René Fontaine
Encyclopedia
Jacques Noe René Fontaine (born November 5, 1933 in Harty, Ontario
) is a former politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1985 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
.
Fontaine was educated at the University of Ottawa
. He was vice-president of a sawmill in Hearst
. He served as a municipal councillor in the northern town of from 1963 to 1966, and was the town's mayor
from 1967 to 1980. In 1977, he declared it a "bilingual municipality". Fontaine also served as president of Maison Renaissance and Arc en Ciel in Hearst.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1985 provincial election
, defeating Progressive Conservative
René Piché
in Cochrane North, a large riding in the province's northeastern corner. Fontaine was the only Liberal MPP elected from northern Ontario, and was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Northern Affairs and Mines.
In June 1986, opposition MPP Andy Brandt
disclosed to the legislature that Fontaine had failed to disclose ownership of 17,000 shares in Golden Tiger, a mining company operating in Ontario and Quebec
. Fontaine acknowledged his mistake, saying that he had forgotten to disclose the shares as required be Peterson's conflict-of-interest guidelines. He resigned both his portfolio and his seat in the legislature on June 26, stating that he wanted to be exonerated by the people of his riding in a by-election
. The Progressive Conservatives and New Democratic Party refused to run candidates, and described the entire affair as farcical. Fontaine easily defeated a spread of minor candidates; he was not immediately re-appointed to cabinet, but served as a parliamentary assistant in the first part of 1987.
Peterson's Liberals won a landslide majority government in the 1987 provincial election
, and Fontaine was re-elected by almost 4,000 votes over Len Wood
of the NDP. He returned to cabinet as Minister of Northern Development, and retained this position until August 8, 1990. He did not seek re-election in the 1990 provincial election
.
There is currently a Hearst (René Fontaine) Municipal Airport
in Hearst.
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....
) is a former 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 1985 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....
.
Fontaine was educated at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. He was vice-president of a sawmill in Hearst
Hearst, Ontario
Hearst is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in Northern Ontario, approximately west of Kapuskasing, approximately north of Toronto and east of Thunder Bay on Highway 11...
. He served as a municipal councillor in the northern town of from 1963 to 1966, and was the town's mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
from 1967 to 1980. In 1977, he declared it a "bilingual municipality". Fontaine also served as president of Maison Renaissance and Arc en Ciel in Hearst.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature 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...
, 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...
René Piché
René Piché
René L. Piché was a Canadian politician, who served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1981 to 1985.He briefly served as a cabinet minister for Northern Transportation in the government of Frank Miller. He was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party...
in Cochrane North, a large riding in the province's northeastern corner. Fontaine was the only Liberal MPP elected from northern Ontario, and was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Northern Affairs and Mines.
In June 1986, opposition MPP Andy Brandt
Andy Brandt
Andrew S. "Andy" Brandt is a former politician and public administrator who has served in a number of roles in the province of Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Progressive Conservative from 1981 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill...
disclosed to the legislature that Fontaine had failed to disclose ownership of 17,000 shares in Golden Tiger, a mining company operating in Ontario and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Fontaine acknowledged his mistake, saying that he had forgotten to disclose the shares as required be Peterson's conflict-of-interest guidelines. He resigned both his portfolio and his seat in the legislature on June 26, stating that he wanted to be exonerated by the people of his riding 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....
. The Progressive Conservatives and New Democratic Party refused to run candidates, and described the entire affair as farcical. Fontaine easily defeated a spread of minor candidates; he was not immediately re-appointed to cabinet, but served as a parliamentary assistant in the first part of 1987.
Peterson's Liberals won a landslide majority government 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...
, and Fontaine was re-elected by almost 4,000 votes over Len Wood
Len Wood
Len Wood is a former Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1999, sitting for the New Democratic Party of Ontario.-Background:...
of the NDP. He returned to cabinet as Minister of Northern Development, and retained this position until August 8, 1990. He did not seek re-election 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....
.
There is currently a Hearst (René Fontaine) Municipal Airport
Hearst (René Fontaine) Municipal Airport
Hearst Municipal Airport , named after René Fontaine, is located northwest of Hearst, Ontario, Canada.-References:...
in Hearst.