Elmer Buchanan
Encyclopedia
Elmer Buchanan is a former politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae
. Buchanan left the NDP to support Bob Rae
's 2006 Liberal party leadership bid.
degree from Queen's University, and a certificate from Teacher's College in Peterborough County
. He worked as a high-school teacher in Hastings County
, and was vice-principal of North Hastings High School for four years.
, but finished a distant third in the riding of Hastings—Peterborough
against Progressive Conservative
Clarke Rollins. He ran again in the elections of 1981
, 1985
and 1987
, each time finishing third against Progressive Conservative Jim Pollock
.
The NDP won a majority government under Bob Rae in the provincial election of 1990
, and Buchanan defeated Pollock by 896 votes in his fifth attempt for office. He was named Minister of Agriculture and Food
on October 1, 1990, and held this position for the entirety of the Rae government. (On March 9, 1994, it was renamed as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.)
Buchanan was one of the most successful ministers in the Rae government, and was widely praised for his handling of the agriculture portfolio. While the Ontario NDP lost much of its rural support between 1990 and 1995, Buchanan remained personally popular within rural Ontario and with the agricultural community. (Interestingly, one of his strongest bases of support was in northern Hastings County, which generally supported candidates of the Progressive Conservative Party
and Reform Party
at the federal level during this period.) Buchanan stabilized funding to many rural centres in 1994, and was a supporter of fuel ethanol
throughout his time in government. He also promoted a rural investment pool, and extended unionization rights to farm workers while ensuring that farms with fifty or fewer employees would not be affected.
The NDP was defeated in the provincial election of 1995
, and Buchanan's personal popularity was not enough to save him from the party's loss of support in rural areas. He lost to Progressive Conservative Harry Danford
by almost 8,000 votes, amid a provincial majority for the Progressive Conservative Party.
Despite some cutbacks during Ontario's recession of the early 1990s, the agriculture ministry had a budget of about $600 million in 1994, kept an agricultural representative in each of the 52 county offices. By 2000, under the government of Mike Harris
, the budget had been cut to $300 million and the local representatives had been eliminated.
.
In early 2005, he assisted the NDP's by-election
campaign in the rural riding of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey
. However, since his endorsement of Bob Rae's bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party, he has severed his ties to the NDP.
As of 2008, Buchanan is serving as acting chair of the Ontario Farm Products and Marketing Commission.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, 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 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, and was a cabinet minister in the government 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....
. Buchanan left the NDP to support 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 2006 Liberal party leadership bid.
Background
Buchanan has a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Queen's University, and a certificate from Teacher's College in Peterborough County
Peterborough County, Ontario
Peterborough County is located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is projected to reach a population of 159,840 by 2031, according to the Ontario Ministry of Finance's Ontario Population Projections Update...
. He worked as a high-school teacher in Hastings County
Hastings County, Ontario
Hastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is The Cheese Capital of Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. The population was 125,915 in 2001 and grew to 130,474 in the 2006 Canada Census...
, and was vice-principal of North Hastings High School for four years.
Politics
Buchanan campaigned for provincial office several times before his election in 1990. He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1977 provincial electionOntario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, but finished a distant third in the riding of Hastings—Peterborough
Hastings—Peterborough
Hastings—Peterborough was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1953. It was located in the province of Ontario...
against 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...
Clarke Rollins. He ran again in the elections of 1981
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....
, 1985
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...
and 1987
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...
, each time finishing third against Progressive Conservative Jim Pollock
Jim Pollock
Jim Pollock is a retired politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1981 to 1990.-Background:...
.
The NDP won a majority government under Bob Rae in the provincial election of 1990
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 Buchanan defeated Pollock by 896 votes in his fifth attempt for office. He was named Minister of Agriculture and Food
Ministry of Agriculture and Food (Ontario)
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is an Ontarian government ministry responsible for the food, agriculture and rural sectors of the Canadian province of Ontario....
on October 1, 1990, and held this position for the entirety of the Rae government. (On March 9, 1994, it was renamed as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.)
Buchanan was one of the most successful ministers in the Rae government, and was widely praised for his handling of the agriculture portfolio. While the Ontario NDP lost much of its rural support between 1990 and 1995, Buchanan remained personally popular within rural Ontario and with the agricultural community. (Interestingly, one of his strongest bases of support was in northern Hastings County, which generally supported candidates of the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
and Reform Party
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
at the federal level during this period.) Buchanan stabilized funding to many rural centres in 1994, and was a supporter of fuel ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
throughout his time in government. He also promoted a rural investment pool, and extended unionization rights to farm workers while ensuring that farms with fifty or fewer employees would not be affected.
The NDP was defeated in the provincial election of 1995
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and Buchanan's personal popularity was not enough to save him from the party's loss of support in rural areas. He lost to Progressive Conservative Harry Danford
Harry Danford
Harry Danford is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999....
by almost 8,000 votes, amid a provincial majority for the Progressive Conservative Party.
Despite some cutbacks during Ontario's recession of the early 1990s, the agriculture ministry had a budget of about $600 million in 1994, kept an agricultural representative in each of the 52 county offices. By 2000, under the government of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
, the budget had been cut to $300 million and the local representatives had been eliminated.
Later life
Buchanan initially considered running for the leadership of the NDP in 1996, but declined. He was instead elected as treasurer of the Ontario NDP, and set tough targets for eliminating the party's post-1995 debt. He also served as a vice-president on the party's executive, and became a board member of the Children's Aid SocietyChildren's Aid Society
__notoc__The Children’s Aid Society is a private charitable organization based in New York City. It serves 150,000 children per year, providing foster care, medical and mental health services, and a wide range of educational, recreational and advocacy services through dozens of community centers,...
.
In early 2005, he assisted the NDP's by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
campaign in the rural riding of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004.-Federal electoral district:...
. However, since his endorsement of Bob Rae's bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party, he has severed his ties to the NDP.
As of 2008, Buchanan is serving as acting chair of the Ontario Farm Products and Marketing Commission.