Ontario general election, 1981

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The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.

The governing Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by William Davis, was re-elected for an eleventh consecutive term in office. The PCs finally won a majority government after winning only minorities in the 1975 and 1977 elections. The Liberal Party, led by Stuart Smith, was able to maintain its standing in the Legislature, while the New Democratic Party, led by Michael Cassidy, lost a significant number of seats, allowing the Tories to win a majority.

1 Results
2 Constituency results
3 Post-election changes
4 See also

[edit] Results

	Party	Leader	1977	Elected	% change	Popular vote
	Party	Leader	1977	Elected	% change	%	change
	Progressive Conservative	William Davis	58	70	+20.7%	44.4%	+4.7%
	Liberal	Stuart Smith	34¹	34	-	33.7%	-
	New Democratic	Michael Cassidy	33	21	-36.4	21.1%	-
	Communist	Mel Doig	-	-	-	-	-
	Libertarian	Scott Bell	-	-	-	-	-
	Other		-	-	-	0.8%	-4.7%
Total Seats			125	125	-	100%

¹ Includes T. Patrick Reid, a Liberal MPP who was re-elected in 1977 as a Liberal-Labour candidate (he had previously been elected as Liberal-Labour in 1967 but was re-elected in 1971 and 1975 as a straight Liberal). In 1981 he again runs and is re-elected as a straight Liberal.

A number of unregistered parties also fielded candidates in this election.

There were a number of Parti Rhinocéros candidates in the Toronto area, and the party may have also fielded candidates elsewhere in the province. The Workers Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) a single candidate, Judy Darcy. Ronald G. Rodgers, founder of the Detente Party of Canada, contested a Toronto constituency.

Social Credit leader Reg Gervais announced prior to the election that he planned to run in Nickel Belt, but did not follow through. John Turmel claimed to be the leader of the Ontario Social Credit Party during the campaign, though there has never been independent confirmation of this (nor is it clear if the Ottawa-area candidacies of Turmel and his supporters were approved by the official Social Credit Party).

[edit] Constituency results

Algoma:

(x)Bud Wildman (NDP) 7096
Vyrn Peterson (PC) 4770
Dan Koob (L) 1567

Algoma—Manitoulin:

(x)John Lane (PC) 7160
Ernest Massicotte (L) 2986
Peter Boychuk (NDP) 2336

Armourdale:

(x)Bruce McCaffrey (PC) 15938
Tim Rutledge (L) 8997
Bob Hebdon (NDP) 4240

Beaches—Woodbine:

(x)Marion Bryden (NDP) 9590
Paul Christie (PC) 9266
Wayne Cook (L) 3140
Rhino Flosznik (Ind [Rhinoceros]) 252

Bellwoods:

(x)Ross McClellan (NDP) 5111
Walter Bardyn (L) 4746
Tina Gabriel (PC) 2186
Sylvie Baillargeon (Comm) 246
Ronald G. Rodgers (Ind [Detente Party]) 180

Brampton:

(x)Bill Davis (PC) 24973
Bob Callahan (L) 9391
David Moulton (NDP) 6034
Jim Bridgewood (Comm) 390

Brantford:

Phil Gillies (PC) 12847
(x)Mac Makarchuk (NDP) 9588
Herb German (L) 5896

Brant—Oxford—Haldimand:

(x)Robert Nixon (L) 13067
Ian Birnie (PC) 6034
W.E. Jefferies (NDP) 2899

Brock:

(x)Bob Welch (PC) 10547
Bill Andres (L) 6882
Heather Lee Kilty (NDP) 4204

Burlington South:

(x)George Kerr (PC) 19037
Pearl Cameron (L) 8953
Michael C. Wright (NDP) 4942

Cambridge:

Bill Barlow (PC) 12597
(x)Monty Davidson (NDP) 11748
John Giles (L) 4527
George Molson Barrett 549

Carleton:

(x)Bob Mitchell (PC) 17846
Hans Daigeler (L) 8621
Judy Wasylycia-Leis (NDP) 5446
Andrew Dana Dynowski 383

Carleton East:

Bob MacQuarrie (PC) 15714
Bernard Grandmaitre (L) 14028
(x)Evelyn Gigantes (NDP) 11579

Carleton—Grenville:

(x)Norman Sterling (PC) 15202
Paul Raina (L) 5764
Alan White (NDP) 2391

Chatham—Kent:

(x)Andy Watson (PC) 9471
Ron Franko (NDP) 6508
Darcy Want (L) 6466

Cochrane North:

René Piché (PC) 5910
Jean-Paul Bourgeault (L) 5722
Emil Touchette (NDP) 4426
Richard Coatsworth (Lbt) 274

Cochrane South:

(x)Alan Pope (PC) 12540
John Sullivan (L) 6975
Cliff Simpson (NDP) 2777

Cornwall:

(x)George Samis (NDP) 9484
Jim Kirkey (PC) 7817
Brian Lynch (L) 5333

Don Mills:

(x)Dennis Timbrell (PC) 17516
Murad Velshi (L) 5368
Michael Lee (NDP) 4487

Dovercourt:

(x)Tony Lupusella (NDP) 5491
Gil Gillespie (L) 5197
John Burigana (PC) 3416
Vince Corriero (Ind [Independent Liberal]) 258
Mel Doig (Comm) 162

Downsview:

(x)Odoardo Di Santo (NDP) 8644
Joseph Volpe (L) 7991
Ross Charles (PC) 5475

Dufferin—Simcoe:

(x)George McCague (PC) 18101
Larry MacKenzie (L) 6702
Ed Robinson (NDP) 4007

Durham East:

(x)Sam Cureatz (PC) 14900
Bruce McArthur (NDP) 8648
Jim Potticary (L) 7226
Jeff Hubbell 253

Durham West:

(x)George Ashe (PC) 17029
Norman Wei (L) 7446
Hugh Peacock (PC) 6578
Bill Leslie (Lbt) 1215

Durham—York:

Ross Stevenson (PC) 14404
Gary Adamson (L) 6330
Margaret Wilbur (NDP) 4314

Eglinton:

(x)Roy McMurtry (PC) 17386
Keith Polson (L) 5606
Eileen Elmy (NDP) 3324
Angelo R. Cosentini (Lbt) 466

Elgin:

(x)Ron McNeil (PC) 13119
Maurice Dillon (L) 7306
Gord Campbell (NDP) 3250

Erie:

(x)Ray Haggerty (L) 8796
Cam McKnight (PC) 5271
Barrie MacLeod (NDP) 3586

Essex North:

(x)Richard Ruston (L) 9187
Marcel Lefebvre (NDP) 5911
Ron Arkell (PC) 4812

Essex South:

(x)Remo Mancini (L) 10454
Wayne Patterson (PC) 5008
Blake Sanford (NDP) 4349

Etobicoke:

(x)Ed Philip (NDP) 10373
Aileen Anderson (PC) 8024
Laureano Leone (L) 7132

Fort William:

(x)Mickey Hennessy (PC) 13038
Paul Lannon (NDP) 7585
Mike Burns (L) 3381

Frontenac—Addington:

(x)J. Earl McEwen (L) 10558
Murray Gorham (PC) 10218
Vincent Maloney (NDP) 2374
Ross Baker 409
Sally Hayes (Lbt) 322

Grey:

(x)Bob McKessock (L) 13334
John Young (PC) 8793
Joan Stone (NDP) 1629
Eric Biggins (Lbt) 284

Grey—Bruce:

(x)Eddie Sargent (L) 14006
Bob Rutherford (PC) 7767
Frank Butler (NDP) 1455

Haldimand—Norfolk:

(x)Gordon Miller (L) 16254
Clarence Abbott (PC) 8775
Lois Berry (NDP) 3744

Halton—Burlington:

(x)Julian Reed (L) 13395
Fran Baines (PC) 12877
Chris Cutler (NDP) 3500

Hamilton Centre:

Sheila Copps (L) 9734
(x)Mike Davison (NDP) 6930
Brenda Riis (PC) 4039

Hamilton East:

(x)Robert W. Mackenzie (NDP) 12773
Mike Riley (L) 8365
Gabe Macaluso (PC) 6351

Hamilton Mountain:

(x)Brian Charlton (NDP) 11008
Duncan Beattie (PC) 10811
Vince Agro (L) 8956

Hamilton West:

(x)Stuart Smith (L) 12106
Alec Murray (PC) 9788
Joy Warner (NDP) 4255
Elizabeth Rowley (Comm) 260

Hastings—Peterborough:

Jim Pollock (PC) 11528
Dave Hobson (L) 8741
Elmer Buchanan (NDP) 2968

High Park—Swansea:

Yuri Shymko (PC) 11473
(x)Ed Zeimba (NDP) 8793
Peter Simonelis (L) 3635
Bob Cumming (Lbt) 507

Humber:

Morley Kells (PC) 20844
Jim Mills (L) 10064
Jacquie Chic (NDP) 3583

Huron—Bruce:

Murray Elston (L) 12164
Gary Harron (PC) 11940
Tony McQuail (NDP) 1979

Huron—Middlesex:

(x)Jack Riddell (L) 10707
Jim Britnell (PC) 8618
Gwen Pemberton (NDP) 1170

Kenora:

(x)Leo Bernier (PC) 10418
Colin Wasacase (NDP) 4170
Jeff Holmes (L) 2536

Kent—Elgin:

(x)Jim McGuigan (L) 10115
Wes Thompson (PC) 9778
Ed Cutler (NDP) 1591

Kingston and the Islands:

(x)Keith Norton (PC) 12488
Carl Ross (L) 8465
Ron Murray (NDP) 3897

Kitchener:

(x)Jim Breithaupt (L) 12592
Morley Rosenberg (PC) 7982
Ian MacFarlane (NDP) 4126

Kitchener—Wilmot:

(x)John Sweeney (L) 11515
Alan Barron (PC) 8513
Hemi Mitic (NDP) 3686

Lake Nipigon:

(x)Jack Stokes (NDP) 7846
John Paziuk (PC) 1828
John Lentowicz (L) 1714

Lambton:

(x)Lorne Henderson (PC) 13467
Leigh Crozier (L) 6435
Ralph Wensley (NDP) 1276

Lanark—Renfrew:

(x)Douglas Wiseman (PC) 10502
Ray Matthey (L) 3864
Cliff Bennett (NDP) 2659

Lakeshore:

Al Kolyn (PC) 10607
Don Sullivan (NDP) 9375
Bill Whelton (L) 5738
Gordon Flowers (Comm) 376

Leeds:

Bob Runciman (PC) 13725
John Fournell (L) 4643
Bob Smith (NDP) 2940

Lincoln:

Philip Andrewes (PC) 10044
(x)Ross Hall (L) 9650
Paavo Vuorinen (NDP) 2009

London Centre:

(x)David Peterson (L) 12315
Russ Monteith (PC) 8329
Diane Risler (NDP) 3189

London North:

(x)Ron Van Horne (L) 15444
Ted Browne (PC) 11825
Sam Maumur (NDP) 3864

London South:

(x)Gordon Walker (PC) 19714
Frank Green (L) 11116
Dale Green (NDP) 5187

Middlesex:

(x)Robert G. Eaton (PC) 11672
Bob Coulthard (L) 8264
Larry Green (NDP) 2155

Mississauga East:

(x)Bud Gregory (PC) 15759
Murray Schelter (L) 7716
Doug Bennett (NDP) 4829

Mississauga North:

(x)Terry Jones (PC) 20331
John Brooks (L) 9130
Sylvia Weylie (NDP) 6667

Mississauga South:

(x)Douglas Kennedy (PC) 14165
Basil Gerol (L) 7172
Neil Davis (NDP) 4126

Muskoka:

(x)Frank Miller (PC) 9029
Ken McClellan (L) 4148
Jim Maguire (NDP) 3214

Niagara Falls:

(x)Vincent Kerrio (L) 12495
Ted Salci (PC) 9295
Dick Harrington (NDP) 4665

Nickel Belt:

(x)Floyd Laughren (NDP) 8451
Elmer Sopha (L) 5041
Andre Lalande (PC) 1915

Nipissing:

Mike Harris (PC) 15795
(x)Mike Bolan (L) 10924
Art Peltomaa (NDP) 1774

Northumberland:

Howard Sheppard (PC) 14727
William A. Wyatt (L) 11113
Ben Burd (NDP) 2711

Oakville:

(x)James W. Snow (PC) 16366
Walt Elliot (L) 7286
Zona Hollingsworth (NDP) 2562

Oakwood:

(x)Tony Grande (NDP) 8862
Harriet Wolman (PC) 5961
Jean Gammage (L) 4171
Nan McDonald (Comm) 624

Oriole:

(x)John Williams (PC) 15644
David Pretty (L) 11400
Lynn McDonald (NDP) 4443

Oshawa:

(x)Michael Breaugh (NDP) 10307
Bob Boychyn (PC) 7836
Ivan Wallace (L) 3311

Ottawa Centre:

(x)Michael Cassidy (NDP) 9316
David Small (PC) 8717
Karl Feige (L) 6926
John Turmel (Ind [SC?]) 376

Ottawa East:

(x)Albert J. Roy (L) 14207
Omer Deslauriers (PC) 4235
Danielle Page (NDP) 1905
Serge Girard (Ind) 177

Ottawa South:

(x)Claude Bennett (PC) 15218
Robert Dyck (L) 8832
Chris Chilton (NDP) 6146
Ray Turmel (Ind [SC?]) 259

Ottawa West:

(x)Reuben Baetz (PC) 17418
George Anderson (L) 9112
Lofty MacMillan (NDP) 2348
Dale E. Alkerton (Ind) 494

Oxford:

Dick Treleaven (PC) 15948
John Finlay (L) 11866
Wayne Colbran (NDP) 3673
Kaye Sargent (Lbt) 493

Parkdale:

Tony Ruprecht (L) 6941
(x)Jan Dukszta (NDP) 6020
Verrol Whitmore (PC) 2914
Bill McGinnis (Ind) 289
Anna Larsen (Comm) 259

Parry Sound:

Ernie Eves (PC) 8955
Richard Thomas (L) 8949
Arthur Davis (NDP) 1448

Perth:

(x)Hugh Edighoffer (L) 16283
Colleen Misener (PC) 7883
Scott Wilson (NDP) 1881

Peterborough:

(x)John Turner (PC) 17962
Peter Adams (L) 11263
Paul Rexe (NDP) 8756
John Hayes (Lbt) 787
Bruce Knapp (Ind) 286
Kenneth T. Burgess (Ind) 59

Port Arthur:

(x)Jim Foulds (NDP) 12258
Allan Laakkonen (PC) 10844
Kenneth R. Tilson (L) 3247
Dennis Deveau (Ind) 140
Paul Pugh (Comm) 103

Prescott and Russell:

Don Boudria (L) 15123
(x)J. Albert Belanger (PC) 9951
Claude Dion (NDP) 1828

Prince Edward—Lennox:

(x)James Taylor (PC) 11135
Dan Brady (L) 6797
Bob King (NDP) 1423

Quinte:

(x)Hugh O’Neil (L) 14861
George Mills (PC) 9517
Reg Pearson (NDP) 1795

Rainy River:

(x)T. Patrick Reid (L) 4575
Jack Pierce (PC) 4149
Alan M. Tibbetts (NDP) 2438

Renfrew North:

(x)Sean Conway (L) 9113
Bryan D. Hocking (PC) 7137
Phil Chester (NDP) 1086

Renfrew South:

(x)Paul Yakabuski (PC) 14552
Dick Trainor (L) 10420
Lynne Pattinson (NDP) 1174

Riverdale:

(x)James Renwick (NDP) 6770
Peter Hesky (PC) 4088
Ed Schofield (L) 3237
Thelma R. Forsyth (Ind) 233
Anna Sideris (Comm) 158

St. Andrew—St. Patrick:

(x)Larry Grossman (PC) 10674
Anne Johnston (L) 6839
Stanley E. Kutz (NDP) 3709
Judy Darcy (Ind [Workers Communist Party]) 262
Jeanne McGuire (Comm) 148
Sophia M. Firth (Ind) 106

St. Catharines:

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	(x)Jim Bradley	16,509	51.85
	Progressive Conservative	John Larocque	10,273	32.26
	New Democratic Party	Don Loucks	4,927	15.47
	Communist	Norman J. Newell	132	0.41
Total valid votes			31,841	100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots			181
Turnout			32,022	57.20