John Gordon Lane
Encyclopedia
John Gordon Lane was a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1971 to 1987 as a Progressive Conservative
.
Lane was educated at Ontario schools until age fourteen, and worked as a farmer and insurance executive. He was a councillor in Barrie Island from 1941 to 1960, and was a councillor in Gore Bay
for four years, and served as mayor
of Gore Bay from 1967 to 1972. With wife Louise, he had two children, Sharon and Ronald.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
, defeating New Democrat Roger Taylor by 1,298 votes in the northern constituency of Algoma—Manitoulin. Lane defeated NDP challenger Winston Baker by 1,127 votes in the 1975 election
, and won more convincingly in 1977
. He did not face serious challenges in the elections of 1981
and 1985
.
Lane was a government backbencher until 1985, when the Progressive Conservative ministry led by Frank Miller
was defeated in the legislature. In opposition, he served as his party's critic for Agriculture and Tourism and Recreation. He did not run for re-election in the 1987 provincial election
because he wished to spend more time with his family. .
Lane was known as a strong defender of his constituency interests. Premier
Bill Davis
once singled out Lane and Ron McNeil
as the two backbenchers who most frequently wrote to him about constituency issues. Also a strong defender of northern interests, Lane supported the creation of a Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, and served as parliamentary assistant to the first minister.
Lane died in 2001, four days after his 85th birthday. Members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
spoke in his honour on October 1 of the same year. (click here for transcript)
Lane was the eldest son of 6 children of George and Martha Lane who farmed on Barrie Island almost all their adult lives. George Lane was born in England and migrated to Canada around 1890 with his father, Samuel Lane, and some other family members, including a younger brother Leonard Lane, and an older half-sister (daughter of Samuel Lane and his first wife). George Lane died in October 1965 at the age of 79 years, after being taken ill while working on the farm, following an operation.
Lawrence J. Lane, who served on the council of Gore Bay for 25 years including 19 years as mayor was the youngest brother of John Lane, and was twin to Agnes (Lane) Morgan who pre-deceased him in August 1981. Lawrence Lane died in July 2005, two weeks after suffering a heart attack on the golf course, and one week after his 81st birthday.
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 1971 to 1987 as a 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...
.
Lane was educated at Ontario schools until age fourteen, and worked as a farmer and insurance executive. He was a councillor in Barrie Island from 1941 to 1960, and was a councillor in Gore Bay
Gore Bay, Ontario
Gore Bay is a town on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. Located on Gore Bay, a bay of Lake Huron's North Channel, it is one of the two incorporated towns of Manitoulin District....
for four years, and served as 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 Gore Bay from 1967 to 1972. With wife Louise, he had two children, Sharon and Ronald.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature 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....
, defeating New Democrat Roger Taylor by 1,298 votes in the northern constituency of Algoma—Manitoulin. Lane defeated NDP challenger Winston Baker by 1,127 votes in the 1975 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....
, and won more convincingly in 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....
. He did not face serious challenges in the elections of 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....
and 1985
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...
.
Lane was a government backbencher until 1985, when the Progressive Conservative ministry led by 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:...
was defeated in the legislature. In opposition, he served as his party's critic for Agriculture and Tourism and Recreation. He did not run for re-election in the 1987 provincial 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...
because he wished to spend more time with his family. .
Lane was known as a strong defender of his constituency interests. Premier
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...
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...
once singled out Lane and Ron McNeil
Ron McNeil
Ronald Keith McNeil was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1958 to 1987, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party....
as the two backbenchers who most frequently wrote to him about constituency issues. Also a strong defender of northern interests, Lane supported the creation of a Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, and served as parliamentary assistant to the first minister.
Lane died in 2001, four days after his 85th birthday. Members 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...
spoke in his honour on October 1 of the same year. (click here for transcript)
Lane was the eldest son of 6 children of George and Martha Lane who farmed on Barrie Island almost all their adult lives. George Lane was born in England and migrated to Canada around 1890 with his father, Samuel Lane, and some other family members, including a younger brother Leonard Lane, and an older half-sister (daughter of Samuel Lane and his first wife). George Lane died in October 1965 at the age of 79 years, after being taken ill while working on the farm, following an operation.
Lawrence J. Lane, who served on the council of Gore Bay for 25 years including 19 years as mayor was the youngest brother of John Lane, and was twin to Agnes (Lane) Morgan who pre-deceased him in August 1981. Lawrence Lane died in July 2005, two weeks after suffering a heart attack on the golf course, and one week after his 81st birthday.