René Fontaine
| René Fontaine | |
|---|---|
| MPP for Cochrane North | |
| In office May 2, 1985 – September 5, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | René Piché |
| Succeeded by | Len Wood |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jacques Noé René Fontaine November 5, 1933 Harty, Ontario |
| Died | March 17, 2012 (aged 78) |
| Political party | Liberal |
Jacques Noe René Fontaine (November 5, 1933 – March 17, 2012)[1] was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.
Background
Fontaine was educated at the University of Ottawa. He was vice-president of a sawmill in Hearst.[2] He served as a municipal councillor in the northern town of from 1963 to 1966, and was the town's mayor from 1967 to 1980. In 1977, he declared it a "bilingual municipality". Fontaine also served as president of Maison Renaissance and Arc en Ciel in Hearst.
Politics
He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1985 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative René Piché in Cochrane North, a large riding in the province's northeastern corner.[3][4] Fontaine was the only Liberal MPP elected from northern Ontario, and was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Northern Affairs and Mines.[3]
In June 1986, opposition MPP Andy Brandt disclosed to the legislature that Fontaine had failed to disclose ownership of 17,000 shares in Golden Tiger, a mining company operating in Ontario and Quebec. Fontaine acknowledged his mistake, saying that he had forgotten to disclose the shares as required be Peterson's conflict-of-interest guidelines. He resigned both his portfolio and his seat in the legislature on June 26, stating that he wanted to be exonerated by the people of his riding in a by-election.[2][3] The Progressive Conservatives and New Democratic Party refused to run candidates,[5] and described the entire affair as farcical. Fontaine easily defeated a spread of minor candidates; he was not immediately re-appointed to cabinet, but served as a parliamentary assistant in the first part of 1987.[3]
Peterson's Liberals won a landslide majority government in the 1987 provincial election, and Fontaine was re-elected by almost 4,000 votes over Len Wood of the NDP. He returned to cabinet as Minister of Northern Development, and retained this position until August 8, 1990.[3] He did not seek re-election in the 1990 provincial election.[3]
There is currently a Hearst (René Fontaine) Municipal Airport in Hearst.
Table of offices held
| Provincial Government of David Peterson | ||
| Cabinet Post (1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Ministry Created 1985 | Minister of Northern Development and Mines 1985-1990 |
Shelley Martel[nb 1] Gilles Pouliot[nb 2] |
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ "Death of a northern icon: René Fontaine passes away". The Northern Times.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Ontario Minister resigns in Conflict of Interest row". The Leader-Post. June 27, 1986. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Jacques Noé René Fontaine". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ↑ "Ontario Votes 2007". CBC. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ↑ "Victory and defeat". The Calgary Herald. September 7, 1986. Retrieved 29 January 2011.