Jack Stokes
Encyclopedia
John Edward Stokes (February 17, 1923 – January 8, 2000) was a Canadian
politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1967 to 1985, and was Speaker of the legislature
from 1977 to 1981. Stokes was a member of the New Democratic Party.
Stokes was born in Schreiber
, Ontario, and was educated in the area. He worked railway conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway
before entering political life, and became familiar with many Northern Ontario
communities that he later represented in the legislature. Stokes was a municipal hydro commissioner from 1959 to 1963, a Credit Union director from 1965 to 1968, and chair of the Local Brotherhood Railway Trainmen from 1955 to 1967. He was a Roman Catholic, and a member of the Knights of Columbus
.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election
, defeating Liberal
candidate Raymond Rudiak by 310 votes in Thunder Bay
. This constituency did not include the city of Thunder Bay
, and covered 110000 square miles (284,898.7 km²) across much of northwestern Ontario from Lake Superior
to Hudson Bay
.
Stokes was returned by a much greater majority in the 1971 election
. He one of the first MPPs to regularly raise issues regarding First Nations
people, and was also committed to issues of the environment, forestry renewal and northern affairs.
He was re-elected for the redistributed constituency of Lake Nipigon in the 1975 provincial election
. William Davis
's Progressive Conservatives
were reduced to a minority government
in this election, and Stokes served as Deputy Speaker in the parliament that followed. Davis's party won a second consecutive minority government in the 1977 election
, and the premier nominated Stokes to become Speaker of the Legislature on October 17, 1977.
He was the first CCF
or NDP member to serve as Speaker, and the first non-government member to hold the position since the United Farmers of Ontario
government of the 1920s. Stokes was considered a tough, no-nonsense Speaker who would expel even members of his own party from the house if they were being unruly.
He returned to the NDP caucus
following the 1981 Ontario election
, in which the Progressive Conservatives were returned with a majority government
. He supported Jim Foulds
for the party leadership in 1982, and did not seek re-election in 1985. By the time of his retirement, Stokes had turned Lake Nipigon into one of the safest NDP seats in the province.
After leaving the legislature, Stokes was active with Lakehead University
and worked on forestry issues.
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...
politician. 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 1967 to 1985, and was Speaker of the legislature
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the presiding officer of the provincial legislature. Since 1990 the position has been elected by MPPs using a secret ballot. Previously, the Speaker had been appointed by the Premier of Ontario after consultation with the Leader of the...
from 1977 to 1981. Stokes was a member of the New Democratic Party.
Stokes was born in Schreiber
Schreiber, Ontario
Schreiber is a municipal township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on the northernmost point of Lake Superior along Highway 17. The town, with a population of approximately 900 people, is almost completely located inside the geographic township of Priske, with a small western portion of...
, Ontario, and was educated in the area. He worked railway conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
before entering political life, and became familiar with many Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
communities that he later represented in the legislature. Stokes was a municipal hydro commissioner from 1959 to 1963, a Credit Union director from 1965 to 1968, and chair of the Local Brotherhood Railway Trainmen from 1955 to 1967. He was a Roman Catholic, and a member of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1967
The Ontario general election of 1967 was held on October 17, 1967, to elect the 117 members of the 28th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, 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 Raymond Rudiak by 310 votes in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay (electoral district)
Thunder Bay was a federal electoral district in the northwestern part of the province of Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1979....
. This constituency did not include the city of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, and covered 110000 square miles (284,898.7 km²) across much of northwestern Ontario from Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
to Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
.
Stokes was returned by a much greater majority in the 1971 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....
. He one of the first MPPs to regularly raise issues regarding First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
people, and was also committed to issues of the environment, forestry renewal and northern affairs.
He was re-elected for the redistributed constituency of Lake Nipigon in the 1975 provincial election
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....
. William 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...
's Progressive Conservatives
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...
were reduced to a 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...
in this election, and Stokes served as Deputy Speaker in the parliament that followed. Davis's party won a second consecutive minority government in the 1977 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....
, and the premier nominated Stokes to become Speaker of the Legislature on October 17, 1977.
He was the first CCF
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
or NDP member to serve as Speaker, and the first non-government member to hold the position since the United Farmers of Ontario
United Farmers of Ontario
The United Farmers of Ontario was a political party in Ontario, Canada. It was the Ontario provincial branch of the United Farmers movement of the early part of the 20th century.- Foundation and rise :...
government of the 1920s. Stokes was considered a tough, no-nonsense Speaker who would expel even members of his own party from the house if they were being unruly.
He returned to the NDP 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:...
following the 1981 Ontario 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....
, in which the Progressive Conservatives were returned with a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
. He supported Jim Foulds
Jim Foulds
James Francis Foulds is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1987 as a member of the New Democratic Party....
for the party leadership in 1982, and did not seek re-election in 1985. By the time of his retirement, Stokes had turned Lake Nipigon into one of the safest NDP seats in the province.
After leaving the legislature, Stokes was active with Lakehead University
Lakehead University
Lakehead University is a public research university in Thunder Bay, and Orillia, Ontario, Canada.Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', or 'LU', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate and graduate programs and a medical school.The school has more than 45,000...
and worked on forestry issues.