Julia Munro Explained

Julia Munro
Parliament1:Ontario Provincial
Term Start1:May 5, 1999
Term End1:June 7, 2018
Predecessor1:Frank Klees
Successor1:Caroline Mulroney
Riding1:York—Simcoe
York North (1999-2007)
Parliament2:Ontario Provincial
Term Start2:June 8, 1995
Term End2:May 5, 1999
Successor2:Riding Abolished
Riding2:Durham—York
Party:Progressive Conservative
Birth Name:Julia Ann Louise Campbell
Birth Date:30 June 1942
Birth Place:Hamilton, Ontario
Residence:Georgina, Ontario
Occupation:Teacher
Spouse:John Munro
Children:daughter

Julia Ann Louise Munro (née Campbell; June 30, 1942 – June 12, 2019) was a Canadian politician based in Ontario, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 until 2018. She represented the riding of York—Simcoe.

Background

Julia Ann Louise Campbell was born in Hamilton, Ontario and raised in Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. She taught history in secondary school in Markham and Newmarket for 24 years.[1] She served as a department head in one of the high schools of the York Region Board of Education. She and her husband lived on a farm near Sutton where they bred poodles, borzois and pointers.[2]

From 1992 to 1994, she was the president of the Durham—York Progressive Conservative Association.

Politics

Munro was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial election, defeating incumbent New Democrat Larry O'Connor in the former Durham—York riding.[3] She was re-elected in the redistributed riding of York North in the 1999 election.[4] The Tories lost the 2003 general election, but Munro was able to retain her seat by a reduced margin.[5] She was re-elected in 2007, 2011 and again in 2014, albeit by her narrowest margin, in the riding of York-Simcoe.[6] [7] [8]

Munro was parliamentary assistant to the premier from 1995 to 1998 in charge of promoting volunteerism and government whip from 1999 to 2001.

In 2002, Munro introduced a private member's bill to clamp down on puppy mills. Earlier, the government defeated a similar bill introduced by Liberal Mike Colle that would have licensed dog breeders and given SPCA officials the right to inspect breeding operations. Munro's bill introduced standards of care for dog breeding operations but did not call for licences or inspection rights. Critics alleged that Munro was in a conflict of interest when she introduced weaker legislation since she was a dog breeder herself. Colle said, "you don't need a licence to be a breeder, you don't get inspected. Anyone can claim to be a breeder and you don't need any qualifications."[9] The bill was eventually passed.

She was the party's critic for the new Ontario Pension Plan, and in 2014 she was Deputy Opposition House Leader.

In January 2017, she became the longest-serving female MPP in Ontario's history.[10]

On March 21, 2017, Munro announced she would not run for her seat again in the 2018 Ontario provincial election after 22 years in the Legislature.[10]

Personal life

Munro was married to John and lived in Georgina with their daughter. She taught Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart at Huron Heights Secondary School.[11] She died on June 12, 2019, at the age of 76.[12] [13]

Notes and References

  1. News: Education hottest issue in fast-growing York North . Moloney . Paul . Toronto Star . 1999-05-28 . 1.
  2. News: Harris Conservatives accused of being anti-puppy: Quash Liberal bid to ban breeding mills . Benzie . Robert . National Post . 2001-12-07 . A6.
  3. Web site: Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate . Elections Ontario . June 8, 1995 . 2014-03-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141206002611/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=durham-york&flag=E&layout=G . December 6, 2014 .
  4. Web site: Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate . Elections Ontario . June 3, 1999 . 2014-03-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141206002407/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=york+north&flag=E&layout=G . December 6, 2014 .
  5. Web site: Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate . Elections Ontario . October 2, 2003 . 2014-03-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141206002504/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=york+north&flag=E&layout=G . December 6, 2014 .
  6. Web site: Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate . https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20151206211444/http://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2007/General%20Election/Valid%20Ballots%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate.pdf . dead . December 6, 2015 . Elections Ontario . October 10, 2007 . 2017-04-29 . 18 (xxvii) .
  7. Web site: Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate . https://web.archive.org/web/20130330163815/http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/7849B894-4C4F-490E-9E8C-271BCF0C0D4D/5712/SummaryofvalidvotescastforeacndGE2011.pdf . dead . March 30, 2013 . Elections Ontario . October 6, 2011 . 2014-03-02 . 20 .
  8. Web site: General Election by District: York-Simcoe . Elections Ontario . June 12, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140614001909/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=105 . June 14, 2014 .
  9. News: Animal protection law lacks teeth, critics say ; Won't stop abuse or keep tabs on breeders Bill's author accused of conflict of interest . Boyle . Theresa . Toronto Star . 2002-12-13 . A07.
  10. Web site: Julia Munro Announces Intention to Retire . Office of Julia Munro . March 21, 2017 . March 22, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170322111214/http://www.juliamunrompp.com/docs/Retirement.pdf. 01.
  11. News: Reidner . Heidi . York-Simcoe MPP Julia Munro announces her retirement . June 13, 2019 . Yorkregion.com . Metroland Media Group . March 21, 2017.
  12. Web site: Julia Ann Louise Munro . Obittree.com . June 13, 2019.
  13. News: Julia Munro, longest-serving female legislator in Ontario, dies . June 12, 2019 . CTV News.