Gordon Howlett Dean
Encyclopedia
Gordon Howlett Dean is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1981 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill Davis
and Frank Miller
. Dean was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
.
, Ontario, and educated at McMaster University
in Hamilton
. He worked as a fruit farmer, and had an extensive career in municipal politics before moving to the provincial legislature. He was reeve and deputy reeve of Saltfleet from 1965 to 1973, a warden in Wentworth in 1972, and mayor
of Stoney Creek
from 1974 to 1980. Dean served as president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in 1977-78.
He first campaigned for the provincial legislature in a by-election
for the Wentworth constituency, held on April 5, 1979. He lost to New Democratic Party candidate Colin Isaacs
by 543 votes. Two years later, he defeated Isaacs by 260 votes in the 1981 provincial election
. Dean was named a minister without portfolio
in Davis's government on July 6, 1983, and was appointed Provincial Secretary for Social Development on December 23 of the same year. He supported Dennis Timbrell
to succeed Davis in the Progressive Conservative Party's 1985 leadership convention, and was retained in his portfolio when Frank Miller replaced Davis as Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985.
Dean was re-elected by an increased margin in the 1985 provincial election
, which saw the Progressive Conservatives reduced to a fragile minority government
. He was appointed Minister of Revenue on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little in this position before Miller's government was defeated in the house the following month. In opposition, Dean served as his party's critic for Revenue and Senior Citizen's Affairs. He did not run for re-election in 1987.
He has remained an active member of the Progressive Conservative Party, the McMaster Alumni Association, and the United Church of Canada
.
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 served in 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 1981 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments 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...
and 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:...
. Dean was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
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...
.
Biography
Dean was born in FruitlandFruitland, Ontario
Fruitland, Ontario is a community in the western end of Hamilton, Ontario. Its adjacent community includes Beamsville, and Grimsby. The region became known as Fruitland due to its fertile soil, and the region is renowned for its winery industry. At the Eastern border is Fifty Road and its...
, Ontario, and educated at McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. He worked as a fruit farmer, and had an extensive career in municipal politics before moving to the provincial legislature. He was reeve and deputy reeve of Saltfleet from 1965 to 1973, a warden in Wentworth in 1972, and mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Stoney Creek
Stoney Creek, Ontario
Stoney Creek is a community in Ontario, Canada.Note: This article will only deal with matters up to its amalgamation with Hamilton.-Geography and population:...
from 1974 to 1980. Dean served as president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in 1977-78.
He first campaigned for the provincial legislature in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the Wentworth constituency, held on April 5, 1979. He lost to New Democratic Party candidate Colin Isaacs
Colin Isaacs
Colin Francis Weeber Isaacs is an Ontario environmental consultant, journalist and former political figure. He represented Wentworth in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1979 to 1981 as a New Democratic Party member....
by 543 votes. Two years later, he defeated Isaacs by 260 votes in 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....
. Dean was named a minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
in Davis's government on July 6, 1983, and was appointed Provincial Secretary for Social Development on December 23 of the same year. He supported Dennis Timbrell
Dennis Timbrell
Dennis Roy Timbrell is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of William Davis and Frank Miller.-Early life and career:...
to succeed Davis in the Progressive Conservative Party's 1985 leadership convention, and was retained in his portfolio when Frank Miller replaced Davis 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...
on February 8, 1985.
Dean was re-elected by an increased margin 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...
, which saw the Progressive Conservatives reduced to a fragile 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...
. He was appointed Minister of Revenue on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little in this position before Miller's government was defeated in the house the following month. In opposition, Dean served as his party's critic for Revenue and Senior Citizen's Affairs. He did not run for re-election in 1987.
He has remained an active member of the Progressive Conservative Party, the McMaster Alumni Association, and the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
.