Phil Gillies
Encyclopedia
Philip Andrew Gillies is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1981 to 1987 as a Progressive Conservative
, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Frank Miller
.
Gillies was educated at Queenborough
in Kent, England
. After moving to Ontario, he completed his education at the University of Western Ontario
and worked as an advertising executive.
He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1977 provincial election
, but lost to New Democratic Party candidate Mac Makarchuk in the constituency of Brantford
. In 1977 and 1978, Gillies worked as research assistant to Ontario Premier William Davis. He ran again in the 1981 election
, and defeated Makarchuk by over 3,000 votes.
Gillies served as a backbench supporter of Bill Davis
's government, and endorsed Larry Grossman
for the party leadership in January 1985. When Frank Miller became the Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985, he named Gillies as a Minister without portfolio
.
The Progressive Conservative Party was reduced to a tenuous minority government
following the 1985 provincial election
. Gillies himself was narrowly re-elected in Brantford, defeating NDP candidate Jack Tubman by 1,141 votes. He was promoted to Minister of Skills Development on May 17, 1985, and worked to establish a foundation for the new ministry in the limited time before the Miller government was defeated in the house. He formally resigned his portfolio on June 26.
In opposition, Gillies served as his party's critic for Skills Development, Labour and the Environment. Gillies took an interest in labour and human rights issues, and was one of the first P.C. MPPs to work for gay rights in Ontario. He was defeated in the 1987 provincial election
, finishing third against Liberal
candidate Dave Neumann
.
Gillies ran communications and advertising for the Ontario Progressive Conservatives in the 1990 provincial election in support of new party leader Mike Harris.
After leaving politics, Gillies became a Vice President of Hill & Knowlton Public Relations. He later worked as a consultant for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, the Royal Bank of Canada and other corporations and non-profits. He has served as a director of Orchestra London, The Brant Social Development Council, The Brantford Symphony Orchestra, and the Enos Foundation. Phil Gillies currently works on endangered species issues for the WildAid Conservation Society.
In 2011, Phil Gillies helped spearhead a national campaign to have shark fin banned in Canada. He led his hometown of Brantford, Ontario to become the first municipality in North America to ban the trade and possession of sharkfin through a by-law passed on May 24, 2011. This led to the introduction of similar legislation in Toronto, Oakville, Mississauga and other Canadian cities.
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 1981 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...
, and was a cabinet minister in the government of 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:...
.
Gillies was educated at Queenborough
Queenborough
Queenborough is a small town on the Isle of Sheppey in the Swale borough of Kent in South East England.Queenborough is two miles south of Sheerness. It grew as a port near the Thames Estuary at the westward entrance to The Swale where it joins the River Medway...
in Kent, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After moving to Ontario, he completed his education at the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
and worked as an advertising executive.
He first ran for 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....
, but lost to New Democratic Party candidate Mac Makarchuk in the constituency of Brantford
Brantford (electoral district)
Brantford was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1925 and from 1949 to 1968, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1986 to 1999....
. In 1977 and 1978, Gillies worked as research assistant to Ontario Premier William Davis. He ran again 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....
, and defeated Makarchuk by over 3,000 votes.
Gillies served as a backbench supporter 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...
's government, and endorsed 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...
for the party leadership in January 1985. When Frank Miller became the 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, he named Gillies as a Minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
.
The Progressive Conservative Party was 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...
following 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...
. Gillies himself was narrowly re-elected in Brantford, defeating NDP candidate Jack Tubman by 1,141 votes. He was promoted to Minister of Skills Development on May 17, 1985, and worked to establish a foundation for the new ministry in the limited time before the Miller government was defeated in the house. He formally resigned his portfolio on June 26.
In opposition, Gillies served as his party's critic for Skills Development, Labour and the Environment. Gillies took an interest in labour and human rights issues, and was one of the first P.C. MPPs to work for gay rights in Ontario. He was defeated 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...
, finishing third against 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 Dave Neumann
Dave Neumann
David Emil Neumann is a politician in the Canadian province of Ontario. He was the mayor of Brantford from 1980 to 1987 and served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1987 to 1990...
.
Gillies ran communications and advertising for the Ontario Progressive Conservatives in the 1990 provincial election in support of new party leader Mike Harris.
After leaving politics, Gillies became a Vice President of Hill & Knowlton Public Relations. He later worked as a consultant for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, the Royal Bank of Canada and other corporations and non-profits. He has served as a director of Orchestra London, The Brant Social Development Council, The Brantford Symphony Orchestra, and the Enos Foundation. Phil Gillies currently works on endangered species issues for the WildAid Conservation Society.
In 2011, Phil Gillies helped spearhead a national campaign to have shark fin banned in Canada. He led his hometown of Brantford, Ontario to become the first municipality in North America to ban the trade and possession of sharkfin through a by-law passed on May 24, 2011. This led to the introduction of similar legislation in Toronto, Oakville, Mississauga and other Canadian cities.