Steve Owens

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For the Heisman Trophy-winning football player, see Steve Owens (football).

Stephen David Owens (born September 21, 1956 in Toronto, Ontario) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae.

Owens holds a General Arts and Science Certificate, and worked as a hospital orderly before entering politics. He served as president and vice-president of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2001, and is also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial election, defeating Liberal Cindy Nicholas by over 3,000 votes in the constituency of Scarborough Centre. The NDP won an unexpected majority government in this election, and Owens was appointed as a parliamentary assistant in 1991. On October 21, 1994, he was appointed as a minister without portfolio responsible for Education and Training, serving as an assistant to Education Minister Dave Cooke.

The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election, and Owens finished third against Progressive Conservative Dave Newman in his bid for re-election. He has not sought a return to the provincial legislature since this time.

In 2002-03, Owens supported Bill Blaikie for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party.