Bob McDonald (politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Matthew Turnbull McDonald (26 September 1931 - 9 June 2002) was a Progressive Conservative party
member of the Canadian House of Commons
. Born in Hamilton, Ontario
, he was a businessman, insurance agent, professional football player and public servant.
Bob McDonald joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
as a defensive halfback in 1950 and won the Canadian Football League
's Gruen Trophy
as rookie of the year in the Big Four eastern conference. He quit professional football after contracting poliomyelitis
on 6 August 1953 after which he required the use of crutches.
Recovered from the illness, his new career was selling insurance. As the 1957 federal election
approached, the Progressive Conservative party recruited McDonald as their candidate in the Hamilton South
riding. On election day, 10 June 1957, a 25-year-old McDonald defeated Liberal party
incumbent Russell Reinke
as part of an Ontario sweep by the Tories, helping John Diefenbaker
win a minority government.
After winning two more terms in the 1958
and 1962 federal election
s, McDonald was defeated by William Dean Howe
of the New Democratic Party
in the 1963 election
. McDonald served three terms from the 23rd to 25th Canadian Parliament
s.
After leaving federal politics McDonald became a Hamilton school trustee in 1964 and returned to business for a decade, running Crystal Glass and Plastics. He moved to provincial government in the 1970s as general manager of the Ontario Mortgage Corporation. From 1978 to 1991, he held various deputy minister positions with the Government of Ontario
. He also served on the Peel Police
Services Board and the National Parole Board.
McDonald died in June 2002, survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. Born in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, he was a businessman, insurance agent, professional football player and public servant.
Bob McDonald joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
as a defensive halfback in 1950 and won the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Gruen Trophy
Gruen Trophy
The Gruen Trophy was a Canadian Football League trophy, given to the most outstanding Canadian rookie in the East Division. The award, sponsored by the Gruen Watch Co...
as rookie of the year in the Big Four eastern conference. He quit professional football after contracting poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
on 6 August 1953 after which he required the use of crutches.
Recovered from the illness, his new career was selling insurance. As the 1957 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
approached, the Progressive Conservative party recruited McDonald as their candidate in the Hamilton South
Hamilton South (electoral district)
Hamilton South was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1965. It was located in the province of Ontario...
riding. On election day, 10 June 1957, a 25-year-old McDonald defeated Liberal party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
incumbent Russell Reinke
Russell Reinke
Russell Earl Reinke was a Liberal party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Ancaster, Ontario and other than his political career became a buyer and salesman....
as part of an Ontario sweep by the Tories, helping John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
win a minority government.
After winning two more terms in the 1958
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
and 1962 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
s, McDonald was defeated by William Dean Howe
William Dean Howe
William Dean Howe was a New Democratic Party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Toronto, Ontario and became a physician by career....
of the New Democratic Party
New 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 1963 election
Canadian federal election, 1963
The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.-Overview:During the Tories' last year in...
. McDonald served three terms from the 23rd to 25th Canadian Parliament
25th Canadian Parliament
The 25th Canadian Parliament was in session from September 27, 1962 until February 6, 1963. The membership was set by the 1962 federal election on June 18, 1962, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1963 election.It was controlled by...
s.
After leaving federal politics McDonald became a Hamilton school trustee in 1964 and returned to business for a decade, running Crystal Glass and Plastics. He moved to provincial government in the 1970s as general manager of the Ontario Mortgage Corporation. From 1978 to 1991, he held various deputy minister positions with the Government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
. He also served on the Peel Police
Peel Regional Police
Peel Regional Police provides police services for Peel Region in Ontario, Canada. It is the second largest municipal police service in Ontario after the Toronto Police Service and third largest municipal force in Canada with 1,900 uniformed members and close to 800 support staff.Peel Region...
Services Board and the National Parole Board.
McDonald died in June 2002, survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.