Robert Elgie
Encyclopedia
Robert Goldwin Elgie (January 22, 1929) is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1977 to 1985, and was a cabinet minister in the Progressive Conservative
governments of Bill Davis
and Frank Miller
. His father, Goldwin Elgie, was also a Conservative Ontario MPP in the 1930s and 1940s. He has chaired the Ontario Press Council
since 2006.
Elgie was born in Toronto
, Ontario, and was educated at the University of Toronto
, the University of Western Ontario
, Osgoode Hall Law School
and the University of Ottawa
. He trained as both a lawyer and neurosurgeon, and worked in the medical field before entering political life.
Elgie was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in the 1977 provincial election
, winning an easy victory in the Toronto-area seat of York East
. After a brief period in the government backbenches, he was appointed to Bill Davis's cabinet on August 18, 1978 as Minister of Labour. A Red Tory
by ideology, Elgie was easily the most left-wing figure in the Davis cabinet. He was supported by the province's unions, and passed amendments to Ontario's Human Rights Code which were favourable to labour interests. Some campus Progressive Conservative groups opposed his efforts to grant human rights officers the right to investigate and arbitrate reports of workplace discrimination.
Elgie was easily re-elected in the 1981 election
, and was named Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations
on February 13, 1982. He supported Roy McMurtry
's bid to succeed Davis as party leader in 1985. When Frank Miller replaced Davis as Premier of Ontario
on February 8, 1985, he named Elgie as his Minister of Community and Social Services. He was re-elected with a reduced majority in the 1985 election
, as the Progressive Conservatives won a narrow minority government
under Miller's leadership. Elgie was again appointed as Minister of Labour on May 17, 1985.
Following the election, Elgie favoured an alliance with the New Democratic Party to keep the Progressive Conservatives in power. These plans came to nothing, and the opposition Liberal Party
was able to form a minority government with NDP support on June 26, 1985. Elgie had little interest in serving on the opposition benches, and soon accepted an appointment by new Liberal Premier David Peterson
as chair of the Workers' Compensation Board of Ontario. He formally resigned from the legislature on September 26, 1985, and served as chair of the Ontario WCB until 1991.
He then moved to Nova Scotia
, and served as the first director of Dalhousie University
's Health Law Institute from 1991 until 1996. He was appointed part-time chair of Nova Scotia's Workers' Compensation Board in the same period, and is credited with making significant improvements to this board's activities. Elgie then served as chair of the Patent Medicine Prices Review Board from 1995 to 2005, and was appointed chair of the Ontario Greenbelt Council by the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs in the summer of 2005. On Jan. 1, 2006, he became the 6th Chair of the Ontario Press Council, of which he has been a member since 2001.
During the Mike Harris
government of the 1990s, Elgie complained that the Ontario Progressive Conservatives had become too right-wing. One son, Peter, is a member and former Deputy Leader
of the Green Party of Ontario
; while another, Stewart, is an environmental advocacy lawyer, founder of the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, and a professor at the University of Ottawa
. His eldest daughter, Allyson, is a Psychologist who runs a provincial assessment and research centre The Regional Assessment and Resource Centre
which provides supports to post-secondary students with disabilities.
Bob Elgie was named to the Order of Canada
in 2003.
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 1985, and was a cabinet minister in the 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...
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:...
. His father, Goldwin Elgie, was also a Conservative Ontario MPP in the 1930s and 1940s. He has chaired the Ontario Press Council
Ontario Press Council
The Ontario Press Council as a voluntary media adjudication body which investigates complaints about newspapers in Ontario, Canada. The council was founded in 1972 with Davidson Dunton as its founding chair. The current chair is Robert G...
since 2006.
Elgie was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario, and was educated at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
, Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
and the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. He trained as both a lawyer and neurosurgeon, and worked in the medical field before entering political life.
Elgie was first elected to 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...
in the 1977 provincial 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....
, winning an easy victory in the Toronto-area seat of York East
York East
York East was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons at different times, and a provincial electoral district. It was located in the province of Ontario.-Federal electoral district :...
. After a brief period in the government backbenches, he was appointed to Bill Davis's cabinet on August 18, 1978 as Minister of Labour. A Red Tory
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...
by ideology, Elgie was easily the most left-wing figure in the Davis cabinet. He was supported by the province's unions, and passed amendments to Ontario's Human Rights Code which were favourable to labour interests. Some campus Progressive Conservative groups opposed his efforts to grant human rights officers the right to investigate and arbitrate reports of workplace discrimination.
Elgie was easily re-elected 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....
, and was named Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations
Ministry of Consumer and Business Services (Ontario)
The Former Ministry of Consumer and Business Services in the Canadian province of Ontario was responsible for government relations with citizens and businesses. These included the provision of birth, death and marriage certificates, land registry, government publications, fraud investigations and...
on February 13, 1982. He supported Roy McMurtry
Roy McMurtry
Roland "Roy" McMurtry, OC, OOnt is a judge and former politician in Ontario, Canada and the current Chancellor of York University.-Early life:McMurtry was born in Toronto and educated at St. Andrew's College, graduating in 1950...
's bid to succeed Davis as party leader in 1985. When Frank Miller replaced Davis 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, he named Elgie as his Minister of Community and Social Services. He was re-elected with a reduced majority 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...
, as the Progressive Conservatives won a narrow 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...
under Miller's leadership. Elgie was again appointed as Minister of Labour on May 17, 1985.
Following the election, Elgie favoured an alliance with the New Democratic Party to keep the Progressive Conservatives in power. These plans came to nothing, and the opposition 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...
was able to form a minority government with NDP support on June 26, 1985. Elgie had little interest in serving on the opposition benches, and soon accepted an appointment by new Liberal Premier 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....
as chair of the Workers' Compensation Board of Ontario. He formally resigned from the legislature on September 26, 1985, and served as chair of the Ontario WCB until 1991.
He then moved to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and served as the first director of Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
's Health Law Institute from 1991 until 1996. He was appointed part-time chair of Nova Scotia's Workers' Compensation Board in the same period, and is credited with making significant improvements to this board's activities. Elgie then served as chair of the Patent Medicine Prices Review Board from 1995 to 2005, and was appointed chair of the Ontario Greenbelt Council by the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs in the summer of 2005. On Jan. 1, 2006, he became the 6th Chair of the Ontario Press Council, of which he has been a member since 2001.
During the 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...
government of the 1990s, Elgie complained that the Ontario Progressive Conservatives had become too right-wing. One son, Peter, is a member and former Deputy Leader
Deputy Leader
A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is...
of the Green Party of Ontario
Green Party of Ontario
The Green Party of Ontario is a political party in Ontario, Canada. The party is led by Mike Schreiner. It has never held any seats in the Ontario Legislative Assembly; however, the party did see significant gains in the 2007 provincial election, earning 8% of the popular vote with some candidates...
; while another, Stewart, is an environmental advocacy lawyer, founder of the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, and a professor at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. His eldest daughter, Allyson, is a Psychologist who runs a provincial assessment and research centre The Regional Assessment and Resource Centre
The Regional Assessment and Resource Centre
The Regional Assessment and Resource Centre is a project funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities of Ontario. It provides psycho-educational or neuropsychological assessment services to students at all publicly funded post-secondary institutions in Southern Ontario...
which provides supports to post-secondary students with disabilities.
Bob Elgie was named to the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 2003.