Ken Black
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Black is a former politician
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Liberal
from 1987 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
.
, and graduated from the University of Toronto
in 1955. He was a secondary school teacher and principal from 1958 to 1980, and was superintendent of the Muskoka Board of Education from 1980 to 1987. He has also served as past president of Muskoka Children's Aid.
, defeating Progressive Conservative
candidate George Beatty in Muskoka–Georgian Bay
, a new division created by redistribution. Its primary antecedent, Muskoka
, had been held by former Progressive Conservative
premier Frank Miller
until 1987, and the PCs were historically the dominant party in the area. Black was considered a strong candidate, however, and his victory was not entirely unexpected. Black credited his victory to a strong campaign team, popular satisfaction with Liberal leader David Peterson
, and the fact that some local PCs were unhappy with party leader Larry Grossman
.
In August 1988, Peterson appointed Black as a one-man task force to review government and non-government programs against drug abuse. His report, issued in mid-October, recommended mandatory drug education starting in the early grades, drug treatment and education programs for offenders, increased training about drugs for social workers and health care workers, and the addition of about thirty-six officers to the provincial drug unit. Black criticized the "zero tolerance" approach of the American "war on drugs
", arguing that it was largely ineffective.
After the report's release, Black was named special advisor to the premier on drugs with responsibility for co-ordinating and monitoring all government programs against drug abuse. In December 1988, he announced a pilot project for substance abuse counselling operated by the YMCA
of Metropolitan Toronto.
Black was critical of the federal Goods and Services Tax
introduced by the government of Brian Mulroney
, arguing that it would put Ontario's tourism sector at risk of losing jobs and revenue. Tourism in Ontario declined in this period, due in large part to a continental economic downtown.
Black travelled to Paris in December 1989 to support Toronto's bid to host Expo 2000
. Toronto lost the bid Hanover
, West Germany
.
in the 1990 provincial election
, and Black finished third in his bid for re-election. He formally resigned from office with the rest of the Peterson cabinet on October 1, 1990. In 1991-92, he was chief organizer for Charles Beer
's unsuccessful bid to succeed Peterson as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. He attempted to return to the provincial legislature in the 1995 election
, but finished well behind Progressive Conservative candidate Bill Grimmett
.
Black later served as president of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, and founded the Muskoka Watershed Council in 2001. He was appointed as a director of the Toront03 Alliance in July 2003.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the Canadian
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...
province of 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....
. 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...
as 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...
from 1987 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government 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....
.
Early life and career
Black was born in BracebridgeBracebridge, Ontario
Bracebridge is a town and the seat of the Muskoka District Municipality of Ontario, Canada.The town was built around a waterfall on the Muskoka River in the centre of town, and is known for its other nearby waterfalls . It was first incorporated in 1875...
, and graduated from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1955. He was a secondary school teacher and principal from 1958 to 1980, and was superintendent of the Muskoka Board of Education from 1980 to 1987. He has also served as past president of Muskoka Children's Aid.
Politician
Black joined the Ontario Liberal Party in 1985. He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1987 provincial electionOntario 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...
, 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...
candidate George Beatty in Muskoka–Georgian Bay
Muskoka–Georgian Bay
Muskoka-Georgian Bay is a historical provincial electoral division in Ontario, Canada, which was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario between 1987 and 1999. As its name implies, the division was located in the Muskoka region of central Ontario...
, a new division created by redistribution. Its primary antecedent, Muskoka
Muskoka (provincial electoral district)
Muskoka is a historical provincial electoral division in Ontario, Canada. Established in 1886, it was succeeded by Muskoka-Ontario in 1934. The division returned to the electoral map in 1955, and was again replaced with Muskoka–Georgian Bay in 1987....
, had been held by former 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...
premier 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:...
until 1987, and the PCs were historically the dominant party in the area. Black was considered a strong candidate, however, and his victory was not entirely unexpected. Black credited his victory to a strong campaign team, popular satisfaction with Liberal leader 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....
, and the fact that some local PCs were unhappy with party leader 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...
.
In August 1988, Peterson appointed Black as a one-man task force to review government and non-government programs against drug abuse. His report, issued in mid-October, recommended mandatory drug education starting in the early grades, drug treatment and education programs for offenders, increased training about drugs for social workers and health care workers, and the addition of about thirty-six officers to the provincial drug unit. Black criticized the "zero tolerance" approach of the American "war on drugs
War on Drugs
The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade...
", arguing that it was largely ineffective.
After the report's release, Black was named special advisor to the premier on drugs with responsibility for co-ordinating and monitoring all government programs against drug abuse. In December 1988, he announced a pilot project for substance abuse counselling operated by the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
of Metropolitan Toronto.
Cabinet minister
Black was promoted to the provincial cabinet on August 2, 1989, serving as Minister of Tourism and Recreation and Minister responsible for the provincial anti-drug stategy. He introduced a new provincial anti-drug strategy in November 1989 that fulfilled some of his previous recommendations, including the hiring of more police officers and the introduction of early education programs. It also allocated $4.5 million for community-based pilot projects against drug abuse; in June 1990, Black announced that this funding would to targeted to projects in nine communities.Black was critical of the federal Goods and Services Tax
Goods and Services Tax (Canada)
The Goods and Services Tax is a multi-level value added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991, by then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and his finance minister Michael Wilson. The GST replaced a hidden 13.5% Manufacturers' Sales Tax ; Mulroney claimed the GST was implemented because the MST...
introduced by the government of Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, arguing that it would put Ontario's tourism sector at risk of losing jobs and revenue. Tourism in Ontario declined in this period, due in large part to a continental economic downtown.
Black travelled to Paris in December 1989 to support Toronto's bid to host Expo 2000
Expo 2000
Expo 2000 was a World's Fair held in Hanover, Germany from Thursday, June 1 to Tuesday, October 31, 2000. It was located on the Hanover fairground , which is famous for hosting CeBIT...
. Toronto lost the bid Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
After politics
Black's time in cabinet was brief. The Liberals suffered an upset loss to the New Democratic PartyOntario 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...
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 Black finished third in his bid for re-election. He formally resigned from office with the rest of the Peterson cabinet on October 1, 1990. In 1991-92, he was chief organizer for Charles Beer
Charles Beer
John Charles McWaters Beer is a former Canadian politician...
's unsuccessful bid to succeed Peterson as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. He attempted to return to the provincial legislature in the 1995 election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, but finished well behind Progressive Conservative candidate Bill Grimmett
Bill Grimmett
William Lawrence Grimmett is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999....
.
Black later served as president of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, and founded the Muskoka Watershed Council in 2001. He was appointed as a director of the Toront03 Alliance in July 2003.