Robert C. Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Robert C. Mitchell was a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1980 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Frank Miller
. Mitchell was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
.
Mitchell was a communication officer in the Department of National Defence before entering political life. He served for nine years in municipal government, in the city of Nepean
and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in a by-election
, held on November 20, 1980 for the Carleton
constituency. He defeated Liberal
Al Loney by 3,502 votes, and served in the legislature as a backbench supporter of Bill Davis
's administration. Mitchell was re-elected in the 1981 election
, defeating Liberal Hans Daigeler
and New Democrat Judy Wasylycia-Leis
by an increased margin.
When Frank Miller replaced Davis as Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985, he appointed Mitchell as a minister without portfolio
responsible for Science and Technology. He was re-elected in the 1985 election
, defeating Daigeler by a reduced margin.
The Progressive Conservatives were reduced to a fragile minority government
in the 1985 election. Mitchell was named as a minister without portfolio and Chief Government Whip
on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little in this position before Miller's government was defeated in the house. In opposition, he served as his party's critic for energy.
Mitchell lost to Hans Daigeler in the 1987 provincial election
, by 3,636 votes.
On June 16, 2007, Mitchell died after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by friends and family at the time of his passing. Coincidentally, Mitchell received his medical care at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital
in Ottawa, Ontario, which he had been affiliated with numerous times during his political career.
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 1980 to 1987, 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:...
. Mitchell was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
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...
.
Mitchell was a communication officer in the Department of National Defence before entering political life. He served for nine years in municipal government, in the city of Nepean
Nepean, Ontario
- Recent quantity of snow :- History :Nepean Township, originally known as Township D, was established in 1792 and originally included what is now the central area of Ottawa west of the Rideau River. Jehiel Collins, from Vermont, is believed to have been the first person to settle in Nepean...
and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
The Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton was a regional government area and census division in Ontario, Canada which existed from 1969 until 2001...
.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature 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....
, held on November 20, 1980 for the Carleton
Carleton (Ontario electoral district)
Carleton was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1987...
constituency. He defeated 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...
Al Loney by 3,502 votes, and served in the legislature 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 administration. Mitchell was re-elected 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....
, defeating Liberal Hans Daigeler
Hans Daigeler
Hans Wolfgang Daigeler was a politician in Ontario, Canada...
and New Democrat Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Klazina Judith "Judy" Wasylycia-Leis is a Canadian politician. She was a Manitoba cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley from 1986 to 1988, and was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from September 22, 1997 to April 30, 2010...
by an increased margin.
When Frank Miller replaced Davis as 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 appointed Mitchell 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...
responsible for Science and Technology. He was re-elected in the 1985 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 Daigeler by a reduced margin.
The Progressive Conservatives were reduced to a fragile 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. Mitchell was named as a minister without portfolio and Chief Government Whip
Chief Government Whip (Ontario)
The Chief Government Whip of Ontario is the member of the government responsible for ensuring that members of the governing party attend and vote in the provincial Legislature as the party leadership desires....
on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little in this position before Miller's government was defeated in the house. In opposition, he served as his party's critic for energy.
Mitchell lost to Hans Daigeler 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...
, by 3,636 votes.
On June 16, 2007, Mitchell died after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by friends and family at the time of his passing. Coincidentally, Mitchell received his medical care at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital
Queensway-Carleton Hospital
Queensway-Carleton Hospital, opened in 1976 by William Davis, is a 240 bed facility in Ottawa's west end, and serves a population of over 400,000...
in Ottawa, Ontario, which he had been affiliated with numerous times during his political career.