Shirley Collins (politician)
Encyclopedia
Shirley Jean Collins is a former politician in Ontario, Canada
. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Liberal
from 1987 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
.
Collins was educated at McMaster University
. She was a special assistant to federal Member of Parliament
John Munro from 1979 to 1981, and a constituency assistant to Member of Provincial Parliament Sheila Copps
from 1981 to 1982. From 1982 to 1987, Collins served as an alderman
and regional councillor in Hamilton.
She first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1985 provincial election
, losing to incumbent New Democrat Robert W. Mackenzie by 1,600 votes in the Hamilton East constituency. In the 1987 election
, she was handily elected in the neighbouring riding of Wentworth East.
On August 2, 1989, Collins was named a minister without portfolio
responsible for Handicapped Persons. She held this position for just over a year.
The Liberals were unexpectedly defeated by the New Democratic Party in the 1990 provincial election
, and Collins lost her seat to NDP candidate Mark Morrow
by 3,147 votes. She ran again in the 1995 election
, but lost to Progressive Conservative
Ed Doyle
by 3,606 votes.
After leaving the legislature, Collins became the owner and operator of a private investigation agency. She was appointed to the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board in 2003. She has been a member of the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board since 2009. Her son Chad Collins is a member of the Hamilton City Council.
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...
. She 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 1987 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....
.
Collins was educated at McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
. She was a special assistant to federal Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
John Munro from 1979 to 1981, and a constituency assistant to Member of Provincial Parliament Sheila Copps
Sheila Copps
Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....
from 1981 to 1982. From 1982 to 1987, Collins 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...
and regional councillor in Hamilton.
She first ran for the Ontario legislature 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...
, losing to incumbent New Democrat Robert W. Mackenzie by 1,600 votes in the Hamilton East constituency. 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...
, she was handily elected in the neighbouring riding of Wentworth East.
On August 2, 1989, Collins was named 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...
responsible for Handicapped Persons. She held this position for just over a year.
The Liberals were unexpectedly defeated by the New Democratic Party in the 1990 provincial 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....
, and Collins lost her seat to NDP candidate Mark Morrow
Mark Morrow
Mark Morrow is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.-Background:...
by 3,147 votes. She ran again in the 1995 election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly 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...
Ed Doyle
Ed Doyle
Edward Doyle is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999....
by 3,606 votes.
After leaving the legislature, Collins became the owner and operator of a private investigation agency. She was appointed to the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board in 2003. She has been a member of the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board since 2009. Her son Chad Collins is a member of the Hamilton City Council.