Ronald George Van Horne (October 24, 1932 – November 2, 2017) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1977 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.

Ron Van Horne
Ontario MPP
In office
1977–1988
Preceded byMarvin Shore
Succeeded byDianne Cunningham
ConstituencyLondon North
Personal details
Born(1932-10-24)October 24, 1932
Goderich, Ontario
DiedNovember 2, 2017(2017-11-02) (aged 85)
London, Ontario
Political partyLiberal
SpouseMary Jane Moriarity (m. 1957)
Children6
OccupationTeacher
CabinetMinister without portfolio (1985–1987)

Background

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Van Horne was educated at the University of Western Ontario, and worked as a teacher, school administrator and school superintendent. He was the Public Utilities Commissioner in London, Ontario from 1970 to 1976. Van Horne's son, also named Ronald, is a solicitor in Lambton County.

Politics

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He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1977 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative Marvin Shore by about 4,500 votes in the urban riding of London North.[1] He was re-elected in the 1981 election by about the same margin.[2] The Liberal Party served as Ontario's official opposition during this period.

Van Horne was re-elected by over 9,000 votes over his Progressive Conservative opponent in the 1985 provincial election (Marion Boyd of the NDP finished third).[3] The Liberals formed a minority government following the election, and Van Horne was appointed as a minister without portfolio responsible for Senior Citizen's Issues on June 26, 1985.[4]

The Liberals won a landslide majority government in the 1987 election, and Van Horne was easily returned in London North.[5] He was not reappointed to cabinet on September 29, 1987,[6] and he resigned from the legislature on December 31 of that year.[7]

Van Horne died in Mount Hope, Ontario, on November 2, 2017, after a brief illness.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Ontario provincial election results riding by riding". The Globe and Mail. June 10, 1977. p. D9.
  2. ^ Canadian Press (1981-03-20). "Winds of change, sea of security". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 22. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  3. ^ "Results of vote in Ontario election". The Globe and Mail. May 3, 1985. p. 13.
  4. ^ "Liberals pledge reform as they take over in Ontario". The Gazette. Montreal, Que. June 27, 1985. p. B1.
  5. ^ "Results from individual ridings". The Windsor Star. September 11, 1987. p. F2.
  6. ^ "Keyes heads list of ex-ministers now heading for back benches". Toronto Star. September 30, 1987.
  7. ^ "Would-be Tory leaders cool their heels Watching for a 'Draft Andy'". Toronto Star. January 23, 1988.
  8. ^ "Ronald Van Horne – 2017". Canada Obituaries. November 3, 2017.
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