View source for David Peterson

{{Short description|20th premier of Ontario}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = David Peterson
| honorific_suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|OOnt|ECO|KC|size=100%}}
| image               = David Peterson (2005).jpg
| caption             = Peterson in 2001 <!-- The original photo was taken in 2001, but cropped in 2005 -->
| order               = 20th
| office              = Premier of Ontario
| term_start          = June 26, 1985
| term_end            = October 1, 1990
| monarch             = [[Elizabeth II]]
| lieutenant_governor = [[John Black Aird]]<br />[[Lincoln Alexander]]
| predecessor         = [[Frank Miller (Canadian politician)|Frank Miller]]
| successor           = [[Bob Rae]]
| office2             = [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Member of Provincial Parliament]]
| term_start2         = September 18, 1975
| term_end2           = September 6, 1990
| predecessor2        = ''Riding established''
| successor2          = [[Marion Boyd]]
| constituency2       = [[London Centre (provincial electoral district)|London Centre]]
| office3             = [[Ontario Liberal Party|Ontario Liberal Party Leader]]
| term_start3         = February 21, 1982
| term_end3           = September 6, 1990
| predecessor3        = [[Stuart Lyon Smith|Stuart Smith]]
| successor3          = [[Robert Nixon (politician)|Robert Nixon]]
| office4             = [[Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)|Leader of the Opposition in the Ontario Legislature]]
| term_start4         = February 21, 1982
| term_end4           = June 26, 1985
| predecessor4        = Robert Nixon
| successor4          = [[Frank Miller (Canadian politician)|Frank Miller]]
| office5             = Chancellor of the [[University of Toronto]]
| term_start5         = July 1, 2006
| term_end5           = June 30, 2012
| predecessor5        = [[Vivienne Poy]]
| successor5          = [[Michael Wilson (Canadian politician)|Michael Wilson]]
| office6             = Chair of the [[Toronto Organizing Committee for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games]]
| term_start6         = January 21, 2010
| term_end6           = August 15, 2015
| predecessor6        = Aurelio Lopez Rocha<br/><small>(Guadalajara 2011)</small>
| successor6          = Carlos Neuhaus Tudela<br/><small>(Lima 2019)</small>
| leader6             = [[Mario Vázquez Raña]]<br>[[Julio Maglione]]
| party               = [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]]
| birth_name          = David Robert Peterson
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1943|12|28}}
| birth_place         = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| alma_mater          = [[University of Western Ontario]]<br />[[University of Toronto Faculty of Law]]
| residence           = [[London, Ontario]], Canada
| profession          = Lawyer
| spouse              = [[Shelley Peterson]]
| children            = 3 including Ben Peterson
| relatives           = [[Jim Peterson]] (brother), [[Tim Peterson (politician)|Tim Peterson]] (brother), [[Deb Matthews]] (sister-in-law)
}}

'''David Robert Peterson''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|OOnt|ECO|KC}} (born December 28, 1943) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as the 20th [[premier of Ontario]] from 1985 to 1990. He was the first [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] officeholder in 42 years, ending the so-called Tory dynasty.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The year the Tories' 'Big Blue Machine' came sputtering to a stop|url=https://www.tvo.org/article/the-year-the-tories-big-blue-machine-came-sputtering-to-a-stop|access-date=2021-06-03|website=TVO.org|language=en}}</ref>

==Background==
Peterson was born in [[Toronto]], Ontario, to Clarence Marwin Peterson (1913&ndash;2009) and Laura Marie Scott (1913&ndash;2015), and has two siblings, former MPP [[Tim Peterson (politician)|Tim Peterson]] and former MP [[Jim Peterson]].<ref name=clarence>{{cite news |title=Clarence Peterson, 96, Businessman, Liberal: From Prairie farm boy to Ontario Liberal Patriarch |last=Csillag |first=Ron |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=December 19, 2009 |page=S13}}</ref> His parents were both born in [[Saskatchewan]]. His father was born to Norwegian immigrant farmers who had previously [[Homestead (buildings)|homestead]]ed in [[North Dakota]]. In the early 1930s, Clarence Peterson joined the newly-formed [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] and was present at the conference where it adopted the [[Regina Manifesto]]. Looking for work during the [[Great Depression]], he moved to Ontario and in 1936 was living in Toronto, where he found a job as a salesman with [[Union Carbide]]. The job eventually took him to London, Ontario, where he worked for the company for several years before establishing a wholesale electronics business, C.M. Peterson Co. Ltd, in 1944. He was elected to city council as an [[alderman]] in the early 1950s and joined the [[Ontario Liberal Party]], running as its candidate in the [[1955 Ontario general election]] in [[London North]], losing to future premier [[John Robarts]], and ran again as a [[Liberal Party of Canada|federal Liberal]] candidate in [[1963 Canadian federal election|1963]] in [[London (federal electoral district)|London]].<ref name=clarence/>

Peterson grew up in London and earned his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from the [[University of Western Ontario]] in political science and philosophy and his law degree from the [[University of Toronto]]. He was called to the bar in 1969.<ref>{{cite news |title=The great red hope |last=McCabe |first=Nora |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=August 14, 1982 |page=F3}}</ref><ref name=chancellor>{{cite news |title=New post for Peterson; Former Liberal premier appointed U of T chancellor Position 'nexus of a lot of things I'm interested in,' he says |last=Teotonio |first=Isabel |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=March 10, 2006 |page=B1}}</ref> He was made a [[Queen's Counsel]] in 1980 and later was appointed to the [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada]] in 1992 by [[Brian Mulroney]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Advisory Board Hon. David R. Peterson|url=http://publicpolicy.utoronto.ca/david-peterson/|website=The School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Toronto|publisher=[[University of Toronto]]|access-date=30 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Freeman|first1=Alan|title=No special treatment for Black in bid to return home, Harper says|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/no-special-treatment-for-black-in-bid-to-return-home-harper-says/article689878/|access-date=13 October 2023|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=19 July 2007}}</ref>

At the age of twenty-six, he became president of C.M. Peterson Company Limited, a wholesale electronics firm founded by his father.<ref>{{cite news |title=Detractors bitter over Peterson's firm |last=Stephens |first=Robert |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=November 12, 1984 |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=How Peterson learned to win |first=Rosemary |last=Speirs |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=October 13, 1986 |page=A9}}</ref> He holds four [[Honorary degree|Honorary]] degrees including a doctor of laws from the [[University of Western Ontario]] and is a knight of the Order of the [[Legion of Honour|Legion of Honour of France]] and a member of the [[Order of La Pléiade]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Press release: University of Toronto |newspaper=The Globe and Mail  |date=July 20, 2006 |page=B6}}</ref> In 2009, he became a member of the [[Order of Ontario]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/news/2009/n20090115.shtml |title=Order of Ontario Appointments Announced |date=January 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304152346/http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/news/2009/n20090115.shtml |archive-date=March 4, 2009}}</ref>

Peterson married actress [[Shelley Matthews]] in 1974 and they have since raised three children.<ref>{{cite news |title=Peterson reflects home town |first=Thomas |last=Walkom |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=September 1, 1990 |page=A1}}</ref> He is the younger brother of [[Jim Peterson]] (1941–2024), formerly a federal Liberal MP and [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet minister]]. Both his sister-in-law [[Deb Matthews]] and his brother, [[Tim Peterson (politician)|Tim Peterson]], were elected to the Ontario legislature in the [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 provincial election]] while Deb Matthews was re-elected in 2007, 2011 and 2014.<ref name=clarence/>

==Politics==
Peterson was elected as the Liberal [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|Member of Provincial Parliament]] for [[London Centre (provincial electoral district)|London Centre]] in the [[1975 Ontario general election|1975 provincial election]].<ref name="1975 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Table of vote results for all Ontario ridings |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 19, 1975 |page=C12}}</ref> Less than one year later, he campaigned for the [[1976 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election|leadership of the party]] following [[Robert Nixon (politician)|Robert Nixon]]'s resignation.  Despite his inexperience, Peterson nevertheless came within 45 votes of defeating [[Stuart Lyon Smith|Stuart Smith]] on the third and final ballot of a delegated convention held on January 25, 1976. Smith presented an image of an articulate intellectual who some delegates said reminded them of [[Pierre Trudeau]] while Peterson came across as similar to then Premier [[Bill Davis]]. Convention delegates also thought that Peterson, a neophyte MPP at 31 years old, was too young and his convention address which he later characterized as the "worst speech in modern political history" came across as stilted and over rehearsed.<ref name="carppa1976">{{cite book |title=Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs (1976) |editor=John Saywell |author=Peter Oliver |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |year=1977 |pages=169–170}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Peterson runs hard to stay ahead |last=Palango |first=Paul |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=February 16, 1982 |page=P4}}</ref>

Peterson was re-elected in the provincial elections of [[1977 Ontario general election|1977]] and [[1981 Ontario general election|1981]].<ref name="1977 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Ontario provincial election results riding by riding |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=June 10, 1977 |page=D9}}</ref><ref name="1981 Election Results">{{cite news|author=Canadian Press |title=Winds of change, sea of security |newspaper=The Windsor Star |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0NtYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QlIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1444%2C1388326 |date=March 20, 1981 |location=Windsor, Ontario |page=22}}</ref> He ran again for the [[1982 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election|Liberal leadership in 1982]], after Smith resigned.

The convention was held on February 21, 1982. This time his convention speech was better. Although not very inspiring, it was viewed as 'statesmanlike' and effective. He won on the second ballot defeating the more left-leaning [[Sheila Copps]] with 55% of the vote. In his acceptance speech Peterson said that he would move party to the 'vibrant middle, the radical centre', and stressed economic growth as a way to increase support for social services. Observers from the other parties felt he was trying to move the Liberal party more to the right, away from values that Smith promoted.<ref name="carppa1982">{{cite book |title=Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs (1982) |editor=R.B. Byers |author1=Frederick J. Fletcher |author2=Graham White |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |year=1984 |pages=222–224}}</ref>

===Liberal leader===
Peterson worked to pay off the party's debt from the 1981 election and accomplished that by the end of the year and was working on long-term debt. Peterson performed well as opposition leader and was popular in the press. The party started to use him as a label rather than 'Liberal' referring to 'David Peterson's Ontario'. A by-election loss to the NDP was attributed to dislike of Federal Liberals.<ref name="carppa1982"/> In 1984, a Liberal backbencher, [[J. Earl McEwen]] crossed the floor to join the Tories.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ontario MPP crosses floor to join Tories Liberals plan no wake over defection |last=Stephens |first=Robert |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=May 23, 1984 |page=4}}</ref> In 1984, four of the party's senior MPPs quit provincial politics to run for the federal Liberal government led by [[John Turner]], who had just won the party leadership to succeed a retiring [[Pierre Trudeau]] as Prime Minister; ending up the federal Liberals' support collapsed and they were badly defeated in the [[1984 Canadian federal election|election]] by [[Brian Mulroney]].<ref>https://www.tvo.org/article/at-80-david-peterson-is-looking-forward</ref> Polling in late 1984 showed Peterson's Liberals consistently trailing behind the Progressive Conservatives. Premier Davis still polled as the most popular leader.

Peterson's fortunes improved when Davis retired as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in early 1985.  His successor, [[Frank Miller (Canadian politician)|Frank Miller]], took the party further to the right, and was unable to convince the electorate of his leadership abilities.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bradburn |first1=Jamie |title=The year the Tories' 'Big Blue Machine' came sputtering to a stop |url=https://www.tvo.org/article/the-year-the-tories-big-blue-machine-came-sputtering-to-a-stop |access-date=May 11, 2024 |work=TVOntario |date=May 24, 2018}}</ref> Though Miller's Tories began the [[1985 Ontario general election|election in 1985]] with a significant lead, Peterson's Liberals gradually increased their support throughout the campaign. Peterson frequently campaigned in his red jogging suit and projected the image of a younger urban leader, contrasting with Miller who was increasingly seen as too old and rural.<ref>https://www.tvo.org/article/at-80-david-peterson-is-looking-forward</ref> To the surprise of many, Peterson won a narrow plurality of the popular vote. However, at the time rural areas were still slightly over represented in the Legislative Assembly.  As a result, the Liberals won 48 seats, while the Progressive Conservatives 52 which was enough for a minority government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ontario's Government |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=May 17, 1985 |page=6}}</ref>

Shortly after the election, NDP leader [[Bob Rae]] called Peterson to negotiate. Rae also initiated talks with Premier Miller but the talks with the Liberals proved more fruitful. Rae and Peterson signed a "Liberal-NDP Accord" in which the NDP agreed to support a Liberal government in office for two years.  The Liberals, in turn, agreed to implement some policies favoured by the NDP.  Rae wanted to have a coalition with representation in cabinet but Peterson indicated that he would not accept a coalition.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rae |title=Protest to Power |page=94}}</ref><ref>{{Cite video |title=1985: The Year Politics in Ontario Changed Forever |publisher=TV Ontario |medium=documentary |people=[[Steve Paikin]] (host)}}</ref> To make sure the public would not misconstrue the agreement as a coalition, Peterson made sure that there would be no photos of him and Rae signing the agreement.<ref>https://www.tvo.org/article/forty-years-ago-today-a-great-political-rivalry-began</ref>

===Premier of Ontario===
==== Leadership style ====
The Liberals and NDP defeated Miller's government on June 18, 1985, when Rae introduced a [[motion of no confidence]] on the [[speech from the throne]].[https://www.tvo.org/article/the-year-the-tories-big-blue-machine-came-sputtering-to-a-stop] Peterson was sworn in as Premier of Ontario eight days later. Peterson's top three cabinet ministers were [[Robert Nixon (politician)|Robert Nixon]] as Treasurer, [[Sean Conway (Canadian politician)|Sean Conway]] as Education Minister, and [[Ian Scott (Ontario politician)|Ian Scott]] as Attorney General.

After the expiration of the Liberal-NDP Accord in 1987, the Liberals called another [[1987 Ontario general election|provincial election]], and won the second-largest [[majority government]] in Ontario's history, taking 95 seats out of 130, at the expense of the NDP and the Progressive Conservatives who dropped to third place in the legislature.<ref name=Paikin>{{cite web |url=https://tvo.org/blog/current-affairs/thirty-years-later-a-look-back-at-the-biggest-ontario-majority-government-ever |title=Thirty years later, a look back at the biggest Ontario majority government ever |last=Paikin |first=Steve |author-link=Steve Paikin |date=11 September 2017 |access-date=9 July 2018 |work=[[The Ontario Educational Communications Authority]]}}</ref> After the 1987 election, Peterson told the newly enlarged caucus at their first meeting that his popularity may have got most of them elected, but warned that he would likely need their help getting re-elected next time, since he understood that his massive victory had created expectations that simply couldn’t be met.<ref>https://www.tvo.org/article/forty-years-ago-today-a-great-political-rivalry-began</ref>

==== Domestic policy ====

Peterson's government introduced several pieces of progressive legislation.  It eliminated "extra billing" by doctors, brought in pay equity provisions, and reformed the province's rent review and labour negotiation laws.  His government also brought in pension reform, expanded housing construction, and resolved a long-standing provincial controversy by honouring the Davis Tories promise to extend full funding to Catholic secondary schools.  Peterson was also a vocal opponent of [[free trade]] with the [[United States]] in 1988.  His administration was less activist in its later years, though it still introduced progressive measures on environmental protection, eliminated health insurance premiums, and brought in no-fault automobile insurance for the province.

Peterson's prominent role in creating and promoting the [[Meech Lake Accord|"Meech Lake" constitutional accord]] gained criticism from some.  While initially popular, this attempt at revising Canada's constitution proved extremely divisive in most of English-speaking Canada.  Many believed that it gave too many concessions to [[Quebec]], while others believed that it weakened the federal government's authority in relation to the provinces.  Peterson's continued support for the accord, in the face of increased opposition, damaged his personal popularity in Ontario.  The accord was not endorsed by [[Manitoba]] and [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], and did not pass. As Ontario's economy slowed down, the public also questioned Peterson's devotion to nation-building issues such as the Meech Lake Accord, instead of "more mundane kitchen-table issues such as rising taxes and skyrocketing auto-insurance premiums".<ref>https://www.tvo.org/article/forty-years-ago-today-a-great-political-rivalry-began</ref>

Peterson and the Liberals also faced controversy over the [[Patti Starr affair]]. Starr, a prominent Liberal fundraiser, was found to have improperly diverted money from a land development scheme and charitable organizations to the provincial Liberal Party. Several Liberal cabinet members were recipients of her largesse including Health Minister [[Elinor Caplan]], Transportation Minister [[Ed Fulton]] and Revenue Minister [[Bernard Grandmaitre]].<ref>{{cite news |title=25 politicians split $65,873 from charity |first=Thomas  |last=Walkom  |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 16, 1989 |page=A1}}</ref>  These revelations led to a cabinet shuffle by Peterson in which five ministers who had received contributions lost their positions.<ref>{{cite news |title=5 cabinet ministers axed in wake of Starr scandal |first1=Alan |last1=Story |first2=Derek |last2=Ferguson |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=August 2, 1989 |page=A1}}</ref> On June 24, 1989, Peterson ordered a judicial inquiry be set up to investigate the matter.<ref>{{cite news |title=Inquiry ordered into Starr scandal |last=Gorham |first=Beth |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun |date=June 24, 1989 |page=A16}}</ref> Initially Starr wanted to participate in the inquiry saying, "I stand by all the things I participated in&nbsp;... I think the inquiry will be a positive thing."<ref>{{cite news |title=I'm eager to testify at inquiry Starr says |newspaper=The Gazette |location=Montreal, Quebec |date=July 28, 1989 |page=B1}}</ref> Later on she moved to have the inquiry quashed. In January 1990, the [[Court of Appeal for Ontario|Ontario Court of Appeal]] dismissed her request. Two weeks later the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] gave her leave to appeal. In a decision in April, the Supreme Court declared the inquiry unconstitutional. Starr successfully argued that an inquiry investigating criminal charges would deny subjects their full legal rights. Public inquiries can compel witnesses to testify but criminal trial defendants can refuse to testify.<ref name="carppa1990">{{cite book |title=Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs: 1990 |jstor=10.3138/j.ctt14jxwg9 |editor=David Leyton-Brown |author=Rand Dyck |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |year=1998 |pages=129–130|isbn=9780802041562 }}</ref> Starr was eventually sentenced to six months' jail time.<ref>{{cite book |title=Tempting Fate - A Cautionary Tale of Power & Politics |isbn=0-7737-5688-4 |last=Starr |first=Patricia |date=1993 |page=1,233|publisher=Stoddart Kids }}</ref>  Although no-one in Peterson's administration was accused of criminal activity, the scandal eroded public confidence in the integrity of the government. Polls showed that more than half of respondents felt that Peterson had poorly handled the matter and 61% felt that it revealed widespread corruption in the government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Crack about cranky voters was too true |last=Trickey |first=Mike |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A8}}</ref>

==== Fiscal policy ====

The Peterson administration also developed a reputation for fiscal prudence, under the management of [[Minister of Finance (Ontario)|Treasurer]] [[Robert Nixon (politician)|Robert Nixon]].  The Liberal government was able to introduce a balanced budget for 1989–1990 following several years of [[deficit spending]] in Ontario, at a time when deficit spending was commonplace in most of North America.

In the  [[early 1990s recession]], Ontario faced a weakening North American economy. Productivity levels were falling throughout the [[United States of America|United States]] and Canada during this period.  While there was little that Peterson, or any other Ontario Premier, could have done to prevent this downturn, it weakened his government's reputation for fiscal competence.  (Indeed, the government's projected surplus budget for 1990–1991 ultimately yielded a deficit of at least three billion dollars.)  Peterson "was getting a ton of advice to call an early snap election after less than three years" and "pundits warned Peterson he certainly didn’t want to call an election in 1991, in the middle of a deep recession".<ref name=Paikin/>

====Defeat in the 1990 provincial election====
Notwithstanding all of this, Peterson's Liberal Party still retained a comfortable lead over the Progressive Conservatives and NDP in mid-1990 public opinion polls, as their party leaders Mike Harris and Bob Rae, respectively, were not expected to be strong challengers. The PC Party was broke after the 1987 election, and anticipating an early election call they held their leadership contest in May 1990 with a membership vote instead of a delegated convention, they still struggled due to newly minted leader Harris's inexperience as well as an association with Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]]'s growing unpopularity.<ref name="tvo.org">{{cite news |title=Orange shockwave: How Ontario got its first-ever NDP government |url=https://www.tvo.org/article/orange-shockwave-how-ontario-got-its-first-ever-ndp-government |date=May 31, 2018 |first=Jamie |last=Bradburn |publisher=[[TVOntario]]|access-date=October 29, 2019}}</ref> The NDP having never won an Ontario election and Official Opposition leader Bob Rae was considering retiring from the legislature after one more term. As a result, Peterson decided to call a [[snap election]], less than three years into his mandate. This proved to be his greatest mistake.<ref name=Paikin/>

During the first week of the campaign, then-attorney general Ian Scott, claimed that 'while the voters might be cranky at the moment, they ultimately would hold their noses and re-elect the Liberals. After all, he added, “They’re not going to vote for Mike Harris, and what are they going to do — vote NDP?”'<ref name=Paikin/> However many voters saw the early election as a mark of arrogance, and a sign that Peterson's Liberals had become detached from the electorate.  There was no [[defining issue]] behind the campaign, and many believed that Peterson was simply trying to win re-election before the economic downturn reached its worst phase.  Some Liberal cabinet ministers, most notably [[Greg Sorbara]] and [[Jim Bradley (politician)|Jim Bradley]], were strongly opposed to the early election call. [[Sean Conway (Canadian politician)|Sean Conway]], a member of Peterson's inner circle, would later acknowledge that most backbench MPPs also opposed the timing of the campaign.

At the time the [[drop the writ|writ was dropped]], the Liberals stood at 50% support in the polls.<ref>{{cite news |title=Buoyant Liberals gather in Toronto for election talks |last=Mackie |first=Richard |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=July 14, 1990 |page=A5}}</ref> Peterson's personal popularity rating based on his Meech Lake record was 54%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chretien's rating lowest in Quebec |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=July 9, 1990 |page=A10}}</ref>  However, his luck turned immediately upon calling the election. One of the seminal moments in the campaign was at a press conference called to announce the forthcoming election. Peterson justified the early writ claiming "especially after the failure of the Meech Lake Accord, Ontario faced 'profound changes in this country and the world' and that he needed to protect the province in the event of a national-unity crisis", while denying "that he was being an opportunist and trying to capitalize on polling results that put Liberal support at 50 per cent". It was soon interrupted without intervention by security or police by [[Greenpeace]] activist [[Gord Perks]], who arrived with a briefcase handcuffed to his arm, with a tape recorder inside playing a pre-recorded list of broken Liberal environmental promises. Peterson sat in front of the room full of reporters, awkwardly silent and clearly uncomfortable.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.journalism.ryerson.ca/m3485/ |title=Distrust, Disdain, Deceit |publisher=Ryerson Review of Journalism |date=Spring 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706203029/http://www.journalism.ryerson.ca/m3485/ |archive-date=2011-07-06 }}</ref>

Peterson's Liberal party, regarded as a challenger in 1985, was seen by the end of the 1980s as a "juggernaut that became arrogant and didn’t listen to its critics". As the PC and NDP opposition parties were weakened after the 1987 election, it fell to the media and other special interest groups (particularly teachers’ unions and environmental groups) who were criticizing the Ontario government at a level not seen with past administrations.<ref name=Paikin/> Disappointed by high expectations from Peterson's 1987 massive electoral victory, as well as perceiving that the PC and NDP parties would not be strong opposition, groups representing various interests (such as teachers, doctors, and environmentalists), came out against Peterson on television, radio, in print, and at Liberal campaign events, despite the Liberals having worked cooperatively with these special interest groups prior to the election call.<ref name="tvo.org"/>  Protesters would follow the Premier throughout the campaign, and often received considerable media coverage.<ref>[http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-893-5192/politics_economy/elections_ontario/clip6 Ontario Elections: 20 Tumultuous Years. CBC News. September 1, 1990]</ref> The media reported the election call as cynical, and the party appeared desperate when they unexpectedly proposed to cut the provincial sales tax halfway through the campaign. It did not help that the provincial election campaign was being run in the aftermath of the failed [[Meech Lake]] constitutional accord of [[Brian Mulroney]]'s federal government, with which Peterson had significant media exposure in association with the other first ministers.

Peterson felt that the Liberals’ fading poll numbers "reflected greater anxieties about the world and that the party had failed to successfully communicate his government’s accomplishments"; by contrast the NDP's hastily assembled platform called "Agenda for People" managed to escape heavy scrutiny due to their underdog status. As the NDP gained momentum, the Liberals panicked as many candidates removed Peterson from their campaign materials and distanced themselves from Peterson, while Treasurer Robert Nixon proposed a cut to the sales tax. The Liberal campaign slogan shifted from “Effective leadership for a strong Ontario” to “Warning: An NDP government will be hazardous to your health.” ''[[Toronto Sun]]'' columnist Michael Bennett summed up the divergent fortunes of the Liberals and NDP as campaign progressed, writing “As Peterson became more strident, Rae assumed an almost statesman-like attitude. He’d used up most of the venom early in the campaign. Now he didn’t need it.”<ref name="tvo.org"/>

On September 6, 1990, the NDP scored one of the greatest upsets in Canadian political history, taking 74 seats for a strong majority government.  Due to the nature of the [[first-past-the-post]] system as well as numerous fringe parties contesting this election, one third of NDP seats were won with less than 40 per cent of the vote.<ref name="tvo.org"/> While the NDP only outpolled the Liberals by a narrow six-point margin, they managed to unseat many Liberal incumbents in the [[Greater Toronto Area]].  The Liberal caucus was decimated as they plunged from 95 seats to 36, at the time their worst showing ever. The 59-seat loss surpassed the 48-seat loss in 1943 that began the Tories' long rule over the province.  This was also the second-worst defeat for a governing party in Ontario. Peterson lost his own seat, having been resoundingly defeated by NDP candidate [[Marion Boyd]] in London Centre by over 8,200 votes.<ref name="1990 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A12}}</ref> The loss ended Peterson's political career.  He announced his resignation as Liberal leader on the night of the election.<ref>{{cite news |title='A personal and lonely decision' Peterson resigns after loss |first=Derek |last=Ferguson |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A9}}</ref>

==Post-provincial politics==
Peterson has continued to organize and fund-raise for the federal and Ontario provincial Liberals.  In May 2005, he played the central role in persuading [[Belinda Stronach]], a federal [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] MP, to [[crossing the floor|cross the floor]] to the ruling [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]], days before a crucial confidence motion on the federal budget of [[Paul Martin]]'s Liberal [[minority government]].  The defection proved critical to the survival of Martin's government, with the outcome of the budget vote 153–152 in favour of the government.<ref name=chancellor/>

After Martin [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|resigned the party leadership]] in the wake of the Liberal defeat in the [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006 election]], Peterson planned to support former [[New Brunswick]] Premier [[Frank McKenna]] who chose ultimately not to run. Peterson then backed [[Michael Ignatieff]], criticizing former political opponent [[Bob Rae]]'s entry into the race due to the latter's record as provincial premier. Peterson insisted he did not hold a personal grudge against Rae.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060405/peterson_rae_060405/20060405?hub=Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313184631/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060405/peterson_rae_060405/20060405?hub=Canada |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 13, 2007 |title=David Peterson warns Bob Rae won't be welcome |publisher=CTV News |date=April 5, 2006 }}</ref>

==Later career==
[[File:UofT Grad David Peterson (3640957832).jpg|thumb|right|Peterson as Chancellor of the University of Toronto in 2009]]
In 2003, Peterson was contracted by the federal government to be its chief negotiator in talks with the government of the Northwest Territories and aboriginal leaders to transfer federal powers over lands and resources.

Peterson served as [[university chancellor|Chancellor]] of the [[University of Toronto]] for two terms from July 1, 2006, until June 30, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1215476 |title=David Peterson retires as chancellor of the University of Toronto, flash mob interrupts his final convocation ceremony |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 21, 2012}}</ref>

In September 2013, Peterson was appointed chair of the Toronto [[2015 Pan American Games]] Organizing Committee.<ref name=panam>{{cite news |title=David Peterson taking over as 2015 Pan Am Games chair |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/david-peterson-taking-over-as-2015-pan-am-games-chair-1.1705698 |newspaper=CBC News |date=September 9, 2013}}</ref> In 2015, he was sued for alleged sexual harassment of a 34-year-old female Pan Am games manager Ximena Morris. Peterson denied any wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/former-ontario-premier-david-peterson-sued-for-sexual-harassment-1.3190816 |title=Former Ontario premier David Peterson sued for sexual harassment |date=August 14, 2015 |publisher=CBC news}}</ref>

The case was dismissed with Morris apologising for the lawsuit but not the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/10/31/former-premier-david-peterson-receives-apology-after-lawsuit-thrown-out.html|title=David Peterson receives apology as sexual harassment lawsuit thrown out|website=[[Toronto Star]] |date=31 October 2017}}</ref>

David Peterson was the founding chairman of the [[Toronto Raptors]] of the [[National Basketball Association]], and was a member of Toronto's [[Olympic Games|Olympics]] Bid Committee.  Since leaving politics, he has been a professor at [[York University]] in Toronto, a senior partner and chairman of the Toronto law firm Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP and has been director or member of several charitable, cultural, and environmental organizations.<ref name=panam/>  He is or has been a member on several corporate boards, being particularly associated with [[Rogers Communications]] where he has been a director since 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=649739&privcapId=2384543&previousCapId=877131&previousTitle=INDUSTRIAL%2520ALLIANCE%2520INSURANC |title=David Robert Peterson: Executive Profile |publisher=Bloomberg Business |date=June 11, 2015}}</ref> In 2006, Peterson was named to the board of [[Shoppers Drug Mart]] at the time of the firm's acquisition by [[Loblaws]].<ref>{{cite news |title=David Peterson loses big bucks in drug price war |url=https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/news_research/2010/05/08/david_peterson_loses_big_bucks_in_drug_price_war.html |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=May 8, 2010}}</ref> In his legal practice he provides international advice to a wide range of clients about public policy issues and government affairs in Canada.

In 1999, Peterson was at the centre of controversy due to his membership on the board of YBM Magnex, a firm which was discovered to have links to the [[Russian mafia]].  Peterson maintained that he was unaware of illegal activities at the company, and referred to the accusations against him as "guilt by association".  A subsequent investigation by the [[Ontario Securities Commission]] found that Peterson's actions met "the legal test of due diligence", but expressed disappointment that he had not shown more leadership on the board.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/securities-regulators-levy-1-2-million-in-fines-penalties-in-ybm-magnex-case-1.374819 |title=Securities regulators levy $1.2 million in fines, penalties in YBM Magnex case |publisher=CBC News |date=December 4, 2003 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619150242/http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2003/07/02/ybm_030702.html |archive-date=June 19, 2009}}</ref>

A 2004 report from ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' newspaper noted that Peterson was chastened by this experience, and had become "a cautious and more conscientious director" since that time.<ref name="secure.globeadvisor.com">{{cite news |title=From backroom to boardroom: We rank ex-pols' business clout |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=April 30, 2004 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/from-backroom-to-boardroom-we-rank-ex-pols-business-clout/article998059/|access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> The same article further claimed that he has "no influence outside of Toronto".<ref name="secure.globeadvisor.com"/>

On May 26, 2020, a group of Toronto investors known as NordStar Capital, announced a proposal to acquire [[Torstar|TorStar Corporation]] the parent company of the ''[[Toronto Star]],'' for C$52-million.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff|first=Toronto Star|date=26 May 2020|title=Torstar to be sold, taken private in $52-million deal|work=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/05/26/torstar-to-be-sold-taken-private-in-52-million-deal.html|access-date=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Honderich|first=John|date=26 May 2020|title='So we pass the torch'|work=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2020/05/26/so-we-pass-the-torch.html|access-date=26 May 2020}}</ref> Peterson was announced as part of the NordStar team. The bid was later improved to $60 million and was approved by courts and shareholders by early August 2020. Peterson took a senior advisory role at the Toronto Star as vice-chair of the [[Torstar]] board of directors<ref>{{Cite news|title=Judge approves NordStar's $60-million takeover of Torstar|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-judge-approves-nordstars-60-million-takeover-of-torstar/|access-date=2020-07-28}}</ref> and as of 2024 is chair of Torstar, the publisher of the Toronto Star.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Premier David Peterson celebrates 80th birthday |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/former-premier-david-peterson-celebrates-80th-birthday/article_c5b94a3c-bf9a-11ee-9ff0-2f5383a9f54c.html |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=Toronto Star |date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Ontario MPP biography|id=david-robertson-peterson|old_id=447|name=David Robert Peterson}}
* [https://aims.archives.gov.on.ca/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/DESCRIPTION_WEB/WEB_DESC_DET?SESSIONSEARCH&exp=sisn%201001 David Peterson fonds], Archives of Ontario

{{s-start}}
{{s-aca}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[Vivienne Poy]]|
 title=[[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of the [[University of Toronto]]|
 years=2006–2012|
 after=[[Michael Wilson (Canadian politician)|Michael Wilson]]|
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Ontario Liberal Leaders}}
{{Premiers of Ontario}}
{{Peterson Ministry}}
{{Rogers Communications}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peterson, David}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Canadian King's Counsel]]
[[Category:Chancellors of the University of Toronto]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of St John]]
[[Category:Lawyers in Ontario]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ontario Liberal Party MPPs]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the United Church of Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Ontario]]
[[Category:Politicians from London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Politicians from Toronto]]
[[Category:Premiers of Ontario]]
[[Category:Rogers Communications]]
[[Category:University of Western Ontario alumni]]
[[Category:University of Toronto Faculty of Law alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Norwegian descent]]