John Eakins
Encyclopedia
John Eakins was a former 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
.
Eakins was educated in Lindsay, Ontario
. He served as a councillor in Lindsay for three years, and as mayor
for six. Eakins was also a governor of Fleming College
, and a member of the Royal Canadian Legion
.
He first sought election to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election
, but lost to Progressive Conservative
Glen Hodgson by 2,016 votes in Victoria—Haliburton. He ran again in the 1971 election
, and lost to Hodgson by 2,119 votes.
The Ontario Liberal Party increased its legislative representation in the 1975 provincial election
, and Eakins defeated Hodgson by 1,023 votes in his third attempt. He was re-elected by greater margins in the elections of 1977
, 1981
, 1985
and 1987
.
After serving in opposition for forty-two years, the Liberal Party formed a minority government
after the 1985 election. David Peterson, the province's new Premier
, appointed Eakins as his Minister of Tourism and Recreation on June 26, 1985. He held this position until September 29, 1987, when he was appointed as Minister of Municipal Affairs. He left cabinet on August 2, 1989.
Eakins did not run in the 1990 election
. He died eight years later, after undergoing cancer treatments in Hamilton, Ontario
.
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....
.
Eakins was educated in Lindsay, Ontario
Lindsay, Ontario
Lindsay is a community of 19,361 people on the Scugog River in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately west of Peterborough...
. He served as a councillor in Lindsay for three years, and as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
for six. Eakins was also a governor of Fleming College
Fleming College
Fleming College, also known as Sir Sandford Fleming College, is a College of Applied Arts and Technology in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. The College has more than 6,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time students and 58,000 alumni.-Campus:...
, and a member of the Royal Canadian Legion
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...
.
He first sought election to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1967
The Ontario general election of 1967 was held on October 17, 1967, to elect the 117 members of the 28th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, but lost to 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...
Glen Hodgson by 2,016 votes in Victoria—Haliburton. He ran again in the 1971 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....
, and lost to Hodgson by 2,119 votes.
The Ontario Liberal Party increased its legislative representation 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....
, and Eakins defeated Hodgson by 1,023 votes in his third attempt. 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....
, 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....
, 1985
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 1987
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...
.
After serving in opposition for forty-two years, the Liberal Party 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 election. David Peterson, the province's new Premier
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...
, appointed Eakins as his Minister of Tourism and Recreation on June 26, 1985. He held this position until September 29, 1987, when he was appointed as Minister of Municipal Affairs. He left cabinet on August 2, 1989.
Eakins did not run in the 1990 election
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....
. He died eight years later, after undergoing cancer treatments 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...
.