Herb Gray

For the football player, see Herb Gray (Canadian football).
The Right Honourable
Herb Gray
PC, CC, QC, BComm, LLB, LLD(Hon)

Gray in 2008
Leader of the Opposition
In office
February 8, 1990  December 10, 1990
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by John Turner
Succeeded by Jean Chrétien
Member of Parliament for Essex West
In office
September 27, 1962  June 24, 1968
Preceded by Norman Spencer
Succeeded by riding dissolved
Member of Parliament for Windsor West
In office
June 25, 1968  January 14, 2002
Preceded by first member
Succeeded by Brian Masse
7th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada
In office
June 11, 1997  January 14, 2002
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Preceded by Sheila Copps
Succeeded by John Manley
Personal details
Born Herbert Eser Gray
(1931-05-25)May 25, 1931
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Died April 21, 2014(2014-04-21) (aged 82)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Sharon Sholzberg
Children Jonathan David
Elizabeth Anne
Residence Ottawa, Ontario
Alma mater McGill University
Osgoode Hall Law School
Religion Jewish

Herbert Eser "Herb" Gray, PC CC QC (May 25, 1931 – April 21, 2014) was a Canadian Member of Parliament for four decades, and cabinet minister under three prime ministers, who served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1997 to 2002. He was Canada's first Jewish federal cabinet minister,[1] and is one of only a few Canadians ever granted the honorific The Right Honourable who was not so entitled by virtue of a position held.

Early life

Gray was born in Windsor, Ontario, the son of Fannie (née Lifitz), a nurse, and Harry Gray, who had a business selling yard goods. His parents were both from Belarusian Jewish families.[2] Gray attended Victoria School and Kennedy Collegiate Institute in Windsor[1] before receiving a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1952 from McGill University.[3] He then attended Osgoode Hall Law School where he received a Bachelor of Laws degree and was called to the bar becoming a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.[4] On July 23, 1967, Gray married lawyer Sharon Sholzberg, with whom he had two children: Jonathan David and Elizabeth Anne.[1]

Politics

He was first elected to Parliament for the riding of Essex West on June 18, 1962, as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. He was re-elected in twelve subsequent federal elections, making him the longest continuously-serving Member of Parliament in Canadian history.[5]

Gray served in a variety of roles during his parliamentary career, including cabinet ministries and committee chairmanships during the Liberal governments of Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau, and as Opposition House Leader from 1984 to 1990.

From February 6, 1990, to December 21, 1990, he was Leader of the Opposition, between the resignation of John Turner as Liberal leader and the election to Parliament of his successor, Jean Chrétien.

When the Liberals returned to power after the 1993 election, Gray was appointed Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada. On June 11, 1997, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

Gray also retained an interest in provincial politics in the Windsor area. In 1996, he was named as honorary co-chair of Dwight Duncan's bid to the lead the provincial Liberal Party. (Windsor Star, June 26, 1996) Duncan had previously worked in Gray's office.

Retirement and death

Bronze bust by sculptor Christopher Rees in Windsor, Ontario

Gray retired from Parliament on January 14, 2002, and was appointed Canadian Chair of the International Joint Commission, a bilateral organization which deals with Canada-United States transboundary issues on water and air rights.

On November 28, 2008, Carleton University announced that Gray had been appointed as the university's 10th chancellor.[6] He died at a hospital in Ottawa on April 21, 2014, aged 82.[7]

Honours

On January 15, 2002, then-Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson granted Gray the title "The Right Honourable", in honour of his distinguished and record-setting contribution to Canadian political life. In 2003, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, a designation which can be bestowed on only 165 outstanding Canadians at any given time, in recognition of being "an enduring force in Canadian politics".[8] He was a recipient of the Canadian Centennial Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He received honorary degrees from the University of Windsor, Assumption University (Windsor), Catholic University of Lublin (Poland), McGill University, and the University of Ottawa, and Honorary Lifetime Membership as Governor #71 with Junior Chamber International Canada (JCI Canada).[1] In 2009, he became an honorary brother of Alpha Epsilon Pi.[9]

The upgraded Windsor-Essex Parkway has been renamed the Right Honourable Herb Gray Parkway.

Personal life

Gray was diagnosed with esophagus cancer in 1996 and recovered after radiation therapy. In 1999, he had an operation to treat a prostate condition unrelated to the cancer. In August 2001, Gray underwent valve replacement surgery to correct a heart condition he had known about for years.[7]

Electoral record

Essex West

Canadian federal election, 1962
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 18,152 45.55 +11.25
Progressive ConservativeNorman L. Spencer 11,018 27.65 −18.10
New DemocraticBill Tepperman 9,771 24.52 +5.43
Social CreditRay Gagnier 649 1.63 +0.77
     Co-operative Builders Edgar-Bernard Charron 261 0.65
Total valid votes 39,851100.00
Canadian federal election, 1963
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 23,165 56.14 +10.59
Progressive ConservativeTom Brophey 10,946 26.53 −1.12
New DemocraticTrevor Price 6,267 15.19 −9.33
Social CreditRay Gagnier 884 2.14 +0.51
Total valid votes 41,262100.00
Canadian federal election, 1965
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 21,525 56.12 −0.02
Progressive ConservativeAustin Dixon 10,298 26.85 +0.22
New DemocraticHugh Peacock 5,739 14.96 −0.23
IndependentDon Armstrong 413 1.08
Social CreditJack Backer 379 0.99 −1.15
Total valid votes 38,354100.00

Windsor West

Canadian federal election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 16,442 54.06
New DemocraticStuart Ross 8,972 29.50
Progressive ConservativeWilliam J. Waldron 5,002 16.45
Total valid votes 30,416100.00
Canadian federal election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 17,966 49.20 −4.86
New DemocraticPaul Forder 13,110 35.90 +6.40
Progressive ConservativeJohn Gunning 5,441 14.90 −1.55
Total valid votes 36,517100.00
Canadian federal election, 1974
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 19,474 55.97 +6.77
New DemocraticRon Seale 10,630 30.55 −5.35
Progressive ConservativeBill McKay 4,466 12.84 −2.06
Marxist–LeninistRay Greig 222 0.64
Total valid votes 34,792 100.00
Canadian federal election, 1979
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 16,943 48.56 −7.41
New DemocraticMaxine Jones 11,906 34.12 +3.57
Progressive ConservativeBob Krause 5,869 16.82 +3.98
CommunistGerard O'Neill 102 0.29
Marxist–LeninistM. Villamizar 74 0.21 −0.43
Total valid votes 34,894 100.00
Canadian federal election, 1980
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 19,755 58.50 +9.94
New DemocraticMaxine Jones 9,785 28.98 −4.14
Progressive ConservativeNed Griffith 4,107 12.16 −4.66
CommunistGerard O'Neill 72 0.21
Marxist–LeninistMargaret Villamizar 49 0.15 −0.06
Total valid votes 33,768 100.00
Canadian federal election, 1984
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 13,624 40.55 −17.95
New DemocraticPaul Forder 11,503 34.23 +5.25
Progressive ConservativeMarty Goldberg 8,158 24.28 +12.12
RhinocerosMartin X. Deck 232 0.69
CommunistMike Longmoore 84 0.25 +0.04
Total valid votes 33,601 100.00
Canadian federal election, 1988
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 23,796 56.24 +15.69
New DemocraticPaul Forder 12,143 27.80 −6.43
Progressive ConservativeBert Silcox 6,131 14.49 −9.79
IndependentRobert Cruise 127 0.30
CommunistMaggie Bizzell 112 0.26
Total valid votes 42,309100.00
Canadian federal election, 1993
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 27,008 73.00 +16.76
ReformBrett Skinner 4,179 11.30
New DemocraticEmily Carasco 3,359 9.08 −18.72
Progressive ConservativeDan Friesen 1,663 4.49 −10.00
GreenSarah Atkinson 395 1.07
Natural LawLarry Decter 138 0.37
IndependentBill Steptoe 128 0.35
Marxist–LeninistRobert Cruise 93 0.25 −0.05
AbolitionistRose Pope 35 0.09
Total valid votes 36,998 100.00
Canadian federal election, 1997
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 21,877 55.20 −17.80
New DemocraticTom Milne 9,411 23.74 +14.66
ReformJeff Watson 5,295 13.36 +2.06
Progressive ConservativeDan Friesen 2,452 6.19 +1.70
GreenRichard Warman 398 1.00 −0.07
Marxist–LeninistRobert Cruise 199 0.50 +0.25
Total valid votes 39,632 100.00
Canadian federal election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalHerb Gray 20,729 54.21 −0.99
AllianceJeff Watson 8,777 22.95 +9.59
New DemocraticJohn McGinlay 6,080 15.90 −7.84
Progressive ConservativeIan West 2,116 5.53 −0.66
IndependentChristopher Soda 304 0.80
Marxist–LeninistEnver Villamizar 229 0.60 +0.10
Total valid votes 38,235100.00

Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.

References

External links

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