Ellen MacKinnon
Encyclopedia
Ellen MacKinnon was a former politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995.
. She was a homemaker for several years, and also worked as a teacher, cook, taxi driver and child care worker, as well as being involved in groups for the mentally handicapped in the Sarnia
region. She was a municipal councillor for the township of Plympton in the 1970s and 1980s, and served on the Lambton County
public school board from 1988 to 1990.
, defeating Progressive Conservative
candidate Bob Langstaff by 1,026 votes in the riding of Lambton
. The incumbent Liberal
David Smith
placed third. During the campaign, MacKinnon spoke out against shipping Toronto
area garbage to the Sarnia region.
The NDP won a majority government in this election and MacKinnon served as a backbench supporter of Bob Rae
's administration for the next five years. (She later acknowledged that the NDP riding association had told her she had no chance of winning, prior to the election itself.) She did not seek re-election in 1995.
She is predeceased by her husband William (d. 1980) and her daughter Margaret (d. 1991).
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario
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...
. She was a New Democratic Party member of 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...
from 1990 to 1995.
Background
MacKinnon quit school after Grade 8, and was a factory labourer during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was a homemaker for several years, and also worked as a teacher, cook, taxi driver and child care worker, as well as being involved in groups for the mentally handicapped in the Sarnia
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
region. She was a municipal councillor for the township of Plympton in the 1970s and 1980s, and served on the Lambton County
Lambton County, Ontario
Lambton County is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county is located in Southwestern Ontario. It is bordered on the north by Lake Huron, which flows into the St. Clair River, the county's western border and part of the Canada-United States border. To the south is Lake...
public school board from 1988 to 1990.
Politics
She was elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1990Ontario 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....
, defeating Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
candidate Bob Langstaff by 1,026 votes in the riding of Lambton
Lambton (electoral district)
Lambton was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1882. It was located in the province of Ontario...
. The incumbent 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...
David Smith
David William Smith
David William Smith is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1990....
placed third. During the campaign, MacKinnon spoke out against shipping 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...
area garbage to the Sarnia region.
The NDP won a majority government in this election and MacKinnon served as a backbench supporter of Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's administration for the next five years. (She later acknowledged that the NDP riding association had told her she had no chance of winning, prior to the election itself.) She did not seek re-election in 1995.
Death
MacKinnon died February 10, 2001. On April 23 of that year, the Ontario legislature paid her an official tribute.http://www.ontla.on.ca/hansard/house_debates/37_parl/Session2/L002A.htm#P406_58319 She is survived by six of her seven children Lynda, Charles, William, Douglas, Robert, and Thomas as well as her grandchildren Shara, Brandon, Philip, Adam, Kyle, Kate, Kristen, Aimee and great grandchildren Savannah, Sydney, Denton, Gavin, Addison, Amelia, Hadley,and Layla.She is predeceased by her husband William (d. 1980) and her daughter Margaret (d. 1991).