Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election, 1990
Encyclopedia
The 1990 Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership election was a leadership election
held in May 1990 to elect a permanent leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party to succeed Larry Grossman
who the night of the 1987 provincial election
in which he lost his seat and saw his party, which had ruled the province for 42 years until 1985, fall to third place. Andy Brandt
served as interim leader during a period of rebuilding leading to the 1990 convention.
The 1990 leadership vote was the first in which the Tories used a One Member One Vote system instead of the traditional delegated leadership convention
. In the modified OMOV system all members were allowed to vote in their ridings and each riding was given 100 points which would be assessed according to proportional representation. The candidate with the most points province wide would be the winner.
The Conservatives had been led by Red Tories
William G. Davis from 1971 until 1985 and conservative elements in the party, particularly in the youth, believed that the moderate positions of the party leadership had led to its 1985 defeat. Their third place finish in 1987 under Grossman, also a Red Tory, buttressed the argument that the party needed to move to the right. Conversely, the leader of the Conservatives during their fatal 1985 provincial election
was Frank Miller
, perceived as a right wing conservative who eschewed the Red Toryism of Davis and Grossman.
Mike Harris
represented the right wing position in the 1990 race and called for the scrapping of pay equity and the introduction of user fees
for health care while his rival in the leadership race, Dianne Cunningham
, was seen as on the progressive wing of the party and was supported by Red Tory stalwarts such as Hugh Segal
and John Tory
.
Both candidates were considered low-profile. Harris had briefly been a junior cabinet minister in Miller's short lived 1985 government while Cunningham was a rookie MPP who was elected in a 1988 by-election. Better known potential candidates such as Dennis Timbrell
, Barbara McDougall
, David Crombie and John Tory all turned down the chance to run.
(the non-weighted vote totals were: Harris 8661, Cunningham 7189) using a preferential ballot, in which they ranked the candidates by preference, rather than vote in separate rounds.
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
held in May 1990 to elect a permanent leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party to succeed 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...
who the night of the 1987 provincial 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...
in which he lost his seat and saw his party, which had ruled the province for 42 years until 1985, fall to third place. Andy Brandt
Andy Brandt
Andrew S. "Andy" Brandt is a former politician and public administrator who has served in a number of roles in the province of Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Progressive Conservative from 1981 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill...
served as interim leader during a period of rebuilding leading to the 1990 convention.
The 1990 leadership vote was the first in which the Tories used a One Member One Vote system instead of the traditional delegated leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
. In the modified OMOV system all members were allowed to vote in their ridings and each riding was given 100 points which would be assessed according to proportional representation. The candidate with the most points province wide would be the winner.
The Conservatives had been led by Red Tories
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
William G. Davis from 1971 until 1985 and conservative elements in the party, particularly in the youth, believed that the moderate positions of the party leadership had led to its 1985 defeat. Their third place finish in 1987 under Grossman, also a Red Tory, buttressed the argument that the party needed to move to the right. Conversely, the leader of the Conservatives during their fatal 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...
was 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:...
, perceived as a right wing conservative who eschewed the Red Toryism of Davis and Grossman.
Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
represented the right wing position in the 1990 race and called for the scrapping of pay equity and the introduction of user fees
User fees
People pay user fees for the use of many public services and facilities. At the federal level in the US, there is a charge for walking to the top of the Statue of Liberty, to drive into many National parks, and to use particular services of the Library of Congress.States may charge tolls for...
for health care while his rival in the leadership race, Dianne Cunningham
Dianne Cunningham
Dianne Cunningham is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1988 to 2003, and a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves....
, was seen as on the progressive wing of the party and was supported by Red Tory stalwarts such as Hugh Segal
Hugh Segal
Hugh Segal, CM is a Canadian senator, political strategist, author, and commentator. Segal is credited with helping Stephen Harper become Prime Minister by moderating his image.-Life and career:...
and John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
.
Both candidates were considered low-profile. Harris had briefly been a junior cabinet minister in Miller's short lived 1985 government while Cunningham was a rookie MPP who was elected in a 1988 by-election. Better known potential candidates such as Dennis Timbrell
Dennis Timbrell
Dennis Roy Timbrell is a 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 William Davis and Frank Miller.-Early life and career:...
, Barbara McDougall
Barbara McDougall
Barbara Jean McDougall, PC, OC, is a former Canadian politician. McDougall received a B.A. from the University of Toronto in political science and economics, in 1963.In 2000, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada....
, David Crombie and John Tory all turned down the chance to run.
First ballot
- HARRIS, MichaelMike HarrisMichael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
7175 - CUNNINGHAM, DianneDianne CunninghamDianne Cunningham is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1988 to 2003, and a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves....
5825
(the non-weighted vote totals were: Harris 8661, Cunningham 7189) using a preferential ballot, in which they ranked the candidates by preference, rather than vote in separate rounds.