Ron Van Horne Explained

Ron Van Horne
Office:Ontario MPP
Term Start1:1977
Term End1:1988
Predecessor1:Marvin Shore
Successor1:Dianne Cunningham
Constituency1:London North
Party:Liberal
Cabinet:Minister without portfolio (1985–1987)
Birth Date:24 October 1932
Birth Place:Goderich, Ontario
Death Place:Goderich, Ontario
Occupation:Teacher
Children:6
Spouse:Mary Jane Moriarity (m. 1957)

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.

Background

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

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]

Notes and References

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