Ken Black

Kenneth Black
Minister of Tourism and Recreation (Ontario)
In office
1989–1990
Preceded by Hugh O'Neil
Succeeded by Peter North
Minister responsible for the provincial anti-drug strategy (Ontario)
In office
1989–1990
Preceded by position created
Succeeded by Mike Farnan
Member of Provincial Parliament for Muskoka–Georgian Bay
In office
1987–1990
Preceded by division created
Succeeded by Dan Waters
Personal details
Born March 11, 1932
Political party Liberal

Kenneth Black (born March 11, 1932) is a former politician in the Canadian province of Ontario. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1987 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.

Contents

Early life and career

Black was born in Bracebridge, and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1955.[1] He was a secondary school teacher and principal from 1958 to 1980, and was superintendent of the Muskoka Board of Education from 1980 to 1987.[2] He has also served as past president of Muskoka Children's Aid.

Politician

Black joined the Ontario Liberal Party in 1985.[3] He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1987 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate George Beatty in Muskoka–Georgian Bay, a new division created by redistribution. Its primary antecedent, Muskoka, had been held by former Progressive Conservative premier Frank Miller until 1987, and the PCs were historically the dominant party in the area. Black was considered a strong candidate, however, and his victory was not entirely unexpected.[4] Black credited his victory to a strong campaign team, popular satisfaction with Liberal leader David Peterson, and the fact that some local PCs were unhappy with party leader Larry Grossman.[5]

In August 1988, Peterson appointed Black as a one-man task force to review government and non-government programs against drug abuse.[6] His report, issued in mid-October, recommended mandatory drug education starting in the early grades, drug treatment and education programs for offenders, increased training about drugs for social workers and health care workers, and the addition of about thirty-six officers to the provincial drug unit.[7] Black criticized the "zero tolerance" approach of the American "war on drugs", arguing that it was largely ineffective.[8]

After the report's release, Black was named special advisor to the premier on drugs with responsibility for co-ordinating and monitoring all government programs against drug abuse.[9] In December 1988, he announced a pilot project for substance abuse counselling operated by the YMCA of Metropolitan Toronto.[10]

Cabinet minister

Black was promoted to the provincial cabinet on August 2, 1989, serving as Minister of Tourism and Recreation and Minister responsible for the provincial anti-drug stategy.[11] He introduced a new provincial anti-drug strategy in November 1989 that fulfilled some of his previous recommendations, including the hiring of more police officers and the introduction of early education programs. It also allocated $4.5 million for community-based pilot projects against drug abuse; in June 1990, Black announced that this funding would to targeted to projects in nine communities.[12]

Black was critical of the federal Goods and Services Tax introduced by the government of Brian Mulroney, arguing that it would put Ontario's tourism sector at risk of losing jobs and revenue.[13] Tourism in Ontario declined in this period, due in large part to a continental economic downtown.[14]

Black travelled to Paris in December 1989 to support Toronto's bid to host Expo 2000.[15] Toronto lost the bid Hanover, West Germany.

After politics

Black's time in cabinet was brief. The Liberals suffered an upset loss to the New Democratic Party in the 1990 provincial election, and Black finished third in his bid for re-election. He formally resigned from office with the rest of the Peterson cabinet on October 1, 1990. In 1991-92, he was chief organizer for Charles Beer's unsuccessful bid to succeed Peterson as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.[16] He attempted to return to the provincial legislature in the 1995 election, but finished well behind Progressive Conservative candidate Bill Grimmett.

Black later served as president of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, and founded the Muskoka Watershed Council in 2001.[17] He was appointed as a director of the Toront03 Alliance in July 2003.[18]

Electoral record

1995 Ontario provincial election : Muskoka–Georgian Bay edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures
     Progressive Conservative Bill Grimmett 17,864 51.79 +19.99 $40,807
     Liberal Ken Black 8,095 23.47 -4.10 $41,201
     New Democratic Party (x)Dan Waters 7,742 22.45 -18.18 $26,533
     Green Michael Fenton 411 1.19 $330
     Independent Bill Ogilvie 381 1.10 $295
Total valid votes 34,493 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 340
Turnout 34,833 65.50 -2.15
Electors on the lists 53,179
1990 Ontario provincial election : Muskoka–Georgian Bay edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     New Democratic Party Dan Waters 13,422 40.63 +16.37
     Progressive Conservative Marilyn Rowe 10,504 31.80 -0.49
     Liberal (x)Ken Black 9,105 27.57 -15.88
Total valid votes 33,031 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 307
Turnout 33,338 67.65 +2.48
Electors on the lists 49,279
1987 Ontario provincial election : Muskoka–Georgian Bay edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     Liberal Ken Black 12,645 43.45
     Progressive Conservative George Beatty 9,396 32.39
     New Democratic Party Dan Waters 7,059 24.26
Total valid votes 29,100 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 320
Turnout 29,420 65.17
Electors on the lists 45,146

References

  1. ^ Nomination Category: Community Advocate, Muskoka Awards 2009, accessed 7 December 2009.
  2. ^ "Minister's brother to run for Tories", 24 April 1987, A11.
  3. ^ Robert Sheppard, "Liberals target Tory heartland in bid for majority", Globe and Mail, 7 September 1987, A1.
  4. ^ Alan Christie, "20 key ridings could determine size of victory", Toronto Star, 6 September 1987, A1.
  5. ^ Robert Matas, "Heartland of PC vote is pierced by Grits", Globe and Mail, 11 September 1987, A13.
  6. ^ Mary Gooderham, "Peterson appoints backbencher to probe abuse of illegal drugs", Globe and Mail, 17 August 1988, A3. The opposition parties argued that the task force should have included more members.
  7. ^ Matt Maychak, "Scholls (sic) don't go far enough now, report says", Toronto Star, 17 October 1988, A1.
  8. ^ Elaine Carey, "Can we win war on drugs?", Toronto Star, 17 October 1988, A20.
  9. ^ Kathleen Kenna, "MPP to advise Peterson in drug war", Toronto Star, 19 October 1988, A1; Kathleen Kenna, "Schools to get up to $6 million in war on drugs", Toronto Star, 20 October 1988, A16.
  10. ^ Matt Maychak, "Ontario setting up drug abuse program for Toronto youths", Toronto Star, 8 December 1988, A11.
  11. ^ Ken Black, MPP, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, accessed 7 December 2009.
  12. ^ Nancy Wood, "Police, schools, communities all involved in blitz", Toronto Star, 20 November 1989, A1; "9 zones spearhead drug war", Toronto Star, 7 June 1990, A1.
  13. ^ "MINISTER SAYS PROPOSED FEDERAL GST MAY HARM TOURISM INDUSTRY" [press release], Canada NewsWire, 23 October 1989, 05:21.
  14. ^ Lori MacLean, "Tourism in Ontario on decline again", Globe and Mail, 19 July 1990, N3.
  15. ^ Jim Byers, "Ontario reported ready to aid world's fair bid", Toronto Star, 6 December 1989, A6; "Peterson climbs aboard Expo 2000 bandwagon", Globe and Mail, 7 December 1989, A17; "SOLICITOR GENERAL PIERRE BLAIS LEADS CANADIAN DELEGATION MAKING FINAL PITCH FOR EXPO 2000" [press release], Canada NewsWire, 14 December 1989, 11:26 am.
  16. ^ Gene Allen, "Elston may jump into Liberal race", Globe and Mail, 13 November 1991, A11.
  17. ^ Nomination Category: Community Advocate, Muskoka Awards 2009, accessed 7 December 2009.
  18. ^ "Toront03 Alliance Announces Board Of Directors" [press release], CNNMatthews (Canada), 15 July 2003.