| William A. Ferguson | |
|---|---|
| MPP for Kitchener | |
| In office 1990–1994 |
|
| Preceded by | David Cooke |
| Succeeded by | Wayne Wettlaufer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 13, 1954 Kitchener, Ontario |
| Died | July 22, 2011 (aged 57) Kitchener, Ontario |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
| Occupation | Businessman |
William A. "Will" Ferguson (February 13, 1954 – July 22, 2011) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1994, and served as Minister of Energy in the government of Bob Rae.[1]
Ferguson died on July 22, 2011 due to complications with his heart.[2]
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Ferguson was educated at Conestoga College, and held a degree in social work. He worked at the Grandville girls' reform school in the 1970s, and was involved with the Big Brothers Association of Kitchener in 1982–83. He then worked as an employment councillor at The Working Centre from 1984 to 1988, and was Director of Administration at Dusty's Disposal from 1989 to 1990. Ferguson was also an alderman in the City of Kitchener and a councillor in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo from 1979 to 1990.
He ran as a candidate of the federal New Democratic Party in the Canadian general election of 1984, but finished third in the riding of Kitchener.
The NDP won a majority government in the provincial election of 1990, and Ferguson was elected for the party in the provincial riding of Kitchener defeating incumbent Liberal David Cooke by 6,019 votes. He initially served as a parliamentary assistant, and was promoted to Minister of Energy on July 31, 1991.
On February 13, 1992, Ferguson resigned from the provincial cabinet to deal with allegations that he had committed a sexual assault in the 1970s; in 1994, he was acquitted.[3] From the time when he was charged to his acquittal he sat as an independent. After his acquittal he was reinstated by the NDP and was appointed as a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
He resigned from the legislature on October 8, 1994, in order to run for mayor of Kitchener; however, he was defeated.
After leaving the legislature he held a number of jobs including town manager in the hamlet of Grise Fiord, Nunavut and consulting on energy issues in South Africa.[2]
On Friday July 22, 2011, he experienced heart problems at his brother's place in Kitchener and died shortly thereafter.[2]