William A. Ferguson
Encyclopedia
William A. "Will" Ferguson (February 13, 1954 - July 22, 2011) was a politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1994, and served as Minister of Energy in the government of Bob Rae
.
Ferguson died on July 22, 2011 due to complications with his heart.
, and held a degree in social work. He worked at the Grandville girls' reform school in the 1970s, and was involved with the Big Brothers Association of Kitchener in 1982-83. He then worked as an employment councillor at The Working Centre from 1984 to 1988, and was Director of Administration at Dusty's Disposal from 1989 to 1990. Ferguson was also an alderman
in the City of Kitchener and a councillor in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
from 1979 to 1990.
in the Canadian general election of 1984
, but finished third in the riding of Kitchener
.
The NDP won a majority government in the provincial election of 1990
, and Ferguson was elected for the party in the provincial riding of Kitchener defeating incumbent Liberal
David Cooke by 6,019 votes. He initially served as a parliamentary assistant, and was promoted to Minister of Energy on July 31, 1991.
On February 13, 1992, Ferguson resigned from the provincial cabinet to deal with allegations that he had committed a sexual assault
in the 1970s; in 1994, he was acquitted. From the time when he was charged to his acquittal he sat as an independent. After his acquittal he was reinstated by the NDP and was appointed as a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
He resigned from the legislature on October 8, 1994, in order to run for mayor
of Kitchener; however, he was defeated.
and consulting on energy issues in South Africa
.
On Friday July 22, 2011, he experienced heart problems at his brother's place in Kitchener and died shortly thereafter.
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 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 1990 to 1994, and served as Minister of Energy in the government of Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
.
Ferguson died on July 22, 2011 due to complications with his heart.
Background
Ferguson was educated at Conestoga CollegeConestoga College
The Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a public college based in Kitchener, Ontario in Canada.-History:The College was founded in 1967 as the Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology, one of many such institutions established in that time by the Ontario...
, and held a degree in social work. He worked at the Grandville girls' reform school in the 1970s, and was involved with the Big Brothers Association of Kitchener in 1982-83. He then worked as an employment councillor at The Working Centre from 1984 to 1988, and was Director of Administration at Dusty's Disposal from 1989 to 1990. Ferguson was also an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in the City of Kitchener and a councillor in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Waterloo County, Ontario
Waterloo County, created in 1853 and dissolved in 1973, was the forerunner of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. It consisted of five townships: Woolwich, Wellesley, Wilmot, Waterloo, and North Dumfries...
from 1979 to 1990.
Politics
He ran as a candidate of the federal New Democratic PartyNew Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in the Canadian general election of 1984
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, but finished third in the riding of Kitchener
Kitchener (electoral district)
Kitchener was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1997. It was located in the province of Ontario...
.
The NDP won a majority government in the provincial election of 1990
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....
, and Ferguson was elected for the party in the provincial riding of Kitchener defeating incumbent 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...
David Cooke by 6,019 votes. He initially served as a parliamentary assistant, and was promoted to Minister of Energy on July 31, 1991.
On February 13, 1992, Ferguson resigned from the provincial cabinet to deal with allegations that he had committed a sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
in the 1970s; in 1994, he was acquitted. From the time when he was charged to his acquittal he sat as an independent. After his acquittal he was reinstated by the NDP and was appointed as a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
He resigned from the legislature on October 8, 1994, in order to run for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Kitchener; however, he was defeated.
Later life
After leaving the legislature he held a number of jobs including town manager in the hamlet of Grise Fiord, NunavutNunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
and consulting on energy issues in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
On Friday July 22, 2011, he experienced heart problems at his brother's place in Kitchener and died shortly thereafter.