Jesse Flis
Encyclopedia
Jesse Philip Flis is a former Canadian
politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1979 to 1984, and from 1988 to 1997, as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
.
Flis was born in Fosston, Saskatchewan
. He took his Bachelor of Arts
degree at the University of Toronto
, and received a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
. He worked as an educator and school principal, and was a member of the Toronto Board of Education
from 1956 to 1979. Flis was also a founding director of Operation Go Home (Toronto Branch), and is the recipient of a Gold Award from the Canadian Polish
Congress.
He was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1979 election
, defeating Progressive Conservative
candidate Yuri Shymko
by seventy-four votes in the Toronto
riding of Parkdale—High Park
. The Progressive Conservatives under Joe Clark
won a minority government
in this election, and Flis served as a member of the Official Opposition in the parliament which followed.
The Clark government was subsequently defeated on a motion of non-confidence, and another federal election
was called for 1980. Flis was re-elected over Progressive Conservative candidate Andrew Witer
by 5,097 votes, as the Liberals won a majority government
under Pierre-Elliott Trudeau. He served as parliamentary secretary
to the Minister of Transport
from 1982 to 1984. Flis supported John Turner
's successful bid for the party leadership in 1984 (Globe and Mail, 21 June 1986).
The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under Brian Mulroney
in the 1984 election
, and Flis lost his seat to Witer by 1,460 votes. He served as Coordinator of Special Education for Toronto's Secondary Schools between 1984 to 1988, and defeated Witer by 3,196 votes in the 1988 election
to return as a parliamentarian. He supported Paul Martin
's bid for the Liberal Party leadership in 1990 (Toronto Star, 22 May 1990).
The Liberals returned to power in the 1993 election
after nine years in opposition, and Flis was re-elected by a landslide in Parkdale—High Park. After his victory, he commented "I'd like nothing better than to be in cabinet where you can not only make decisions, but implement them" (Toronto Star, 26 October 1993). He was not appointed to cabinet, however, and instead served as parliamentary secretary to the Secretary of State for External Affairs
from 1993 to 1995, and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
from 1995 to 1996. He did not seek re-election in 1997.
Flis endorsed Dalton McGuinty
's bid to lead the Liberal Party of Ontario in 1996 (Canada Newswire, 19 August 1996).
Chapters dedicated to Jesse Flis were included in:
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...
politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
from 1979 to 1984, and from 1988 to 1997, as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
.
Flis was born in Fosston, Saskatchewan
Fosston, Saskatchewan
- See also :* List of communities in Saskatchewan* Villages of Saskatchewan-Footnotes:...
. He took his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor 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 at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and received a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto is a teachers' college in Toronto, Ontario.-History:OISE/UT traces its origins to the founding of the Provincial Normal School in 1847...
. He worked as an educator and school principal, and was a member of the Toronto Board of Education
Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
from 1956 to 1979. Flis was also a founding director of Operation Go Home (Toronto Branch), and is the recipient of a Gold Award from the Canadian Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Congress.
He was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1979 election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
, defeating Progressive Conservative
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....
candidate Yuri Shymko
Yuri Shymko
Yuri Shymko is a former politician, human rights advocate, social activist, and community leader in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1978 to 1979, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1981 to 1987...
by seventy-four votes in the 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...
riding of Parkdale—High Park
Parkdale—High Park
Parkdale—High Park is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.Peggy Nash of the New Democratic Party was elected the Member of Parliament for the riding on May 2, 2011....
. The Progressive Conservatives under Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
won 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...
in this election, and Flis served as a member of the Official Opposition in the parliament which followed.
The Clark government was subsequently defeated on a motion of non-confidence, and another federal election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
was called for 1980. Flis was re-elected over Progressive Conservative candidate Andrew Witer
Andrew Witer
Andrew Witer is a Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1988, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party....
by 5,097 votes, as the Liberals won a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
under Pierre-Elliott Trudeau. He served as parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Transport
Minister of Transport (Canada)
The Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada...
from 1982 to 1984. Flis supported John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
's successful bid for the party leadership in 1984 (Globe and Mail, 21 June 1986).
The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, and Flis lost his seat to Witer by 1,460 votes. He served as Coordinator of Special Education for Toronto's Secondary Schools between 1984 to 1988, and defeated Witer by 3,196 votes in the 1988 election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
to return as a parliamentarian. He supported Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's bid for the Liberal Party leadership in 1990 (Toronto Star, 22 May 1990).
The Liberals returned to power in the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
after nine years in opposition, and Flis was re-elected by a landslide in Parkdale—High Park. After his victory, he commented "I'd like nothing better than to be in cabinet where you can not only make decisions, but implement them" (Toronto Star, 26 October 1993). He was not appointed to cabinet, however, and instead served as parliamentary secretary to the Secretary of State for External Affairs
Secretary of State for External Affairs (Canada)
Canada's Secretary of State for External Affairs was, from 1909 to 1993, the member of the Cabinet of Canada responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations and the former Department of External Affairs...
from 1993 to 1995, and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada....
from 1995 to 1996. He did not seek re-election in 1997.
Flis endorsed Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
's bid to lead the Liberal Party of Ontario in 1996 (Canada Newswire, 19 August 1996).
Chapters dedicated to Jesse Flis were included in:
- Aleksandra Ziolkowska: "Dreams and Reality", Toronto 1984, ISBN 0-9691756-0-4;
- Aleksandra Ziolkowska: Kanada, Kanada..., Warszawa 1986, ISBN 83-7021-006-6;
- Aleksandra Ziolkowska: "Korzenie są polskie", Warszawa 1992, ISBN 8370664067;
- Aleksandra Ziółkowska Boehm: "The Roots Are Polish", Toronto, ISBN 0-920517-05-6.