Tony Grande

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Anthony William (Tony) Grande (January 11, 1943—August 9, 2006) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 1987, as a member of the social democratic New Democratic Party (NDP).

Contents

[edit] Early life and career

Grande was born in Calabria, Italy, and moved to Canada with his family at age eleven.[1] He was educated at the University of Toronto, Lakeshore Teacher's College and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and worked as a teacher with the Toronto District School Board. Prior to his election, he was teacher liaison chair for the New Democratic Party.[2]

Tony married Helen Grande (nee Schlanger) in 1974 and had three children: Aaron David Grande (1977), Daniel Robert Grande (1979) and Laura Simone Grande (1983).

[edit] In politics

Grande was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election, and re-elected in 1977, 1981 and 1985. He served as NDP education critic in the early 1980s, and was reassigned as critic for citizenship, culture and special issues of education in 1983.[3]

Grande supported Bob Rae's successful campaign for the NDP leadership in 1982, and was subsequently asked to relinquish his seat to allow Rae to run for a position in the legislature. He declined, arguing that the local Italian community in his riding would be upset if he were forced to resign in favour of a non-Italian.[4]

Grande was a strong advocate for multiculturalism and multicultural services during his time. He supported minority language rights in education, and in 1986 he introduced a Private Member's Bill that would have made it easier for students to be taught in languages other than English or French.[5] The bill died on the order paper when a new election was called in 1987. Grande was also an advocate for labour, and successfully represented three workers from a North York factory before the Ontario Labour Relations Board in 1979-80.[6] He also supported the rights of tenants, and promoted legislation to permit persons over sixteen years of age to gain access to their medical records.[7]

The Progressive Conservative Party, which had governed Ontario since 1943, was reduced to a minority government in the 1985 election. After the election, the NDP provided outside support to allow the Liberal Party to form a new administration. The Liberal government was still popular in office after two years, and won a landslide majority government in the 1987 election. Grande lost his seat to Liberal star candidate Chaviva Hosek, and worked as a health and safety officer after leaving office.[8]

He campaigned for Mayor of York in 1988, describing the city's government as a "family compact" and promising to fight for an increased share of Metropolitan Toronto's tax base.[9] He lost to moderate Tory candidate Fergy Brown.

[edit] Death

Grande died of cancer on August 9, 2006, following a four-year illness. His family requested that mourners give donations to Amnesty International or the Princess Margaret Foundation in lieu of flowers.[10]

[edit] Table of offices held

Preceded by
riding established in 1975		 Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakwood
1975-1987		 Succeeded by
Chaviva Hosek

[edit] Electoral Record

1988 Toronto municipal election, Mayor of Yorkedit
Candidate Total votes  % of total votes
Fergy Brown 21,493 58.74
Tony Grande 13,616 37.21
Mario Faraone 1,482 4.05
Total valid votes 36,591 100.00

Results taken from the Globe and Mail newspaper, 16 November 1988, A16. The final official results were not significantly different.


1987 Ontario provincial election : Oakwood edit
Party Candidate Votes %
     Liberal Chaviva Hosek 11,192 48.28
     New Democratic Party (x)Tony Grande 9,861 42.54
     Progressive Conservative Irene Paparo-Stein 1,573 6.79
     Communist Geoffrey Da Silva 556 2.40
Total valid votes 23,182 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 275
Turnout 23,457 67.29
Electors on the lists 34,860


1985 Ontario provincial election : Oakwood edit
Party Candidate Votes %
     New Democratic Party (x)Tony Grande 10,407 41.63
     Liberal Joe Ricciuti 9,631 38.52
     Progressive Conservative Harriet Wolman 4,636 18.54
     Communist Mike Sterling 327 1.31
Total valid votes 25,001 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 308
Turnout 25,309 68.62
Electors on the lists 36,884


1981 Ontario provincial election : Oakwood edit
Party Candidate Votes %
     New Democratic Party (x)Tony Grande 8,862 45.17
     Progressive Conservative Harriet Wolman 5,961 30.39
     Liberal Jean M. Gammage 4,171 21.26
     Communist Nan McDonald 624 3.18
Total valid votes 19,618 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 315
Turnout 19,933 56.22
Electors on the lists 35,453


1977 Ontario provincial election : Oakwood edit
Party Candidate Votes %
     New Democratic Party (x)Tony Grande 9,214 43.48
     Progressive Conservative Fergy Brown 6,379 30.10
     Liberal Richard Meagher 5,046 23.81
     Communist Val Bjarnason 229 1.08
     Independent Willis Cummins 170 0.80
     Libertarian Alex Eaglesham 153 0.72
Total valid votes 21,191 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 270
Turnout 21,461 64.98
Electors on the lists 33,027


1975 Ontario provincial election : Oakwood edit
Party Candidate Votes %
     New Democratic Party Tony Grande 7,388 39.25
     Liberal Richard Meagher 5,970 31.71
     Progressive Conservative Joseph Marrese 4,637 24.63
     Independent Marvin Gordon 558 2.96
     Communist Val Bjarnason 271 1.44
Total valid votes 18,824 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 253
Turnout 19,077 59.66
Electors on the lists 31,975

All provincial election information is taken from Elections Ontario.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Mary Trueman, "New Democrat focuses on immigration", Globe and Mail, 22 November 1975, p. 5.
  2. ^ "123 candidates seeking Metro's 29 seats", Toronto Star, 12 September 1975, A8.
  3. ^ Robert Matas, "Ontario private schools given tax break", Globe and Mail, 12 January 1982, P54; "NDP member to study poverty", Globe and Mail, 20 September 1983, P5.
  4. ^ Judy Steed, "The NDP's optimistic scramble for a high-profile winner", Globe and Mail, 2 February 1982, P7; Sylvia Stead, "MPPs sitting tight as Rae searches for place to run", Globe and Mail, 23 June 1982, P5; Eric Dowd, "Perhaps Ticketmaster could find Tory a seat", Guelph Mercury, 25 January 2005, A8.
  5. ^ Mary Trueman, "New Democrat focuses on immigration", Globe and Mail, 22 November 1975, p. 5; Louise Brown, "Battle looms over language in our schools", Toronto Star, 2 February 1987, A14.
  6. ^ Stephen Strauss, "Don't want jobs back for spite, 2 dismissed workers tell board", Globe and Mail, 5 February 1980, P5;"Three women win 2-year fight to be rehired by toy company", Globe and Mail, 28 March 1980, P3.
  7. ^ Susan Lesjak, "Vaughan Road tenants fight eviction notices", Globe and Mail, 17 April 1986, A15 [tenants]; Dorothy Lipovenko, "Bill would open files for patients", Globe and Mail, 8 November 1984, M5 [medical].
  8. ^ Darcy Henton, "Close race shapes up in smallest city", Toronto Star, 7 November 1988, A6.
  9. ^ Paul Taylor, "York dying of neglect, says Grande in launching bid to be next mayor", ''Globe and Mail, 9 September 1988, A15; Paul Watson and Jim Byers, "Dumping cover-up alleged", Toronto Star, 10 November 1988, A7.
  10. ^ Anthony William Grande, obituary notice, Globe and Mail, 12 August 2006.