Jim McGuigan
Encyclopedia
James Fitzgerald McGuigan (November 9, 1923 in Cedar Springs, Ontario
– 1998) was a politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1977 to 1990.
McGuigan was educated at Ontario Agricultural College
, and worked as a farmer. He served as the president of several farming organizations, including the Kent County
Vegetable Growers Association, the Kent County Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association. He also served as chair of the Raleigh-Harwich Public School Board, and was an executive member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture
from 1973 to 1977.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1977 provincial election
, defeating Progressive Conservative
Don Luckham by 641 votes in the southwestern Ontario riding of Kent—Elgin. In the 1981 election
, he defeated PC challenger Wes Thompson by 337 votes.
The Liberal Party made an electoral breakthrough in the 1985 provincial election
, and McGuigan was re-elected by a significant margin. Following the election, the Liberals were able to form a minority government
with support from the Ontario New Democratic Party
. Despite his parliamentary experience, McGuigan was not appointed to the cabinet of David Peterson
.
Ontario's electoral map was redistributed before the 1987 election
, and McGuigan was forced to face NDP incumbent Pat Hayes
in the new riding of Essex—Kent
. McGuigan won by 1,113 votes, as the Liberal Party won a landslide majority across the province.
The NDP unexpectedly defeated the Liberals in the 1990 provincial election
, and Hayes defeated McGuigan by almost 6,000 votes. He retired from politics after his defeat.
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....
– 1998) was a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, 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 was a 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...
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 1977 to 1990.
McGuigan was educated at Ontario Agricultural College
Ontario Agricultural College
The Ontario Agricultural College originated at the agricultural laboratories of the Toronto Normal School, and was officially founded in 1874 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto...
, and worked as a farmer. He served as the president of several farming organizations, including the Kent County
Kent County, Ontario
Kent County, area 2,458 sq km is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. Population in 2006 was 108,589.The county was created in 1792 and named by John Graves Simcoe in honour of the English County. The county is in an alluvial plain between Lake St...
Vegetable Growers Association, the Kent County Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association. He also served as chair of the Raleigh-Harwich Public School Board, and was an executive member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is a general farm organization established in 1936 and headquartered in Guelph, Ontario. The OFA comprises 52 county farm organizations from across the province. Bette Jean Crews was acclaimed OFA President at the 2008 Annual General Meeting, held in Toronto,...
from 1973 to 1977.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 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....
, defeating 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...
Don Luckham by 641 votes in the southwestern Ontario riding of Kent—Elgin. In the 1981 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 defeated PC challenger Wes Thompson by 337 votes.
The Liberal Party made an electoral breakthrough 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...
, and McGuigan was re-elected by a significant margin. Following the election, the Liberals were able to form 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...
with support from the Ontario 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...
. Despite his parliamentary experience, McGuigan was not appointed to the cabinet of 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....
.
Ontario's electoral map was redistributed before the 1987 election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, and McGuigan was forced to face NDP incumbent Pat Hayes
Patrick Michael Hayes
Patrick Michael Hayes is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1987, and again from 1990 to 1995.-Background:...
in the new riding of Essex—Kent
Essex—Kent
Essex—Kent was a federal electoral district in Ontario that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 1997.It was created in 1976 from parts of Essex—Windsor, Kent—Essex and Lambton—Kent ridings, and initially consisted of the Townships of Colchester South, Gosfield North,...
. McGuigan won by 1,113 votes, as the Liberal Party won a landslide majority across the province.
The NDP unexpectedly defeated the Liberals 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....
, and Hayes defeated McGuigan by almost 6,000 votes. He retired from politics after his defeat.