Leo Bernier
Encyclopedia
Leo Edward Bernier was a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1966 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill Davis
and Frank Miller
. Bernier was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
.
Bernier was born in Sioux Lookout
in Northern Ontario
, and educated in the area. He became the general manager of Bernier & Sons Contractors, and served as president of the local Chamber of Commerce. He was an honorary member of the Royal Canadian Legion
and the Knights of Columbus
.
He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1963 provincial election
, and lost to Liberal-Labour
candidate Robert Gibson by 840 votes in Kenora
. Gibson died in 1966, and Bernier was elected in a by-election
to replace him. He was returned by an increased margin in the 1967 provincial election
, and served as a backbench supporter of the John Robarts
administration. When Bill Davis succeeded Roberts as premier
on March 1, 1971, he appointed Bernier as his Minister of Mines and Northern Affairs.
Bernier was easily re-elected in the 1971 provincial election
. He was given additional responsibilities as Minister of Lands and Forests on February 2, 1972. On April 7 of the same year, his portfolios were restructured as the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Bernier was re-elected without serious opposition in the elections of 1975
, 1977
, 1981
and 1985
. He was named Minister of Northern Affairs on February 3, 1977, and held this position for more than eight years. Bernier was the most powerful minister for Northern Ontario in the Bill Davis government, and was sometimes called the "Emperor of the North". Like most Progressive Conservatives of his time, he supported government intervention in economic matters.
Bernier initially supported Dennis Timbrell
in the Progressive Conservative Party's January 1985 leadership convention, but crossed to Frank Miller after Timbrell was eliminated. Miller retained him in the Northern Affairs portfolio after becoming Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985. The Progressive Conservatives under Miller were reduced to a tenuous minority government
in the 1985 election, and were defeated in the house in June 1985. In opposition, Bernier served as his party's critic for Natural Resources and Northern Affairs and Mines. He did not run for re-election in 1987.
He served as chair of the Boreal West Round Table in the 1990s, and has remained active in the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. In 2004, he supported John Tory
's successful bid to become party leader.
In 1975, Bernier selected amethyst
as Ontario's mineral emblem.
Bernier died on June 28, 2010 at the age of 81.
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 1966 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:...
. Bernier 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...
.
Bernier was born in Sioux Lookout
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Sioux Lookout is a town in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It has a population of 5,336 and an elevation of 1280 ft / 390 m. Known locally as the "Hub of the North", it is serviced by the Sioux Lookout Airport, Highway 72, and the Sioux Lookout railway station...
in 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...
, and educated in the area. He became the general manager of Bernier & Sons Contractors, and served as president of the local Chamber of Commerce. He was an honorary member of the Royal Canadian Legion
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...
and 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 first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1963 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1963
The Ontario general election of 1963 was held on September 25, 1963, to elect the 108 members of the 27th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and lost to Liberal-Labour
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 Robert Gibson by 840 votes in Kenora
Kenora (electoral district)
Kenora is a federal and former provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004, and was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from the early twentieth century....
. Gibson died in 1966, and Bernier was elected 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....
to replace him. He was returned by an increased margin 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....
, and served as a backbench supporter of the John Robarts
John Robarts
John Parmenter Robarts, PC, CC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and statesman, and the 17th Premier of Ontario.-Early life:...
administration. When Bill Davis succeeded Roberts as 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...
on March 1, 1971, he appointed Bernier as his Minister of Mines and Northern Affairs.
Bernier was easily re-elected 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....
. He was given additional responsibilities as Minister of Lands and Forests on February 2, 1972. On April 7 of the same year, his portfolios were restructured as the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Bernier was re-elected without serious opposition in the elections of 1975
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....
, 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....
, 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...
. He was named Minister of Northern Affairs on February 3, 1977, and held this position for more than eight years. Bernier was the most powerful minister for Northern Ontario in the Bill Davis government, and was sometimes called the "Emperor of the North". Like most Progressive Conservatives of his time, he supported government intervention in economic matters.
Bernier initially 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:...
in the Progressive Conservative Party's January 1985 leadership convention, but crossed to Frank Miller after Timbrell was eliminated. Miller retained him in the Northern Affairs portfolio after becoming 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. The Progressive Conservatives under Miller were reduced to a tenuous 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 the 1985 election, and were defeated in the house in June 1985. In opposition, Bernier served as his party's critic for Natural Resources and Northern Affairs and Mines. He did not run for re-election in 1987.
He served as chair of the Boreal West Round Table in the 1990s, and has remained active in the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. In 2004, he supported John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
's successful bid to become party leader.
In 1975, Bernier selected amethyst
Amethyst
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used in jewelry. The name comes from the Ancient Greek ἀ a- and μέθυστος methustos , a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness; the ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief...
as Ontario's mineral emblem.
Bernier died on June 28, 2010 at the age of 81.