Frank Drea
Encyclopedia
James Francis Drea (July 7, 1933 - January 15, 2003) was a Canadian
journalist, broadcaster, politician and racehorse enthusiast.
, Ontario
, and educated at Canisius College
in Buffalo
, New York
, USA
. He was hired by the Toronto Telegram
in 1955, and was a long-time reporter and columnist at the paper. In 1961, he won the National Newspaper Award and the Heywood Broun Award for Crusading Journalism for his work as a labour reporter for his coverage of a strike by Italian-Canadian
building trade workers.
From 1963 to 1965, he worked as public relations director for the United Steel Workers of America in Sudbury, Ontario
. A fervent anti-Communist
, Drea played a leading role in the Steelworkers' unsuccessful campaign to raid and destroy the Communist Party
influenced Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union which had dominated the mining industry in Sudbury. Drea's campaign was a failure, and he was fired.
He returned to the Telegram in 1965 as the paper's Action Line columnist, serving as an early consumer advocate. He remained with the newspaper until shortly before its demise in 1971. He also served with Dale Goldhawk
as an outspoken, open-line host at CHIC Radio in Brampton, Ontario
and worked for CTV
on the public affairs program W5
.
in the 1971 provincial election
as the Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough Centre
. He defeated incumbent New Democrat Margaret Renwick
by 4,873 votes. Drea was re-elected with smaller pluralities in the 1975
and 1977
elections, and by a larger percentage in 1981
.
After serving for several years on the backbench, he was brought into the provincial cabinet
of Bill Davis
following the 1977 provincial election
as Minister of Correctional Services. He initiated reforms in the province's system of jails, including the closure of the original Don Jail
. On entering cabinet, Drea publicly revealed his battle with alcoholism
, pledging to stop drinking in order to set an example for prisoners.
In 1978, he was appointed Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations. After the 1981 provincial election
, he became Minister of Community and Social Services, and is credited with improving the status of people with disabilities.
He served in cabinet until Bill Davis retired as Premier of Ontario
in 1985. Drea supported Roy McMurtry
's bid to succeed Davis as party leader, and voted for Larry Grossman
on the second ballot following McMurtry's elimination. Interestingly, he supported Frank Miller over Grossman on the third and final ballot. Drea explained that he had planned to support Miller after McMurtry's elimination, and only went to Grossman for one ballot on McMurtry's recommendation. He was not re-appointed to Miller's cabinet and instead served as parliamentary assistant to the premier, a position which carries little actual authority. He did not run in the 1985 election
.
Premier David Peterson
, appointed Drea chairman of the Ontario Racing Commission. Drea remained chairman until his retirement in 1994. He died on January 15, 2003 from pneumonia
.
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...
journalist, broadcaster, politician and racehorse enthusiast.
Background
Drea was born in St. CatharinesSt. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
, 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....
, and educated at Canisius College
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was hired by the Toronto Telegram
Toronto Telegram
The Toronto Evening Telegram was a conservative, broadsheet afternoon newspaper published in Toronto from 1876 to 1971. It had a reputation for supporting the Conservative Party at both the federal and provincial level. The paper competed with the liberal Toronto Star...
in 1955, and was a long-time reporter and columnist at the paper. In 1961, he won the National Newspaper Award and the Heywood Broun Award for Crusading Journalism for his work as a labour reporter for his coverage of a strike by Italian-Canadian
Italian-Canadian
An Italian Canadian is a Canadian of Italian descent or heritage. According to the 2006 census of Canada, 1,445,335 Canadians consider themselves to be of Italian origin. The Italian-Canadian population climbed by more than 12% and half have combined Italian origins along with another ethnic...
building trade workers.
From 1963 to 1965, he worked as public relations director for the United Steel Workers of America in Sudbury, 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....
. A fervent anti-Communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
, Drea played a leading role in the Steelworkers' unsuccessful campaign to raid and destroy the Communist Party
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
influenced Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union which had dominated the mining industry in Sudbury. Drea's campaign was a failure, and he was fired.
He returned to the Telegram in 1965 as the paper's Action Line columnist, serving as an early consumer advocate. He remained with the newspaper until shortly before its demise in 1971. He also served with Dale Goldhawk
Dale Goldhawk
Dale Goldhawk is a Canadian broadcaster and investigative reporter. Goldhawk Fights Back began as a consumer advocacy segment on CBLT's dinner hour newscast in the 1980s — Newshour. He joined Leslie Jones as co-host of CBLT Morning between 1984 and 1986...
as an outspoken, open-line host at CHIC Radio in Brampton, Ontario
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
and worked for CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
on the public affairs program W5
W-FIVE
W5 is a Canadian news magazine television series produced by CTV News. The program is currently initially broadcast Saturday nights at 7 p.m...
.
Politics
Drea was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of OntarioLegislative 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...
in the 1971 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1971
The Ontario general election of 1971 was held on October 21, 1971, to elect the 117 members of the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
as the Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough Centre
Scarborough Centre (provincial electoral district)
Scarborough Centre is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1963.It consists of the part of the Scarborough district of the City of Toronto bounded:...
. He defeated incumbent New Democrat Margaret Renwick
Margaret Renwick
Margaret Renwick was a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Scarborough Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1967 to 1971. She was a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party....
by 4,873 votes. Drea was re-elected with smaller pluralities in the 1975
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....
and 1977
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....
elections, and by a larger percentage in 1981
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....
.
After serving for several years on the backbench, he was brought into the provincial cabinet
Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)
An Executive Council in Commonwealth constitutional practice based on the Westminster system is a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor or governor-general. Executive Councils often make decisions via Orders in Council.Executive Councillors are informally...
of 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...
following 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....
as Minister of Correctional Services. He initiated reforms in the province's system of jails, including the closure of the original Don Jail
Don Jail
The Toronto Jail is a provincial jail for remanded offenders in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Riverdale neighbourhood on Gerrard Street East near its intersection with Broadview Avenue. It gets its nickname from the nearby Don River...
. On entering cabinet, Drea publicly revealed his battle with alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, pledging to stop drinking in order to set an example for prisoners.
In 1978, he was appointed Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations. After the 1981 provincial 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....
, he became Minister of Community and Social Services, and is credited with improving the status of people with disabilities.
He served in cabinet until Bill Davis retired as 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...
in 1985. Drea supported Roy McMurtry
Roy McMurtry
Roland "Roy" McMurtry, OC, OOnt is a judge and former politician in Ontario, Canada and the current Chancellor of York University.-Early life:McMurtry was born in Toronto and educated at St. Andrew's College, graduating in 1950...
's bid to succeed Davis as party leader, and voted for Larry Grossman
Larry Grossman
Lawrence "Larry" Sheldon Grossman was a politician in Ontario, Canada.-Early years:Born in Toronto, Grossman was the son of Allan Grossman, who had represented a downtown Toronto riding in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for twenty years after defeating Ontario's last Communist Member of...
on the second ballot following McMurtry's elimination. Interestingly, he supported Frank Miller over Grossman on the third and final ballot. Drea explained that he had planned to support Miller after McMurtry's elimination, and only went to Grossman for one ballot on McMurtry's recommendation. He was not re-appointed to Miller's cabinet and instead served as parliamentary assistant to the premier, a position which carries little actual authority. He did not run in the 1985 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...
.
Later life
The Miller government lost power and Miller's successor, LiberalOntario 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...
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....
, appointed Drea chairman of the Ontario Racing Commission. Drea remained chairman until his retirement in 1994. He died on January 15, 2003 from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
External links
- The people's minister Larry ZolfLarry ZolfLarry Zolf was a Canadian journalist and commentator.Zolf was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He earned a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg, and then received a Masters degree in Canadian history from the University of Toronto. In 1962, he joined the CBC...
remembers Drea.