Vince Kerrio
Encyclopedia
Vince George Kerrio was a businessperson and politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Liberal
from 1975 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
. He was the first Italian-Canadian
to serve as a cabinet minister in Ontario.
Kerrio's grandfather, also named Vincent, emigrated from Italy
to Canada at the start of the twentieth century. Kerrio was born in Niagara Falls and educated at Niagara Falls Collegiate Vocational Institute (NFCVI). Kerrio began working in the family business, then Kerrio Welding Works, in the 1930s. The company became Kerrio and Germano Construction and later Kerrio Construction, and the younger Kerrio its president. He was also the president of the Niagara Falls Curling
Club.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election
, defeating incumbent Progressive Conservative
John Clement
by 172 votes in the Niagara Falls
constituency. He was re-elected by greater margins in the elections of 1977
and 1981
.
The Ontario Liberal Party, which had been out of office since 1943, formed a minority government
after the 1985 provincial election
. Kerrio, easily returned in Niagara Falls, was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Energy on June 26, 1985. He was retained in the former portfolio after the 1987 provincial election
. In 1988, Kerrio prohibited mineral exploration and mining activities in Ontario provincial parks. He banned large-scale water exports from Ontario in 1989. He also oversaw the reintroduction of the Wild Turkey
to Ontario.
In 1988, Kerrio approved the expansion of the Red Squirrel logging road
, directly through Anishnabe territory in Temagami, Ontario
, Canada
. This prompted a series of roadblocks by the Teme-Augama Anishnabai
and by environmentalists in 1988-1989.
Kerrio was a prominent supporter of the "Beck 3" plan to build a third hydroelectric
generating station on the Niagara River
.
Kerrio left cabinet on August 2, 1989, and did not run for re-election in 1990.
Kerrio remained a leading figure in Niagara Falls's Italian community. In addition to Kerrio Construction, his family came to run Car-Mar Manufacturing and Niagara Hospitality Inns.
Kerrio died on October 30, 2009, at Greater Niagara General Hospital, where he had been hospitalized with leukemia
for six months. Kerrio and his wife Rose had two sons, Vincent Anthony Kerrio and Mike Kerrio. Vincent Anthony Kerrio succeeded his father in the family business and became a member of Niagara Falls City Council
.
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 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...
as 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...
from 1975 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....
. He was the first Italian-Canadian
Italian-Canadian
An Italian Canadian is a Canadian of Italian descent or heritage. According to the 2006 census of Canada, 1,445,335 Canadians consider themselves to be of Italian origin. The Italian-Canadian population climbed by more than 12% and half have combined Italian origins along with another ethnic...
to serve as a cabinet minister in Ontario.
Kerrio's grandfather, also named Vincent, emigrated from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to Canada at the start of the twentieth century. Kerrio was born in Niagara Falls and educated at Niagara Falls Collegiate Vocational Institute (NFCVI). Kerrio began working in the family business, then Kerrio Welding Works, in the 1930s. The company became Kerrio and Germano Construction and later Kerrio Construction, and the younger Kerrio its president. He was also the president of the Niagara Falls Curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
Club.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election
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....
, defeating incumbent 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...
John Clement
John Clement
John Twining Clement was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament in the 1970s for the riding of Niagara Falls, and served a brief stint as Attorney General and Solicitor General of Ontario in 1975 in the cabinet of Premier William G...
by 172 votes in the Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls (electoral district)
Niagara Falls is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1953.It consists of the city of Niagara Falls and the towns of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie....
constituency. He was re-elected by greater margins in the elections of 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....
and 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....
.
The Ontario Liberal Party, which had been out of office since 1943, formed a 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...
after 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...
. Kerrio, easily returned in Niagara Falls, was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Energy on June 26, 1985. He was retained in the former portfolio after 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...
. In 1988, Kerrio prohibited mineral exploration and mining activities in Ontario provincial parks. He banned large-scale water exports from Ontario in 1989. He also oversaw the reintroduction of the Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
to Ontario.
In 1988, Kerrio approved the expansion of the Red Squirrel logging road
Red Squirrel Road
Red Squirrel Road, also called the Red Squirrel logging road and formerly called the Johns-Manville Road, is a logging road located within the Municipality of Temagami, in the Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
, directly through Anishnabe territory in Temagami, Ontario
Temagami, Ontario
Temagami, formerly spelt as Timagami, is a region and a municipality in northeastern Ontario, Canada, in the District of Nipissing with Lake Temagami at its heart....
, 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...
. This prompted a series of roadblocks by the Teme-Augama Anishnabai
Teme-Augama Anishnabai
The Teme-Augama Anishnabai is the Aboriginal community of the Temagami First Nation. The TAA have trapped and hunted animals in the Temagami region of Canada for over 5,000 years...
and by environmentalists in 1988-1989.
Kerrio was a prominent supporter of the "Beck 3" plan to build a third hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generating station on the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
.
Kerrio left cabinet on August 2, 1989, and did not run for re-election in 1990.
Kerrio remained a leading figure in Niagara Falls's Italian community. In addition to Kerrio Construction, his family came to run Car-Mar Manufacturing and Niagara Hospitality Inns.
Kerrio died on October 30, 2009, at Greater Niagara General Hospital, where he had been hospitalized with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
for six months. Kerrio and his wife Rose had two sons, Vincent Anthony Kerrio and Mike Kerrio. Vincent Anthony Kerrio succeeded his father in the family business and became a member of Niagara Falls City Council
Niagara Falls City Council
The Niagara Falls City Council is the governing body of the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.The council consists of the mayor plus eight elected Councillors representing the city as a whole.-Councillors:* Mayor Jim Diodati* Wayne Gates...
.