Joseph N. Tascona (born October 9, 1951 in Barrie, Ontario) is a lawyer and former elected member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly representing the ridings of Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford and Simcoe Centre for the Progressive Conservative Party from 1995 to 2007.
He has an M.B.A. from McMaster University and an LL.B. from Queen's University, and worked as a prominent labour and employment lawyer before entering public life. He also worked for the Ford Motor Company in matters relating to production and labour relations. He has also written several articles for the Industrial Relations Centre at Queen's University on labour and employment law.
Tascona began his political career at the municipal level, serving from 1991 to 1995 as an alderman in the City of Barrie's second ward. Tascona was responsible for the building of the Barrie Public Library, Molson Hockey Centre and securing Barrie's waterfront land for public use. In the provincial election of 1995, he was elected in the riding of Simcoe Centre, defeating Liberal Bruce Owen by over 17,000 votes (incumbent New Democrat Paul Wessenger finished third). The Conservatives won the election. Tascona was elected Chairperson of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly on April 30, 1997 [1] and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Administration of Justice on May 3, 1999.[2]
In the 1999 provincial election, Tascona was re-elected in the redistributed riding of Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, defeating Liberal Maura Bolger by 18,345 votes.[3] During his second term, Tascona was a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education from March 8, 2000 until March 1, 2001, to the Solicitor General from March 5, 2001 until April 23, 2001, and to the Minister of Consumer and Business Services from April 25, 2002 until September 2, 2003.[4]
Although the Progressive Conservatives were defeated in the 2003 provincial election, Tascona was re-elected in his riding with a margin of victory of 9,531 votes.[5] He was subsequently appointed opposition critic for the Attorney General and Government Service. Tascona was also elected as Second Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House.[6] In April 2006, he introduced a private member's bill Restore the Deed Act, calling for the protection of homewoners from title and mortgage fraud and such measures were implemented by the provincial government.
In the 2007 provincial election, Tascona was defeated by Aileen Carroll, the riding's former federal Member of Parliament who was defeated in the 2006 federal election. Tascona has returned to practicing law.
Tascona is returning to public life once again, as he runs for mayor in the City of Barrie, in the Oct. 25, 2010 vote. He was the first to register in the race. He lost to Barrie city councilor Jeff R. Lehman on October 25.[7]