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Bill Davis

2025-08-08T00:45:32Z

2605:B100:11D:26AB:8113:28CE:8835:F1AB:

{{Short description|18th premier of Ontario (1929–2021)}}
{{Other people||William Davis (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Bill Davis
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CC|OOnt|QC|size=100%}}
| image = William Grenville Davis (1979).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Davis in 1979
| order = 18th
| office = Premier of Ontario
| term_start = March 1, 1971
| term_end = February 8, 1985
| monarch = [[Elizabeth II]]
| lieutenant_governor = [[William Ross Macdonald]] [[Pauline Mills McGibbon]] [[John Black Aird]]
| predecessor = [[John Robarts]]
| successor = [[Frank Miller (Canadian politician)|Frank Miller]]
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |[[Executive Council of Ontario]]
|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office1 = [[Ministry of Colleges and Universities|Minister of University Affairs]]
| premier1 = [[John Robarts]]
| term_start1 = May 14, 1964
| term_end1 = March 1, 1971
| predecessor1 = ''Riding established''
| successor1 = [[John White (Ontario politician)|John White]]
| office2 = [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]]
| premier2 = [[John Robarts]]
| term_start2 = October 25, 1962
| term_end2 = March 1, 1971
| predecessor2 = John Robarts
| successor2 = [[Bob Welch (politician)|Bob Welch]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Parliamentary constituencies
|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| parliament3 = Ontario Provincial
| term_start3 = [[1959 Ontario general election|June 11, 1959]]
| term_end3 = [[1985 Ontario general election|May 2, 1985]]
| riding3 = [[Brampton (provincial electoral district)|Brampton]] {{small|([[Peel (provincial electoral district)|Peel North]]; 1967–1975)}} {{small|([[Peel (provincial electoral district)|Peel]]; 1959–1967)}}
| predecessor3 = [[Thomas Laird Kennedy]]
| successor3 = [[Bob Callahan (politician)|Bob Callahan]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| party = [[Ontario Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservative]]
| birth_name = William Grenville Davis
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|07|30}}
| birth_place = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|8|8|1929|7|30}}
| death_place = [[Brampton]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| alma_mater = [[University College, Toronto]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) [[Osgoode Hall Law School]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
| spouse = {{ublist|{{marriage|Helen MacPhee|1955|1962|end=died}}|{{marriage|Kathleen MacKay|1964}}}}
| children = 5
}}

'''William Grenville Davis''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CC|OOnt|QC}} (July 30, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was a Canadian politician who served as the 18th [[premier of Ontario]] from 1971 to 1985. Behind [[Oliver Mowat]], Davis was the [[List of premiers of Ontario by time in office|second-longest serving premier of Ontario]].

Born in [[Toronto]], Davis was a lawyer before being elected as a [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]] [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Canada)|member of provincial Parliament]] for [[Peel (provincial electoral district)|Peel]] in the [[1959 Ontario general election|1959 provincial election]]. He was a backbencher in the Conservative caucus until 1962, when he was appointed [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|minister of education]] under [[John Robarts]]. During this period, Davis created the community college system and the educational television network now known as [[TVO]].

In 1971, he succeeded Robarts as the premier of Ontario and held the position until resigning in 1985. He led the Progressive Conservatives to victory in four consecutive elections, winning two [[majority government]]s and two [[minority government]]s. As premier, Davis was responsible for the cancellation of the [[Spadina Expressway]], the funding of Catholic secondary schools through grade 12, the formation of Canada's first [[Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks|Ministry of the Environment]], and [[Rent control in Ontario|rent control]], as well as playing a large role in the patriation of the [[Constitution of Canada]].

==Early life and education==
Davis was born on July 30, 1929, at [[Toronto General Hospital]], [[Toronto]], Ontario, the son of Vera Mildred ({{nee}} Hewetson) and Albert Grenville Davis.{{sfn|Hoy|1985|p=11}}<ref name=martin2021>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Sandra |title=Premier Bill Davis was the steady hand driving Ontario's Big Blue Machine |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-premier-bill-davis-was-the-steady-hand-driving-ontarios-big-blue/ |access-date=August 8, 2021 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=August 8, 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=}} His father was a successful local lawyer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mississauga.com/news-story/3137791-he-s-the-best-in-the-business/|title = He's the best in the business |date=June 23, 2008 |publisher=Mississauga.com |access-date=August 8, 2021}}</ref> Davis married twice, first to Helen McPhee (1931-1962) in 1955, with whom he had four children (Neil, Nancy, Cathy, Ian). He then married Kathleen Mackay (1933-2025) in 1964;{{sfn|Hoy|1985|pp=20, 25}} {{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=47–48}} they had one daughter, Meg, in 1965.<ref name="Moosejaw">{{cite news |url=https://www.moosejawtoday.com/national-news/bill-davis-ontarios-18th-premier-and-a-celebrated-tory-dies-at-92-4202875 |title=Bill Davis, Ontario's 18th premier and a celebrated Tory, dies at 92 |date=August 8, 2021 |author=Canadian Press |work=Moosejaw Today |access-date=August 8, 2021}}</ref>

Davis was politically active from the age of 15.<ref name="Moosejaw" /> Local [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament]] (MP) [[Gordon Graydon]] was a frequent guest at Davis's parents' house, and Davis himself became the first delegate younger than seventeen years to attend a national Progressive Conservative convention in Canada. He frequently campaigned for local [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Member of Provincial Parliament]] (MPP) [[Thomas Laird Kennedy]], who briefly served as Premier of Ontario in 1949.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=26–27}}

Davis graduated from the [[University of Toronto]] with a BA in 1951.{{Sfn|Hoy|1985|p=19}} He was a [[Canadian football|football]] player during his university years, and his teammates included [[Roy McMurtry]] and [[Thomas Leonard Wells]], both of whom would later serve in his cabinet.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=26–29}} Davis received a bachelor of laws from [[Osgoode Hall Law School]] in 1954 and was called to the bar of Ontario in 1955.{{Sfn|Hoy|1985|p=19}}

==Early political career==
Davis was first elected to the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] in the [[1959 Ontario general election|1959 provincial election]], for the southern Ontario constituency of [[Peel (provincial electoral district)|Peel]]. He was only 29 years old.<ref name="Toronto Sun">[http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2009/06/30/9977906-sun.html Toronto Sun, June 30, 2009]</ref> Although Peel was an extremely safe Conservative seat for most of its history, Davis won by a narrow 1,203 votes. The election took place soon after the federal Progressive Conservative government of [[John Diefenbaker]] had cancelled the [[Avro Arrow]] program.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=36}}  Davis was given the honour of move the motion to vote on the [[Speech from the Throne]], which while purely symbolic, allowed him to give a speech that included two of his own planned projects: establishing what would become the [[Forks of the Credit Provincial Park]], and improving education.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=36–37}} Davis served for two years as a [[backbencher|backbench]] supporter of [[Leslie Frost]]'s government. When Frost announced his retirement in 1961, Davis became the chief organizer of [[Robert Macaulay]]'s campaign to succeed him as premier and party leader. Macaulay was eliminated on the next-to-last ballot, and, with Davis, delivered crucial support for [[John Robarts]] to defeat [[Kelso Roberts]] on the final vote.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=40}}

==Minister of Education==
[[File:Honourable William G. Davis.jpg|thumb|Davis as Minister of Education, 1966]]
Davis was appointed to Robarts' cabinet as [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]] on October 25, 1962, and was re-elected by a greatly increased margin in the [[1963 Ontario general election|1963 provincial election]].{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=44, 51}} He was given additional responsibilities as Ontario's [[Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development|Minister of University Affairs]] on May 14, 1964, and held both portfolios until 1971.<ref name="OLA">{{cite web|title=William Grenville Davis|website=[[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]|date=June 11, 1959 |url=https://www.ola.org/en/members/all/william-grenville-davis|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref> He significantly increased education funding during the 1960s; spending increased by 454% between 1962 and 1971 and hundreds of public schools were opened. Davis also oversaw a controversial overhaul and amalgamation of the outdated school board systems in the province, reducing the number of boards from 3,676 in 1962 to 192 by 1967.<ref name="Shelburne">{{cite news|author=Editorial Staff|title=A contrast in PC premiers|work=Shelburne Free Press|date=February 13, 2020|url=http://shelburnefreepress.ca/?p=24621|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Blizzard|first1=Christina|title=Nothing bland about Steve Paikin's new book on Bill Davis|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2016/10/10/nothing-bland-about-steve-paikins-new-book-on-bill-davis|access-date=April 2, 2017|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=October 10, 2016|quote=He's remembered for a controversial but much-needed overhaul of school boards as well as his implementation of the system of post-secondary community colleges.}}</ref>

During his tenure as education minister, Davis established new public universities, including [[Trent University]] and [[Brock University]], as well as the public [[List of colleges in Ontario|community college system]]. Canada's first educational research institute, the [[Ontario Institute for Studies in Education]], and the Ontario Educational Communications Authority educational television network (now [[TVO]]) were established while he was Minister, in 1965 and 1970, respectively.<ref name="Shelburne" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Minister Confirms Plan to Establish Research Institute|work=The Globe and Mail|date=May 7, 1965|page=3}}</ref>

Davis's handling of the education portfolio, of which Robarts was a previous minister, made his entry into the leadership contest to succeed Robarts unsurprising. Robarts himself fully expected Davis to be his successor.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=71}} He was immediately dubbed the frontrunner when he announced his bid on December 20, 1970.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=73}} In the early hours of February 13, 1971, Davis defeated rival candidate [[Allan Lawrence (politician)|Allan Lawrence]] by only 44 votes on the final ballot, after receiving support from third-place candidate [[Darcy McKeough]]. Following the convention, Davis brought Lawrence's campaign team, known as "the Spades", to become his principal advisors. The group later became known as the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario#Big Blue Machine era|Big Blue Machine]], and remained a dominant campaign force in the Progressive Conservative Party into the 1980s.<ref>{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Paikin|title=Fifty years ago today, a leadership convention for the ages|publisher=[[TVO]]|date=February 11, 2021|url=https://www.tvo.org/article/fifty-years-ago-today-a-leadership-convention-for-the-ages|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>

===Cabinet posts===
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=John_Robarts}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = New position
| post2 = [[Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development|Minister of University Affairs]]
| post2years = 1964–1971
| post2note = <ref name="OLA" />
| post2followed = [[John White (Ontario politician)|John White]]

| post1preceded = [[John Robarts]]
| post1 = [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]]
| post1years = 1962–1971
| post1note = <ref name="OLA" />
| post1followed = [[Bob Welch (politician)|Bob Welch]]
}}
{{s-end}}

==Premier of Ontario (1971–1985)==
[[File:Bill Davis Toronto 1984.jpg|thumb|Davis in 1984]]

===First majority (1971–1975)===
Three months after taking office as premier, Davis announced that his government would not continue to fund construction of the [[Spadina Expressway]] into downtown Toronto—an initiative that had been unpopular with many of the area's residents.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=112–113}}<ref>{{cite news|author=Postmedia News|title=EDITORIAL: How the DVP became a parking lot|newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]]|date=July 3, 2019|url=https://torontosun.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-how-the-dvp-became-a-parking-lot|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
The section of [[Allen Road]] south of Lawrence Avenue was subsequently nicknamed the "Davis ditch".{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=115}}
In July 1971, he created appointed the first [[Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks|Minister of the Environment]], [[George Albert Kerr|George Kerr]].{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=122}}
On August 31, Davis announced the rejection of a proposal to grant full funding to Ontario's Catholic high schools—which were only publicly funded up to grade 10—stating that it "would fragment the present system beyond recognition and repair".{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=120, 127–128}}

The campaign to elect the [[29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] began two weeks later on September 13. The campaign featured the first televised leaders debate for a provincial election.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=142}} The PC's would gain 9 seats in the [[1971 Ontario general election|election]], held on October 21, 1971.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=148}}

Davis's first full term as premier was by most accounts his least successful, with public confidence in his government weakened by a series of scandals.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=166, 172–173}} There were allegations that the [[Fidinam]] company had received special consideration for a Toronto development program in return for donations to the Progressive Conservative Party.{{Sfn|Hoy|1985|pp=104–105}} In 1973, it was revealed that Davis's friend [[Gerhard Moog]] had received a untendered [[Canadian dollar|C$]]44.4 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|44000000|1973}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars) contract for the construction of [[Ontario Hydro]]'s new head office and related projects. [[Attorney General of Ontario|Attorney General]] [[Dalton Bales]], [[Solicitor General of Ontario|Solicitor General]] [[John Yaremko]] and [[Ministry of Finance (Ontario)|Treasurer]] McKeough were all accused of conflicts-of-interest relating to government approval for developments on properties they owned. The government was cleared of impropriety in all cases, but its popular support nonetheless declined.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=166, 172–173}} The Conservatives lost four key by-elections in 1973 and 1974.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=174}}

On the policy front, the Davis administration introduced regional governments for [[Regional Municipality of Durham|Durham]], [[Regional Municipality of Hamilton–Wentworth|Hamilton-Wentworth]], [[Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk|Haldimand-Norfolk]], and [[Regional Municipality of Waterloo|Waterloo]] but shelved further plans in response to popular protests.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=173–174}} He faced a significant backlash from teachers in December 1973, following the tabling of a bill to force an end to [[Walkout|labour disruptions]].{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=176}} In the buildup to the [[1975 Ontario general election|1975 provincial election]], Davis imposed a ninety-day freeze on energy prices, temporarily reduced the provincial sales tax from 7% to 5%, and announced rent controls for the province.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=184, 189–190}}

===Minority governments (1975–1981)===
The 1975 campaign was far more bitter than that of 1971, with Davis and Liberal leader [[Robert Nixon (politician)|Robert Nixon]] repeatedly hurling personal insults at one another. Polls taken shortly before the election had the Liberals in the lead. The Progressive Conservatives won only 51 seats out of 125, but were able to remain in power with a [[minority government]]. The [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] (NDP) won 38 seats under the leadership of [[Stephen Lewis]], while Nixon's Liberals finished third with 36. Soon after the election, Davis hired [[Hugh Segal]] as his legislative secretary.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=194–199}} On January 1, 1976, Davis enacted Canada's first mandatory seat belt law, following the death of the daughter of his close friend and advisor, [[Edwin A. Goodman|Eddie Goodman]].{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=209}}

Davis called a [[snap election]] in [[1977 Ontario general election|1977]], attempting to capitalise on the turmoil and surprise following the [[1976 Quebec general election]] that saw the [[Parti Quebecois]] gain a majority. He was again returned with only a minority following the vote on June 9. The Progressive Conservatives increased their standing by 7 to 58 seats, against 34 for the Liberals and 33 for the NDP.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=210–212}}
The Conservatives remained the dominant party after the 1975 and 1977 elections due to the inability of either the [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democrats]] and the [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberals]] to become the clear alternative. The Conservatives were able to stay in power due to the competition between both opposition parties. As there was no serious consideration of a Liberal-NDP alliance after both campaigns, Davis was able to avoid defeat in the legislature by appealing to other parties for support on particular initiatives.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=213–214, 217–219}} The opposition parties had also undergone leadership changes; Nixon and Lewis, who had posed a strong challenge to Davis, resigned after the 1975 and 1977 elections, respectively.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=205, 214}} Nixon's successor [[Stuart Lyon Smith]] proved unable to increase Liberal support, while new NDP leader [[Michael Cassidy (Canadian politician)|Michael Cassidy]] lacked the support of the party establishment.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=213–214, 217–219}}

This period of the Davis government was one of expansion for the province's public health and education systems, and Davis held a particular interest in ensuring that the province's community colleges remained productive. The government also expanded the provisions of the Ontario [[Human Rights Code (Ontario)|''Human Rights Code'']],{{Sfn|Hoy|1985|p=153}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Galer|first=Dustin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yMdtDwAAQBAJ|title=Working towards Equity: Disability Rights Activism and Employment in Late Twentieth-Century Canada|date=May 4, 2018|publisher=[[University of Toronto Press]]|isbn=978-1-4875-1292-7|language=en|page=168}}</ref>
and expanded bilingual services without introducing official bilingualism to the province.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 8, 2021|title=William Davis, Ontario's 18th premier and celebrated Tory, dead at 92|work=[[CBC News]]|agency=[[The Canadian Press]]|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/william-davis-ontario-premier-dead-1.6134137|access-date=August 11, 2021}}</ref>

Although he actively supported and campaigned for him in 1976, Davis had an awkward relationship with federal [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] leader [[Joe Clark]]. He and Clark held differing views over fuel prices, and the Davis government actively opposed Clark's 1979 austerity budget which included a gas tax.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=234–237}}

===Second majority (1981–1985)===
The Progressive Conservatives were returned with a majority government in the [[1981 Ontario general election|1981 provincial election]], with 8 of their 12 gained seats coming at the expense of the NDP.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=254–256}} Soon after the election, Davis announced that [[John Tory]] (who became leader of the PCs 23 years later) had been hired to succeed [[Hugh Segal]] as his principal secretary.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|p=258}} He also announced that Ontario would purchase a 25% share in the energy corporation [[Suncor Energy|Suncor]], despite opposition from within his own caucus.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=274–275}}

Unlike most provincial premiers in Canada, Davis strongly supported [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Pierre Trudeau]]'s 1981 plans to [[Patriation|patriate]] the [[constitution of Canada]] from the [[United Kingdom]] and add to it the ''[[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]''.{{sfn|Hoy|1985|pp=212–213}}<ref>{{Cite news|agency=[[The Canadian Press]]|title=Former Ontario premier William Davis dies at age 92|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8096028/former-ontario-premier-william-davis-dies/|access-date=August 10, 2021|website=[[Global News]]|language=en-US}}</ref> Davis's role in the constitutional negotiations of 1981 were pivotal in achieving a compromise that resulted in the passage of the ''[[Constitution Act, 1982]]''.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=300–305}}<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Romanow|first=Roy J|date=June 29, 2012|title=Reflections on the Kitchen Accord|journal=Constitutional Forum / Forum Constitutionnel|volume=21|issue=1|pages=1|doi=10.21991/C9K389|issn=1927-4165|doi-access=free}}</ref>


Davis publicly announced his retirement on October 8, 1984, a few months before the [[1985 Ontario general election|1985 election]], with he and his government still well ahead in polls against [[David Peterson]]'s Liberals and [[Bob Rae]]'s NDP.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=349, 352–353}} One of his last major acts as premier was to reverse his 1971 decision against the full funding of Catholic schools, and announce that such funding would be provided to the end of Grade Thirteen. Although the policy was supported by all parties in the legislature, it was unpopular with some in the Conservatives' traditional rural [[Protestantism|Protestant]] base, and many would stay home in the upcoming election because of this issue.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=338–343}}

Davis was succeeded by [[Frank Miller (Canadian politician)|Frank Miller]], who was elected leader at a January [[1985 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership elections|1985 leadership convention]] over [[Larry Grossman (politician)|Larry Grossman]] (who was widely considered the successor to Davis and his [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario#Big Blue Machine era|Big Blue Machine]]).{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=388–390}} Although Miller was more conservative, the Progressive Conservatives still held a significant lead over the opposition when the election was called. However, after a poor campaign and controversy over Catholic school funding, in the [[1985 Ontario general election|1985 provincial election]] they were reduced to a minority government and lost the popular vote to the [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal Party]], and were soon defeated in a motion of non-confidence by a Liberal–NDP accord, ending the party's 42-year period of rule over the province.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=393–396}}

==Post-political career==
[[File:Bill Davis (15557626599).jpg|alt=Davis in 2014|thumb|Davis in 2014]]
Davis was made a companion of the [[Order of Canada]] in 1986,<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 26, 2018|title=William G. Davis, P.C., C.C., Q.C., B.A., LL.D.|url=https://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=401|url-status=live|publisher=[[Governor General of Canada]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810022158/https://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=401 |archive-date=August 10, 2021 }}</ref>
and received the [[Order of Ontario]] in 1987.<ref name="BramptonBilly" /> Upon his retirement from politics, he served on numerous corporate boards, including [[Seagram]], [[Power Corporation]], [[CIBC]], [[Rogers Cable]] among others.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=409–410}} In 1985 and 1986, Davis was the Canadian half of a joint task force with the United States (with [[Drew Lewis]] as his American counterpart) appointed by [[Brian Mulroney]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] to solve the ongoing acid rain issues affecting the Great Lakes. Their report was popularly referred to as the [[U.S.–Canada Air Quality Agreement|Acid Rain Treaty]]; Davis was paid $1 for his work, proudly framing the bill at his cottage.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=417–419}}

Davis's reputation within the Ontario Progressive Conservatives was compromised during the 1990s by the party's shift to the right under [[Mike Harris]]. Many Conservatives parliamentarians were openly dismissive of Davis-era spending policies, and frequently highlighted the differences between Davis and Harris on policy issues. Davis remained a supporter of the party, but seldom appeared at official events.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=454–455}}

In 2003, Davis played a role in the successful negotiations to merge the federal Progressive Conservatives with the [[Canadian Alliance]], and create the new [[Conservative Party of Canada]]. In the [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006 federal campaign]], he campaigned for Conservative Leader [[Stephen Harper]]. Harper spoke favourably of Davis during the campaign, and said that he learned much from Davis's style of governing. The Conservatives were able to defeat the Liberals to form the government.{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=430–433}}

In the early 2000s, Davis returned to an honoured position within the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. He was a keynote speaker at the [[2004 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election|2004 Progressive Conservative leadership convention]], and was singled out for praise in speeches by outgoing party leader [[Ernie Eves]] and new leader [[John Tory]]. Davis was also present for Tory's first session in the Ontario legislature, following the latter's victory in a 2005 [[by-election]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Eric|last=Dowd|title=Get ready for the return of Bill Davis|work=Sudbury.com|date=March 16, 2006|url=https://www.sudbury.com/columns/dowd/get-ready-for-the-return-of-bill-davis-033005-204856|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
In 2014, Davis endorsed [[Christine Elliott]] in her second campaign to become leader of the Ontario PC Party, but she finished as runner-up to [[Patrick Brown (Canadian politician)|Patrick Brown]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/bill-davis-endorses-christine-elliott-for-pc-leadership/article21513609/ |title=Bill Davis endorses Christine Elliott for Ontario PC leadership |date=November 8, 2014 |first=Frank |last=Gunn|publisher=[[The Globe and Mail]]|access-date=October 29, 2019}}</ref>
whom he would later endorse in his successful campaign against incumbent [[Linda Jeffrey]] for [[mayor of Brampton]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/8956686-former-premier-bill-davis-comes-out-in-support-of-patrick-brown-in-brampton-mayor-race/ |title=Former premier Bill Davis comes out in support of Patrick Brown in Brampton mayor race|date=October 10, 2018 |first=Graeme |last=Frisque |publisher=Metroland Media Group |work=Brampton Guardian |access-date=October 29, 2019}}</ref>

Davis had supported Jeffrey in her 2014 bid for mayor,<ref name="LRTfight" /> as well as Toronto mayor [[John Tory]], former Ontario PC Party leader and a principal secretary of Davis in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lorrie|last=Goldstein|title=John Tory's secret? Bland works|newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]]|date=October 18, 2014|url=https://torontosun.com/2014/10/18/john-torys-secret-bland-works|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
Incumbent Brampton mayor [[Susan Fennell]] was embroiled in numerous scandals over expenses and financial record-keeping. Davis reportedly convinced Jeffrey to resign from provincial cabinet to challenge Fennell. After taking office as mayor, Jeffrey appointed Davis to a panel tasked with bringing a university to Brampton. However, Davis and Jeffrey had a falling out over Peel Region's proposed Light Rail Transit line, as Jeffrey supported its extension from Hurontario Street in Mississauga further north along Main Street in Brampton (where it would run by Davis's house), while Davis preferred an alternative alignment along Queen Street.<ref name="LRTfight">{{cite news |last=Paikin |first=Steve |title=The Fight Between the Old Premier and Brampton's New Mayor |url=https://www.tvo.org/article/the-fight-between-the-old-premier-and-bramptons-new-mayor |access-date=October 29, 2019 |publisher=[[TVO]] |date=October 26, 2015}}</ref><ref name="2015Star">{{cite news|first=Martin Regg|last=Cohn|title='Bland' Bill Davis wins his latest political fight|work=[[Toronto Star]]|date=November 12, 2015|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/11/12/bland-bill-davis-wins-his-latest-political-fight-cohn.html|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>

Throughout his political career, Davis often remarked upon the lasting influence of his hometown of Brampton, leading to his nickname, "Brampton Billy".<ref name="BramptonBilly" />

==Death==
On August 8, 2021, Davis died in Brampton at the age of 92.<ref name=martin2021/>

== Legacy ==
In a 2012 edition, the [[Institute for Research on Public Policy]]'s magazine, ''Policy Options'', named Davis the second-best Canadian premier of the last forty years, beaten only by [[Peter Lougheed]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leonard |first=Jeremy |date=1 Jun 2012 |title=Ranking provincial premiers of the last 40 years: The numbers speak |url=https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/the-best-premier-of-the-last-40-years/ranking-provincial-premiers-of-the-last-40-years-the-numbers-speak/ |website=Policy Options}}</ref>

==Recognition==
* In 1987, Davis was made an Honorary Senior Fellow of [[Renison University College]], located in Waterloo, Ontario.<ref>Dr. Gail Cuthbert Brandt 'Bold and Courageous Dreams' Renison University College, 2014, pg. 131</ref>
* Davis was appointed as a [[Companion of the Order of Canada]] in 1986, received the [[Order of Ontario]] in 1987, and was appointed as a Knight in the [[Legion of Honour]] of France in 2001.<ref name="BramptonBilly">{{cite news|author=Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives|author-link=Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives|title=A look back at the life of "Brampton Billy", Ontario's former premier|publisher=Insauga.com|date=August 8, 2021|url=https://www.insauga.com/a-look-back-at-the-life-of-brampton-billy-ontarios-former-premier|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* On October 24, 2006, Davis received [[Seneca College]]'s first Honorary degree and was presented with an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Studies. "It is fitting that Bill Davis receives Seneca's first honorary degree", said Dr. [[Rick Miner]], President of Seneca College. "As one of the architects of the college system in Ontario, he is responsible for a dynamic post-secondary education environment which continues to be a pillar of our province's economy."<ref>{{cite press release | title = Canada's largest college confers first honorary degree to Bill Davis | publisher = Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology | date = October 24, 2005 | url = http://www.senecac.on.ca/cms/media/newsdetail.jsp?mediaID=75 | access-date = October 25, 2005 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927065400/http://www.senecac.on.ca/cms/media/newsdetail.jsp?mediaID=75 | archive-date = September 27, 2007}}</ref>
*The [[Public Policy Forum]] honoured Bill Davis with the Testimonial Award for his contribution to public life, public policy and governance in Canada at their 2011 Testimonial Dinner.<ref>{{cite press release
| title = Public Policy Forum Announces 2011 Testimonial Award Winners
| publisher = Public Policy Forum
| date = January 7, 2011
| url = http://www.ppforum.ca/news-room/public-policy-forum-announces-2011-testimonial-award-winners
| access-date = April 4, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720185527/http://www.ppforum.ca/news-room/public-policy-forum-announces-2011-testimonial-award-winners
| archive-date = July 20, 2011
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

===Eponyms===
* William G. Davis Public School – [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]]<ref>{{cite web|title=School History and Tradition|website=William G. Davis Public School|publisher=Greater Essex County District School Board|url=https://www.publicboard.ca/school/davis/About%20Us/Pages/School-History-and-Tradition.aspx|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* W. G. Davis Senior Public School – [[Brampton]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Flags at half-mast for The Honourable William G. Davis, former Premier of Ontario|website=William G. Davis Senior Public School|publisher=Peel District School Board|date=August 9, 2021|url=https://www.peelschools.org/schools/williamgdavis/news/Pages/default.aspx?article=flags-at-half-mast-for-the-honourable-wi-5igou&type=2|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Field, [[Cardinal Leger Secondary School]], Brampton<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/5937747-new-high-school-sports-field-named-to-honour-former-premier-bill-davis/ |title=New high school sports field named to honour former premier Bill Davis |date=September 30, 2015 |work=Brampton Guardian |publisher=Metroland Media Group |access-date=October 29, 2019}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Senior Public School – [[Cambridge, Ontario|Cambridge]]<ref>{{cite web|title=School History|website=William G Davis Public School, Cambridge|url=https://wgd.wrdsb.ca/about/school-history/|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Public School – [[Toronto]] ([[Scarborough, Toronto|Scarborough]])<ref>{{cite web|title=William G. Davis Junior Public School – School History|publisher=[[Toronto District School Board]]|url=https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/Schools/School-History/schno/4770|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* Davis Campus, [[Sheridan College]] – Brampton<ref>{{cite web |title=Davis Campus |url=https://www.sheridancollege.ca/about/campus-locations/davis |publisher=Sheridan College |access-date=October 29, 2019}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Building, [[University of Toronto Mississauga]] – [[Mississauga]]<ref>{{cite press release | title = Davis praised as 'education Premier' at building re-dedication | publisher = University of Toronto Mississauga | date = October 18, 2010 | url = http://www.news.utoronto.ca/campus-news/davis-praised-as-education-premier-at-u-of-t-building-re-dedication.html | access-date = October 20, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101024154332/http://www.news.utoronto.ca/campus-news/davis-praised-as-education-premier-at-u-of-t-building-re-dedication.html | archive-date = October 24, 2010 | url-status = live}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Centre for Computer Research, [[University of Waterloo]] – [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]]<ref>{{cite web|title=A Chronology of Computing at The University of Waterloo – 1987|website=David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science|url=https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/40th/Chronology/1987.shtml|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Studio at TVO (where The Agenda with [[Steve Paikin]], who was author of book on Davis, is televised from)<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Michael|last=Taube|title=The House That Bill Built|magazine=[[Literary Review of Canada]]|date=December 2016|url=https://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2016/12/the-house-that-bill-built/|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* William G. Davis Trail – [[Ontario Place]], Toronto<ref>{{cite web|title=Trillium Park and William G. Davis Trail|website=[[Ontario Place]]|url=https://ontarioplace.com/en/whats-on/trillium-park-and-william-g-davis-trail/|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
* A. Grenville and William Davis Courthouse – [[Brampton]]{{sfn|Paikin|2016|pp=23–24}}
* Premier Davis Boulevard (Seneca College Newnham Campus) – [[North York]]<ref>{{cite report|title=Renaming of a portion of Au Large Boulevard east of Don Mills Road|publisher=City of Toronto|date=May 28, 2018|url=https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2018/ny/bgrd/backgroundfile-117074.pdf|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== General bibliography ===
* {{Cite book |last=Hoy |first=Claire |year=1985 |url=https://archive.org/details/billdavisbiograp0000hoyc|title=Bill Davis: A Biography |publisher=[[Methuen Publishing]] |isbn=0-458-99130-9|location=Toronto|oclc=13425942|url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |last=Paikin |first=Steve |year=2016 |title=Bill Davis: Nation Builder, and Not So Bland After All |publisher=Dundurn Press |isbn=978-1-4597-3175-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TWqKCwAAQBAJ |access-date=August 8, 2021}}

==Further reading==
* Manthorpe, Jonathan (1974). ''The Power & the Tories''. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada.
* Speirs, Rosemary (1986). ''Out of the Blue: The Fall of the Tory Dynasty in Ontario''. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada.

==External links==
* {{Ontario MPP biography|id=william-grenville-davis|name=William Grenville Davis|old_id=449}}
* [https://aims.archives.gov.on.ca/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/DESCRIPTION_WEB/WEB_DESC_DET?SESSIONSEARCH&exp=sisn%2011495 William G. Davis fonds] Archives of Ontario
* {{Order of Canada citation|id=14724|name=William G. Davis|old_id=401}}

{{ONPremiers}}
{{Ontario PC Leaders}}
{{Davis Ministry}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Bill}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Canadian King's Counsel]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Lawyers in Ontario]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Ontario]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the United Church of Canada]]
[[Category:Osgoode Hall Law School alumni]]
[[Category:People from Brampton]]
[[Category:Politicians from Toronto]]
[[Category:Premiers of Ontario]]
[[Category:University of Toronto alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]

Elizabeth Witmer

2025-08-08T00:15:41Z

2605:B100:11D:26AB:8113:28CE:8835:F1AB:

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Elizabeth Witmer
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OOnt|ECO|size=100%}}
| image = ElizabethWitmerOktimg294.jpg
| caption = Witmer in 1996
| office1 = Chair of the [[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]]
| term_start1 = April 27, 2012
| term_end1 = January 26, 2022
| predecessor1 = [[Steve Mahoney]]
| successor1 =
| order2 = 7th
| office2 = Deputy Premier of Ontario
| term_start2 = April 15, 2002
| term_end2 = October 22, 2003
| premier2 = [[Ernie Eves]]
| predecessor2 = [[Jim Flaherty]]
| successor2 = [[George Smitherman]] (2006)
| office3 = [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Ontario MPP]]
| term_start3 = 1999
| term_end3 = 2012
| predecessor3 = ''Riding established''
| successor3 = [[Catherine Fife]]
| constituency3 = [[Kitchener—Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener—Waterloo]]
| term_start4 = 1990
| term_end4 = 1999
| predecessor4 = [[Herb Epp]]
| successor4 = ''Riding abolished''
| constituency4 = [[Waterloo North (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo North]]
| birth_name = Elizabeth Gosar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|10|16}}
| birth_place = [[Schiedam]], Netherlands
| nationality = [[Canadians|Canadian]]
| party = [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]]
| spouse =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = [[University of Western Ontario]] [[Althouse College of Education]] [[University of Waterloo]]
| occupation =
| profession = Teacher
| signature =
| website =
}}

'''Elizabeth Witmer''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OOnt|ECO}} ({{nee}} '''Gosar'''; born October 16, 1946) is a former Deputy Premier of [[Ontario]], Canada. She was a member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] from 1990 until 2012, representing [[Waterloo North (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo North]] and later [[Kitchener—Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener—Waterloo]] as a member of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative Party]].

In 2012, she was appointed as chair of the [[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]].

==Background==
Witmer was born in [[Schiedam]], Netherlands. She moved with her family to Ontario at a young age. She received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from the [[University of Western Ontario]], and later attended the [[Althouse College of Education]]. She did postgraduate work at the [[University of Waterloo]]. Witmer worked as a secondary school teacher from 1968 to 1980, in [[West Lorne, Ontario|West Lorne]], [[London, Ontario|London]] and [[Guelph]]. She was named the "Kitchener-Waterloo Woman of the Year" in 1968.

==Politics==
Witmer began her political career as a school trustee, serving on the Waterloo County Board of Education from 1980 to 1990; she became its chair in 1984. She ran for the Ontario legislature in the [[1987 Ontario general election|1987 election]], but was defeated by [[Ontario Liberal Party]] [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Member of Provincial Parliament]] (MPP) [[Herb Epp]] in [[Waterloo North (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo North]].<ref name="1987 results">{{cite news |title=Results from individual ridings |newspaper=The Windsor Star |date=September 11, 1987 |page=F2}}</ref>

Epp retired before the [[1990 Ontario general election|1990 provincial election]], and Witmer again won the Progressive Conservative nomination in the riding. She was successful this time, defeating [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democrat]] Hugh Miller and Liberal [[Andrew Telegdi]] (later a federal [[Member of Parliament]]) <ref name="1990 results">{{cite news |title=Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A12}}</ref> to become the first female MPP to be elected in the region of Waterloo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therecord.com/news-story/2602569-witmer-resigns-as-mpp/|title=Witmer resigns as MPP|date=2012-04-28|website=TheRecord.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-08-02}}</ref> The NDP scored an upset victory in this election while the Progressive Conservatives won only 20 of 130 seats for third-party status.

=== Cabinet appointment ===
[[File:ElizabethWitmerMikeHarrisimg806.jpg|thumb|Witmer in [[Elmira, Ontario|Elmira]] with Premier [[Mike Harris]] in 1996]]There was a significant swing to the Progressive Conservatives in the [[1995 Ontario general election|1995 provincial election]], and Witmer was re-elected by more than 17,000 votes over her nearest opponent.<ref name="1995 results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=waterloo+north&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 8, 1995 |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095840/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=waterloo+north&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=2014-10-06 }}</ref> On June 26, 1995, she was appointed [[Ministry of Labour (Ontario)|Minister of Labour]] in the government of [[Mike Harris]].<ref name="1995HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Mike Harris' cabinet |newspaper=The Spectator |location=Hamilton, Ont |date=June 27, 1995 |page=A7}}</ref> In October 1997, she was promoted to the key portfolio of [[Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care|Minister of Health]], replacing the more confrontational [[Jim Wilson (Ontario politician)|Jim Wilson]].<ref name="1997HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Premier to shuffle cabinet Ministers to move out of hot portfolios: Snobelen from Education, Wilson from Health |last1=Rusk |first1=James |last2=Mackie |first2=Richard |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=October 10, 1997 |page=A1}}</ref>

Harris's government was initially regarded by many as uniformly right-wing, although moderate [[Red Tory]] figures such as Witmer and [[Isabel Bassett]] eventually emerged in key portfolios. Witmer's appointment as Minister of Health was generally interpreted as signalling that the government desired a more moderate approach to negotiations with the health sector. Despite this, she presided over a controversial restructuring process which included a number of government cutbacks.

Witmer was re-elected in the [[1999 Ontario general election|1999 election]], defeating Liberal Sean Strickland by just under 10,000 votes.<ref name="1999 results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 3, 1999 |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006160441/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=2014-10-06 }}</ref> On June 17, 1999 her portfolio was renamed the [[Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care]].<ref name="1999HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Ontario Cabinet |newspaper=The Spectator |location=Hamilton, Ont |date=June 18, 1999 |page=C8}}</ref> Following a cabinet shuffle on February 8, 2001, she became [[Ministry of the Environment (Ontario)|Minister of the Environment]].<ref name="2001HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Flaherty to be new Ontario finance chief |newspaper=Sudbury Star |date=February 8, 2001 |page=A5}}</ref>

=== Ministerial Accomplishments ===

==== Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1996 ====
During her term as Minister of Labour Ms. Witmer overhauled the Worker's Compensation Act, renaming it the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and introduced entitlement benefits for mental stress for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-36/session-1/bill-99|title=Workers' Compensation Reform Act, 1996|website=Legislative Assembly of Ontario|language=en|access-date=2019-08-02}}</ref>

===Cabinet positions===
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Ernie_Eves}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = [[Jim Flaherty]]
| post2 = [[Deputy Premier of Ontario]]
| post2years = 2002–2003
| post2note =
| post2followed = [[George Smitherman]] <ref group="note">There was no Deputy Premier named from 2003-2006 until Smitherman was appointed by [[Dalton McGuinty]].</ref>

| post1preceded = [[Janet Ecker]]
| post1 = [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]]
| post1years = 2002–2003
| post1note =
| post1followed = [[Gerard Kennedy]]
}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Mike_Harris}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post3preceded = [[Dan Newman]]
| post3 = [[Ministry of the Environment (Ontario)|Minister of the Environment]]
| post3years = 2001–2002
| post3note =
| post3followed = [[Chris Stockwell]]

| post2preceded = [[Jim Wilson (Ontario politician)|Jim Wilson]]
| post2 = [[Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care|Minister of Health]] <ref group="note">Renamed as Ministry of Health and Long-term Care in 1999.</ref>
| post2years = 1997–2001
| post2note =
| post2followed = [[Tony Clement]]

| post1preceded = [[Shirley Coppen]]
| post1 = [[Ministry of Labour (Ontario)|Minister of Labour]]
| post1years = 1995–1997
| post1note =
| post1followed = [[Jim Flaherty]]
}}
{{s-end
}}

=== 2002 PC leadership campaign and afterward===

She ran in the [[2002 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election|2002 PC leadership election]] to succeed Harris as Tory leader and Premier, but placed fourth on the first ballot and threw her support to the eventual winner, [[Ernie Eves]]. In April 2002, she was appointed [[Deputy Premier of Ontario|Deputy Premier]] and [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]].<ref name="2002EvesCabinet">{{cite news |title=Ont-Cabinet |publisher=Canadian Press NewsWire |location=Toronto, Ont |date=April 15, 2002}}</ref>

The [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 election]] saw a significant backlash against the Conservative government. Witmer was re-elected in Kitchener—Waterloo defeating Strickland by a reduced margin of 1,501 votes.<ref name="2003 results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805090653/https://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 August 2020 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 2, 2003 |access-date=2014-03-02 }}</ref> Moreover, she is considered to be one of the few moderates in a caucus dominated by the right-wing of the party. She was named as deputy leader of the opposition, and serves as her party's critic on long-term care and women's issues.

Witmer considered running to succeed Eves in the [[2004 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election|2004 PC leadership election]], but ultimately supported [[John Tory]]'s successful candidacy instead. Tory re-appointed Witmer as deputy leader. Her appointment was considered a notable victory for the centrist wing of the party. In the [[2007 Ontario general election|2007 provincial election]], Witmer won re-election by 4,917 votes.<ref name="2007 results">{{cite web |url=http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007160233/http://www.elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2009 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-02 |page=7 (xvi) }}</ref>

In 2007, [[Equal Voice]], a non-partisan organization dedicated to improving the status of women in politics, conducted an "Ontario's Greatest Female Premier" contest to name the woman in politics whom respondents felt would make the best [[Premier of Ontario]]. Witmer won the contest, ahead of political activist Georgina Bencsik and federal Member of Parliament [[Olivia Chow]].<ref>[http://www.equalvoice.ca/mmp/ Ontario's Greatest Female Premier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215213931/http://www.equalvoice.ca/mmp/ |date=2012-02-15 }} at [[Equal Voice]].</ref>

===Resignation and appointment to WSIB===
On April 27, 2012 Witmer announced that she was resigning as an MPP, just seven months after the last election, and had accepted an appointment to head the [[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1169520 |title=MPP Elizabeth Witmer leaves Tories for WSIB post |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=April 27, 2012}}</ref> She succeeded [[Steve Mahoney]] as chair. She revealed in September 2012 that she chose to accept the WSIB position because her husband Cam had recently been diagnosed with [[cancer]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1252738 |title=Elizabeth Witmer left politics after husband diagnosed with cancer |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=September 7, 2012}}</ref> She stopped being chair on January 26, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=N/A |first1=Janet |date=26 January 2022 |title=WSIB leadership gets an overhaul |url=https://www.ciwa.ca/wsib-leadership-gets-an-overhaul/ |access-date=21 January 2025 |website=Canadian Injured Workers Alliance |language=en-CA}}</ref>

== Chair of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) ==

As Chair of one of North America’s largest insurance companies, Mrs. Witmer is responsible for overseeing
the WSIB’s transformation to a modern and sustainable workplace insurance system. One of Mrs. Witmer’s
most notable accomplishments as Chair is the elimination of the unfunded liability (UFL) in 2018, almost
a decade ahead of the legislated timeline of 2027. For the first time in recent history the WSIB is over 100%
funded<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsib.ca/en/2018-annual-report-highlights|title = 2018 Annual Report highlights | WSIB}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of University of Waterloo people]]

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|group="note"}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{Ontario MPP biography|id=elizabeth-witmer}}

{{Eves Ministry}}
{{Harris Ministry}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witmer, Elizabeth}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Women government ministers of Canada]]
[[Category:Deputy premiers of Ontario]]
[[Category:Dutch emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Ministers of health of Ontario]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario]]
[[Category:Ontario school board trustees]]
[[Category:Politicians from Waterloo, Ontario]]
[[Category:People from Schiedam]]
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs]]
[[Category:University of Waterloo alumni]]
[[Category:University of Western Ontario alumni]]
[[Category:Women MPPs in Ontario]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian women politicians]]