the Progressive Conservatives under Brian Mulroney
in the 1984 general election
, Lewis again became a parliamentary secretary. In 1987, he entered the Cabinet as both Minister of State
to the Government House Leader and Minister of State (Treasury Board). At the end of 1988, he became Acting President of the Treasury Board, and, a month later in January 1989, he was named Minister of Justice
. He also served as Government House Leader from April 1989 to February 1990.
In April 1990, Lewis was moved from Justice to the position of Minister of Transport
. In 1991, he was moved again, this time to the position of Solicitor General of Canada
.
When Kim Campbell
succeeded Mulroney as Progressive Conservative leader and prime minister in June 1993, she kept Lewis in Cabinet as Solicitor General, and also named him Government House Leader. Both Lewis and the Campbell government were defeated in the 1993 general election
. Following his political defeat, he returned to his law practice.
Lewis remained a supporter of the Progressive Conservatives through the 1990s. However, in 2000, he supported Tom Long's candidacy to lead the new Canadian Alliance
, which was an attempt to merge the PC Party with the Reform Party of Canada
. In July 2000, however, he insisted to reporters that he was a loyal supporter of Joe Clark's renewed leadership of the Progressive Conservative party.
Lewis is currently practicing law with Lewis Downey Tornosky Lassaline & Timpano Professional Corporation. He was elected as a Regional Bencher with the Law Society of Upper Canada
in 2007.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, (born April 17, 1938) is a Canadian
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...
former politician.
A chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
by training, Lewis entered the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian 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...
when he won the seat of Simcoe North
Simcoe North
Simcoe North is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was established as a federal riding in 1867. Its population was 119,400 in 2006.-Demographics:Ethnic groups: 92.3% White, 5.9% Native Canadian...
, 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....
, as a 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....
in the 1979 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
. In the short-lived government of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
, he served as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Supply and Service.
Re-elected in the 1980 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
that returned the Liberals
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
to power, Lewis moved to the opposition benches, serving first as Deputy House Leader
House Leader
In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament and an expert in parliamentary procedure...
from 1981 to February 1983, and then as Official Opposition House Leader until September 1983.
With the victory of the Progressive Conservatives under 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...
in the 1984 general election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, Lewis again became a parliamentary secretary. In 1987, he entered the Cabinet as both Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
to the Government House Leader and Minister of State (Treasury Board). At the end of 1988, he became Acting President of the Treasury Board, and, a month later in January 1989, he was named Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
. He also served as Government House Leader from April 1989 to February 1990.
In April 1990, Lewis was moved from Justice to the position of Minister of Transport
Minister of Transport (Canada)
The Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada...
. In 1991, he was moved again, this time to the position of Solicitor General of Canada
Solicitor General of Canada
The Solicitor General of Canada was a position in the Canadian ministry from 1892 to 2005. The position was based on the Solicitor General in the British system and was originally designated as an officer to assist the Minister of Justice...
.
When Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell
Avril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer. She served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993...
succeeded Mulroney as Progressive Conservative leader and prime minister in June 1993, she kept Lewis in Cabinet as Solicitor General, and also named him Government House Leader. Both Lewis and the Campbell government were defeated in the 1993 general election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
. Following his political defeat, he returned to his law practice.
Lewis remained a supporter of the Progressive Conservatives through the 1990s. However, in 2000, he supported Tom Long's candidacy to lead the new Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
, which was an attempt to merge the PC Party with the Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
. In July 2000, however, he insisted to reporters that he was a loyal supporter of Joe Clark's renewed leadership of the Progressive Conservative party.
Lewis is currently practicing law with Lewis Downey Tornosky Lassaline & Timpano Professional Corporation. He was elected as a Regional Bencher with the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
in 2007.