Michelangelo Spensieri
Encyclopedia
Michelangelo Spensieri, also known as Michael Spensieri, (born Sunday,January 2, 1949) is a former politician and Barrister & Solicitor in Ontario
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1981 to 1985, as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party
.
Spensieri moved to Canada at the age of 13 from the Town of Vinchiaturo near Campobasso in the Province of Molise, Italy. He was educated at the University of Toronto
, receiving a Juris Doctor
J.D. degree in 1972, and Osgoode Hall Law School
, York University, where he was awarded the Master of Laws degree in 1992 specializing in International Business, Trade & Tax Laws. He practiced law in Toronto until October 26, 1989.
Spensieri joined the Liberal Party in 1968. He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election
, and lost to New Democratic Party candidate Odoardo Di Santo
in Downsview
by sixty-eight votes. He was elected in the 1981 election
, defeating NDP candidate Mike Morrone by 1,187 votes in Yorkview.
Spensieri supported David Peterson
for the Liberal Party leadership in 1982. In late 1984, he was forced to issue an apology after sending out a newsletter which portrayed the New Democratic Party as "as a group of socialists committed to the destruction of the separate school system and the murder of unborn children". He served one term in the legislature, and was not a candidate for re-election in 1985. He sought the Liberal nomination in Downsview for the 1987 election
, but lost to Laureano Leone
.
Spensieri returned to his law practice after leaving the legislature but sought permission to resign from the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1989, after losing count of two million dollars worth of unclaimed moneys. Spensieri cited a manic-depressive bipolar illness as his defense before convocation, and was granted leave to resign for his own well-being. After this, he wrote a number of letters to Toronto newspapers describing prominent Italian-Canadian figures in the Liberal Party as cultural misfits. In 1998, he wrote that "voters of Italian heritage ... have erred too often and too long by electing mostly Liberals".
In 1999, the socially conservative
Family Coalition Party
announced that Spensieri would be its candidate in York Centre
for the 1999 provincial election
. Due to persistent cardiovascular health concerns, however, he was unable to participate.
Spensieri is retired from public life and promotes activities and fundraising in the areas of mental health and bipolar disorders.
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...
from 1981 to 1985, as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party
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...
.
Spensieri moved to Canada at the age of 13 from the Town of Vinchiaturo near Campobasso in the Province of Molise, Italy. He was educated 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...
, receiving a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
J.D. degree in 1972, and Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
, York University, where he was awarded the Master of Laws degree in 1992 specializing in International Business, Trade & Tax Laws. He practiced law in Toronto until October 26, 1989.
Spensieri joined the Liberal Party in 1968. He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1975
The Ontario general election of 1975 was held on September 18, 1975, to elect the 125 members of the 30th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and lost to New Democratic Party candidate Odoardo Di Santo
Odoardo Di Santo
Odoardo Di Santo is a politician and administrator in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 1985, as a member of the New Democratic Party ....
in Downsview
Downsview (electoral district)
Downsview was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was created for the 1963 provincial election, and was retained until redistribution in 1999...
by sixty-eight votes. He was elected in the 1981 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 NDP candidate Mike Morrone by 1,187 votes in Yorkview.
Spensieri supported 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....
for the Liberal Party leadership in 1982. In late 1984, he was forced to issue an apology after sending out a newsletter which portrayed the New Democratic Party as "as a group of socialists committed to the destruction of the separate school system and the murder of unborn children". He served one term in the legislature, and was not a candidate for re-election in 1985. He sought the Liberal nomination in Downsview for 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...
, but lost to Laureano Leone
Laureano Leone
Laureano Leone is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1990....
.
Spensieri returned to his law practice after leaving the legislature but sought permission to resign from the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1989, after losing count of two million dollars worth of unclaimed moneys. Spensieri cited a manic-depressive bipolar illness as his defense before convocation, and was granted leave to resign for his own well-being. After this, he wrote a number of letters to Toronto newspapers describing prominent Italian-Canadian figures in the Liberal Party as cultural misfits. In 1998, he wrote that "voters of Italian heritage ... have erred too often and too long by electing mostly Liberals".
In 1999, the socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
Family Coalition Party
Family Coalition Party of Ontario
The Family Coalition Party is a small political party in Ontario, Canada that promotes a socially conservative ideology. It was formed in 1987 by members of the pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition, and has fielded candidates in every provincial election since then...
announced that Spensieri would be its candidate in York Centre
York Centre
York Centre is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1917 and since 1953....
for the 1999 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
. Due to persistent cardiovascular health concerns, however, he was unable to participate.
Spensieri is retired from public life and promotes activities and fundraising in the areas of mental health and bipolar disorders.