Larry O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Larry O'Connor is a politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He is the former mayor of the township of Brock, Ontario
, and previously served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995.
Before entering political life, O'Connor was a member of the political action committee of the Canadian Auto Workers
Local 222 in Oshawa.
, defeating Liberal
incumbent Bill Ballinger
by 1,230 votes in the riding of Durham—York
.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
, having lost much of their support base in the Greater Toronto Area
. O'Connor, running for re-election, finished a distant second against Progressive Conservative
Julia Munro
.
He planned to run for the federal New Democratic Party
in Oshawa
in the 2004 federal election
, but lost the NDP nomination to Sid Ryan
.
In 2002–03, O'Connor supported Bill Blaikie
for the leadership of the federal NDP.
regional councillor in 1997, later becoming chair of the region's Health and Social Services committee and president of the Association of Public Health Agencies (alPHa) in the Durham region.
O'Connor was first elected mayor of Brock Township in the 2006 municipal elections
. He was re-elected in the 2010 municipal elections
, but his 13-vote margin of victory over former mayor Terry Clayton led to an ongoing recount battle. The township used a mail-in voting
system in 2010, and when ballots which were postmarked before election day but arrived late were counted, O'Connor's margin of victory was reduced to just three votes. O'Connor voluntarily resigned as mayor on March 28, 2011, and the township council subsequently appointed Clayton as the new mayor.
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 is the former mayor of the township of Brock, Ontario
Brock, Ontario
Brock is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario, Canada. Brock Township is also a former municipality and geographic township prior to the amalgamation that formed the current municipality.-History:...
, and previously served as 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.
Before entering political life, O'Connor was a member of the political action committee of the Canadian Auto Workers
Canadian Auto Workers
The Canadian Auto Workers is one of Canada's largest and highest profile social unions. While rooted in Ontario's large auto plants of Windsor, Brampton, Oakville, St...
Local 222 in Oshawa.
Provincial politics
O'Connor was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial electionOntario 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 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...
incumbent Bill Ballinger
Bill Ballinger
William George Ballinger is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1990....
by 1,230 votes in the riding of Durham—York
Durham—York
Durham—York was a provincial electoral district in northern Durham Region and York Region in Ontario, Canada that elected members to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...
.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
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...
, having lost much of their support base in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
. O'Connor, running for re-election, finished a distant second 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...
Julia Munro
Julia Munro
Julia Munro is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the Greater Toronto Area riding of York—Simcoe for the Progressive Conservative Party....
.
He planned to run for the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in Oshawa
Oshawa (electoral district)
Oshawa is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
in the 2004 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, but lost the NDP nomination to Sid Ryan
Sid Ryan
Patrick Cyril "Sid" Ryan is president of the Ontario Federation of Labour and a longtime Canadian labour union leader and politician.-Biography:...
.
In 2002–03, O'Connor supported Bill Blaikie
Bill Blaikie
William Alexander "Bill" Blaikie, PC is a Canadian politician. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba since April 2009, representing the Winnipeg division of Elmwood as a member of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba, and Minister of Conservation and Government House Leader...
for the leadership of the federal NDP.
Municipal politics
O'Connor was elected as a DurhamDurham, Ontario
Durham is a community in the municipality of West Grey, Grey County, Ontario, Canada. Durham is located near the base of the Bruce Peninsula.-Location:...
regional councillor in 1997, later becoming chair of the region's Health and Social Services committee and president of the Association of Public Health Agencies (alPHa) in the Durham region.
O'Connor was first elected mayor of Brock Township in the 2006 municipal elections
Ontario municipal elections, 2006
In the 2006 municipal elections in Ontario, voters in the province of Ontario, elected mayors, councillors, school board trustees and all other elected officials in all of Ontario's municipalities. These elections were regulated by the .- Date :...
. He was re-elected in the 2010 municipal elections
Durham Region municipal elections, 2010
Elections will be held in the Regional Municipality of Durham of Ontario on October 25, 2010 in conjunction with municipal elections across the province.-Durham Regional Council:-Plebiscite:...
, but his 13-vote margin of victory over former mayor Terry Clayton led to an ongoing recount battle. The township used a mail-in voting
Postal voting
Postal voting describes the method of voting in an election whereby ballot papers are distributed or returned by post to electors, in contrast to electors voting in person at a polling station or electronically via an electronic voting system....
system in 2010, and when ballots which were postmarked before election day but arrived late were counted, O'Connor's margin of victory was reduced to just three votes. O'Connor voluntarily resigned as mayor on March 28, 2011, and the township council subsequently appointed Clayton as the new mayor.