George Ashe
Encyclopedia
George Lyle Ashe is a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1977 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill Davis
and Frank Miller
. Ashe was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
.
in the late 1950s, and was Nepean Township
in the early 1960s. He was elected deputy reeve of Pickering
in 1969, and became the city's first mayor
four years later. Ashe served as mayor of Pickering until 1977, and was also a member of the Durham
Regional Council.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1977 election
, defeating New Democratic Party incumbent Charles Godfrey by 593 votes in Durham West
. He served as parliamentary assistant to three ministers, and was re-elected with an increased plurality in the 1981 election
. Ashe was appointed to Bill Davis's cabinet on April 10, 1981 as Minister of Revenue
.
Following a cabinet shuffle on July 6, 1983, Ashe was named as Minister of Government Services. Ashe supported Frank Miller to succeed Davis in the Progressive Conservative Party's 1985 leadership convention, and was named Minister of Energy when Miller became in as Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985.
Ashe was re-elected in the 1985 election
, which reduced Miller's Conservatives to minority government
status. He was appointed as Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little before Miller's government was defeated in the house in June. In opposition, he served as his party's critic for Revenue, the Management Board, and Financial Institutions. He lost the Durham West constituency to Liberal
Norah Stoner
by 5,843 votes in the 1987 election
, amid a Liberal sweep of the province.
As of the 2004-05 year, Ashe was again a secondary school trustee in Bowmanville.
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 1977 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:...
. Ashe 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...
.
Biography
Ashe was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and educated in that city. He worked in agency management for Northern Life of Canada. A Roman Catholic, Ashe was a separate school trustee for Gloucester TownshipGloucester Township, Ontario
Gloucester Township is a historical township in Eastern Ontario, Canada.Originally known as Township B, it was established in 1792. In 1800, it was part of Russell County, but became part of Carleton County in 1838 and was incorporated as a township in 1850. The first settler in the township was...
in the late 1950s, and was Nepean Township
Nepean Township, Ontario
Nepean Township is a historical township in Eastern Ontario, Canada.Originally known as Township D, it was established in 1792. In 1800, it became part of Carleton County and was incorporated as a township in 1850. The first settler in the township was Jehiel Collins, from Vermont, who settled in...
in the early 1960s. He was elected deputy reeve of Pickering
Pickering, Ontario
Pickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the largest metropolitan area in Canada.- Early Period :...
in 1969, and became the city's first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
four years later. Ashe served as mayor of Pickering until 1977, and was also a member of the Durham
Durham County, Ontario
Durham County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was named from the English County and city.Durham County was created in 1792. It was composed of the townships of Cartwright, Manvers, Cavan, Darlington, Clarke and Hope, and portions of what is now Peterborough County,...
Regional Council.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1977 election
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....
, defeating New Democratic Party incumbent Charles Godfrey by 593 votes in Durham West
Durham West (provincial electoral district)
Durham West was a provincial electoral district in the Durham Region in Ontario, Canada that elected members to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It contained the towns of Pickering and Ajax....
. He served as parliamentary assistant to three ministers, and was re-elected with an increased plurality 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....
. Ashe was appointed to Bill Davis's cabinet on April 10, 1981 as Minister of Revenue
Ministry of Revenue (Ontario)
The Ministry of Revenue administers most of the province's major tax statutes as well as a number of tax credit, incentive and benefit programs. The tax revenues collected provide the fiscal foundation upon which many of the government's programs rely...
.
Following a cabinet shuffle on July 6, 1983, Ashe was named as Minister of Government Services. Ashe supported Frank Miller to succeed Davis in the Progressive Conservative Party's 1985 leadership convention, and was named Minister of Energy when Miller became in as 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.
Ashe was re-elected in the 1985 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...
, which reduced Miller's Conservatives to 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...
status. He was appointed as Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little before Miller's government was defeated in the house in June. In opposition, he served as his party's critic for Revenue, the Management Board, and Financial Institutions. He lost the Durham West constituency to 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...
Norah Stoner
Norah Stoner
Norah Jane Stoner is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1990.Stoner worked as a commercial artist before entering political life...
by 5,843 votes in the 1987 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...
, amid a Liberal sweep of the province.
As of the 2004-05 year, Ashe was again a secondary school trustee in Bowmanville.