Claude Bennett
Encyclopedia
Claude Frederick Bennett (September 19, 1936—) is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1971 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill Davis
and Frank Miller
. Bennett was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
.
Bennett was born in Ottawa, Ontario
. He was educated at the High School of Commerce, and worked as an insurance agent. He served as an alderman
in Ottawa from 1960 to 1969, and was a city controller and was the city's acting mayor in the period from 1970 to 1972. He also served as director of the Central Canada Exhibition
Association from 1965 to 1978, and was president of the Ottawa Sooner Jr. Football Club from 1965 to 1973.
Bennett was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
, winning a convincing victory in Ottawa South
. He was appointed as a minister without portfolio
in Davis's government on September 28, 1972, and was promoted to Minister of Industry and Tourism on January 15, 1973. He was re-elected by a reduced majority in the 1975 election
, and again with a convincing majority in 1977
. On January 21, 1978, he was named Minister of Housing.
After six years of governing in a minority parliament, Davis's PCs were returned with a majority government
in the 1981 election
. Bennett was again returned for Ottawa South, and was named Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on July 3 of that year. He served in this position for the remainder of the Davis years.
Bennett was on the right-wing of the Progressive Conservative party, and was a prominent supporter of Frank Miller at the party's January 1985 leadership convention
. When Miller became Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985, he named Bennett as his Minister of Tourism and Recreation.
The PCs were reduced to a tenuous minority government under Miller's leadership in the 1985 provincial election
, and Bennett retained his seat by only 1,337 votes (39.4%) against Liberal Party
challenger Andrew Caddell (35.3%). He continued to serve as Minister of Tourism and Recreation and was also named Chair of Cabinet, but he accomplished little in this position before the Miller government was defeated in the house in June 1985. In opposition, Bennett served as his party's Critic for Industry and Trade. He supported Larry Grossman
for the party leadership in November 1985, and did not run for re-election in 1987.
From 1990 to 1995, Bennett served as chairman of the board for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
. He has been president of the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada since 1998, and has also served as chair of the Ottawa Transition Board and the Ottawa Airport Authority. On June 29, 2007, Bennett was appointed to sit on the board of directors of the Royal Canadian Mint
for a four-year term.http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/06/29/bennett-mint.html
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 1971 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments 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...
and 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:...
. Bennett was 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...
.
Bennett was born in Ottawa, Ontario
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....
. He was educated at the High School of Commerce, and worked as an insurance agent. He served as 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 Ottawa from 1960 to 1969, and was a city controller and was the city's acting mayor in the period from 1970 to 1972. He also served as director of the Central Canada Exhibition
Ottawa SuperEX
Ottawa SuperEX is an eleven-day annual exhibition that takes places every August at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The exhibition provides exhibits, entertainment and amusements indoors in the buildings on site and outdoors on the grounds...
Association from 1965 to 1978, and was president of the Ottawa Sooner Jr. Football Club from 1965 to 1973.
Bennett was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
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....
, winning a convincing victory in Ottawa South
Ottawa South (provincial electoral district)
Ottawa South is a riding in the Canadian province of Ontario, in the city of Ottawa. It is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty....
. He was appointed 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...
in Davis's government on September 28, 1972, and was promoted to Minister of Industry and Tourism on January 15, 1973. He was re-elected by a reduced majority in the 1975 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....
, and again with a convincing majority in 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....
. On January 21, 1978, he was named Minister of Housing.
After six years of governing in a minority parliament, Davis's PCs were returned with a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
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....
. Bennett was again returned for Ottawa South, and was named Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on July 3 of that year. He served in this position for the remainder of the Davis years.
Bennett was on the right-wing of the Progressive Conservative party, and was a prominent supporter of Frank Miller at the party's January 1985 leadership convention
Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions, 1985
In 1985, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party held two leadership elections: one in January, and one in November.-The January Convention:The January convention was held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto to choose a replacement for William Davis, who had served as Ontario PC leader and Premier...
. When Miller became 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 named Bennett as his Minister of Tourism and Recreation.
The PCs were reduced to a tenuous minority government under Miller's leadership in 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...
, and Bennett retained his seat by only 1,337 votes (39.4%) against Liberal Party
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...
challenger Andrew Caddell (35.3%). He continued to serve as Minister of Tourism and Recreation and was also named Chair of Cabinet, but he accomplished little in this position before the Miller government was defeated in the house in June 1985. In opposition, Bennett served as his party's Critic for Industry and Trade. He supported Larry Grossman
Larry Grossman
Lawrence "Larry" Sheldon Grossman was a politician in Ontario, Canada.-Early years:Born in Toronto, Grossman was the son of Allan Grossman, who had represented a downtown Toronto riding in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for twenty years after defeating Ontario's last Communist Member of...
for the party leadership in November 1985, and did not run for re-election in 1987.
From 1990 to 1995, Bennett served as chairman of the board for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is a Crown corporation, owned by the Government of Canada, founded after World War II to provide housing for returning soldiers...
. He has been president of the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada since 1998, and has also served as chair of the Ottawa Transition Board and the Ottawa Airport Authority. On June 29, 2007, Bennett was appointed to sit on the board of directors of the Royal Canadian Mint
Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations. The Mint also designs and manufactures: precious and base metal collector coins; gold, silver, palladium, and platinum bullion coins; medals, as well as medallions and...
for a four-year term.http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/06/29/bennett-mint.html