Ron McNeil
Encyclopedia
Ronald Keith McNeil was a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1958 to 1987, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
.
McNeil was born in Springfield, Ontario. He majored in field husbandry at the Ontario Agricultural College
in Guelph
, and received his degree in 1942. He worked as a livestock farmer. McNeil served on the municipal council of South Dorchester from 1946 to 1948, was its reeve from 1949 to 1952, and was a warden of Elgin County
in 1952. Also in 1952, he served as chair of the centennial committee for Elgin and St. Thomas
.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in a by-election
held on January 30, 1958, in the constituency of Elgin. He defeated Liberal
candidate Ralph Auckland by 3,246 votes, and served in the legislature as a backbench supporter of Leslie Frost
's administration. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1959
, 1963
, 1967
, 1971
, 1975
, 1977
, 1981
and 1985
. McNeil came close to losing in 1967 and 1975, but on other occasions won re-election by fairly significant margins.
Despite his long service in the house, McNeil was never appointed to cabinet. He served as parliamentary assistant to the minister of Agriculture and Food from 1977 to 1985. He was known for his efforts to keep in the Ontario Police College
in Aylmer
.http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/01/01/301547.html
McNeil was a bachelor until age 65. He married his wife Doris in 1987.
McNiel was defeated in the 1987 provincial election
, losing to Liberal candidate Marietta Roberts
by 2,437 votes. Roberts had finished a close second to McNeil in the 1975 election. After the election, McNeil returned to his farm in Lyons.
McNeil died in 2003. Norman Sterling, speaking in the Ontario legislature on his passing, described him as a quiet, respected man who made few legislative speeches. There is currently a Ron McNeil Road in Springfield.
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 1958 to 1987, as 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...
.
McNeil was born in Springfield, Ontario. He majored in field husbandry at the Ontario Agricultural College
Ontario Agricultural College
The Ontario Agricultural College originated at the agricultural laboratories of the Toronto Normal School, and was officially founded in 1874 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto...
in Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, and received his degree in 1942. He worked as a livestock farmer. McNeil served on the municipal council of South Dorchester from 1946 to 1948, was its reeve from 1949 to 1952, and was a warden of Elgin County
Elgin County, Ontario
Elgin County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario with a current population of approximately 46,000. The county seat is St. Thomas.It consists of:*Town of Aylmer*Municipality of Bayham*Municipality of Central Elgin...
in 1952. Also in 1952, he served as chair of the centennial committee for Elgin and St. Thomas
St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas is a city in southern , Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gained its city charter on March 4, 1881.-History:...
.
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 January 30, 1958, in the constituency of Elgin. 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...
candidate Ralph Auckland by 3,246 votes, and served in the legislature as a backbench supporter of Leslie Frost
Leslie Frost
Leslie Miscampbell Frost, was a politician in Ontario, Canada, who served as the 16th Premier from May 4, 1949 to November 8, 1961. Due to his lengthy tenure, he gained the nickname "Old Man Ontario".-Early years:...
's administration. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1959
Ontario general election, 1959
The Ontario general election of 1959 was held on June 11, 1959, to elect the 98 members of the 26th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, 1963
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....
, 1967
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....
, 1971
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....
, 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...
. McNeil came close to losing in 1967 and 1975, but on other occasions won re-election by fairly significant margins.
Despite his long service in the house, McNeil was never appointed to cabinet. He served as parliamentary assistant to the minister of Agriculture and Food from 1977 to 1985. He was known for his efforts to keep in the Ontario Police College
Ontario Police College
The Ontario Police College is located in Malahide Township, just east of Aylmer, in Elgin County in Southwestern Ontario, Canada.-Programs:...
in Aylmer
Aylmer, Ontario
Aylmer is a town in Elgin County in southern Ontario, Canada, just north of Lake Erie, on Catfish Creek. It is 20 km south of Highway 401...
.http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/01/01/301547.html
McNeil was a bachelor until age 65. He married his wife Doris in 1987.
McNiel 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...
, losing to Liberal candidate Marietta Roberts
Marietta Roberts
Marietta Roberts is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1990....
by 2,437 votes. Roberts had finished a close second to McNeil in the 1975 election. After the election, McNeil returned to his farm in Lyons.
McNeil died in 2003. Norman Sterling, speaking in the Ontario legislature on his passing, described him as a quiet, respected man who made few legislative speeches. There is currently a Ron McNeil Road in Springfield.