Bill Wrye
Encyclopedia
William Munro Wrye is a former politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Liberal
from 1981 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
.
Wrye was educated at the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto
, and worked as a television producer for CBC before entering political life.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1981 provincial election
, defeating incumbent New Democrat
Ted Bounsall
by 134 votes in the constituency of Windsor—Sandwich
. He was re-elected by a greater margin in the 1985 election
.
After serving in opposition for two years, the Ontario Liberal Party formed a minority government
following the 1985 election. Wrye, who represented a large working-class constituency, was appointed Minister of Labour on June 26, 1985. As Labour Minister, Wrye brought forward legislation providing automatic yearly adjustments of workers-compensation benefits to the consumer price index
.
He defeated George Dadamo
of the NDP by 2,353 votes in the 1987 election
, and was named Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations on September 29, 1987. After a cabinet shuffle on August 2, 1989, he was named Minister of Transportation.
The Liberals were unexpectedly defeated by the NDP in the 1990 provincial election
, and Wrye lost his seat to George Dadamo
by over 4,000 votes.
Wrye has recently served with the Windsor-Essex County
branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association
.
Wrye was a party delegate supporting Dwight Duncan
at the Liberal Party's 1996 leadership convention. After Duncan's elimination, he shifted his allegiance to Gerard Kennedy
(Windsor Star, 3 December 1996). In 2003, Wrye was named as executive assistant to Duncan, who was by this time the government house leader and Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament for Windsor—St. Clair
. Ironically, Duncan had once been a member of Wrye's staff.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
as a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
from 1981 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
.
Wrye was educated at the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and worked as a television producer for CBC before entering political life.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1981 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating incumbent New Democrat
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
Ted Bounsall
Ted Bounsall
Dr. Edwin "Ted" Bounsall is a former Canadian politician and a retired chemistry professor from the University of Windsor. He graduated from Imperial College in 1964...
by 134 votes in the constituency of Windsor—Sandwich
Windsor—Sandwich
Windsor—Sandwich was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It came into existence for the first time with the 1934 Ontario election, and was eliminated with the 1967 election as a result of redistribution...
. He was re-elected by a greater margin in the 1985 election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
.
After serving in opposition for two years, the Ontario Liberal Party formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
following the 1985 election. Wrye, who represented a large working-class constituency, was appointed Minister of Labour on June 26, 1985. As Labour Minister, Wrye brought forward legislation providing automatic yearly adjustments of workers-compensation benefits to the consumer price index
Consumer price index
A consumer price index measures changes in the price level of consumer goods and services purchased by households. The CPI, in the United States is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of...
.
He defeated George Dadamo
George Dadamo
George Dadamo is a Canadian politician. He served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.-Early life:...
of the NDP by 2,353 votes in the 1987 election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, and was named Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations on September 29, 1987. After a cabinet shuffle on August 2, 1989, he was named Minister of Transportation.
The Liberals were unexpectedly defeated by the NDP in the 1990 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, and Wrye lost his seat to George Dadamo
George Dadamo
George Dadamo is a Canadian politician. He served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.-Early life:...
by over 4,000 votes.
Wrye has recently served with the Windsor-Essex County
Essex County, Ontario
Essex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association
Canadian Mental Health Association
The Canadian Mental Health Association was founded on January 26, 1918 by Dr. Clarence M. Hincks and Clifford W. Beers. Originally named the Canadian National Committee for Mental Hygiene, it is one of the oldest voluntary health organizations still operating in Canada.Each year, CMHA divisions...
.
Wrye was a party delegate supporting Dwight Duncan
Dwight Duncan
Dwight Duncan, MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is the Minister of Finance in the government of Dalton McGuinty...
at the Liberal Party's 1996 leadership convention. After Duncan's elimination, he shifted his allegiance to Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...
(Windsor Star, 3 December 1996). In 2003, Wrye was named as executive assistant to Duncan, who was by this time the government house leader and Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament for Windsor—St. Clair
Windsor—St. Clair
Windsor—St. Clair was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2003. It was located in the province of Ontario, and included a part of the city of Windsor. This riding was created in 1987 as "Windsor—Lake St. Clair" from parts of Essex—Windsor and...
. Ironically, Duncan had once been a member of Wrye's staff.