Patrick Boyer
Encyclopedia
J. Patrick Boyer is a university professor, author and a former Progressive Conservative
Member of Parliament (1984–1993).
Before entering politics, Patrick Boyer, Q.C., was a writer, journalist and a partner in Fraser & Beatty's law firm in Toronto
. He gained a Master's in Canadian history and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Toronto
and studied economics and political science at Carleton University
prior to that.
He was first elected to Parliament in 1984, representing Toronto's Etobicoke—Lakeshore
riding
in the government of Brian Mulroney
. As a Member of Parliament, he chaired committees on election law reform, equality rights and on the status of disabled persons. In 1989, he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of External Affairs, and in 1991 he became parliamentary secretary to the Minister of National Defence
. He was a strong advocate of direct democracy
, and campaigned for the introduction of referendum
s in the political process. It was significantly due to Boyer's efforts that the Charlottetown Accord
of 1992 was submitted to a public referendum.
In 1993 he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, to the Deputy Prime Minister, and to the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs.
That same year, Boyer ran for the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives following the announcement of Mulroney's retirement. His leadership campaign was fought largely around the issue of referendums and direct democracy. The leadership was won by Kim Campbell
, who led the party to its historic 1993 defeat. Only two Tory MPs retained their seats in that election, and Boyer was not one of them.
Following his departure from politics, Boyer began teaching a new course at the University of Toronto
, offered in both the Faculty of Law and the Department of Political Science, titled “The Law of Canadian Democracy.” In 1999 and 2000 he taught two courses in Canadian Constitutional Law at Wilfrid Laurier University
, Waterloo, Ontario. He was also a member of the Faculty of the Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph
, Ontario, where he taught courses on politics, accountability, democracy and ethics.
His wife Corinne Boyer succumbed to ovarian cancer at age 57 in 1995. She had survived two bouts of cancer - a malignant melanoma in 1979 and a breast lump in 1991—before her final struggle with ovarian cancer. Undaunted, Corinne often said, "I've got the cancer, but the cancer does not have me." She had spent years crusading for women's rights, endangered species, and the environment. In the months before she died, and largely because of her experiences with cancer, she fought for increased funding for women's health research. In 1997, Patrick Boyer founded the Corinne Boyer fund which was dedicated to advancing research into ovarian cancer and raising awareness of the disease in Canada. In 1998, the Corinne Boyer Fund and the University of Ottawa announced the establishment of the Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research in the Faculty of Medicine. In 1999, the name of the organization was changed to National Ovarian Cancer Association, now Ovarian Cancer Canada.
Patrick Boyer is a past president of the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, a member of the Canadian Pugwash Group, and chairman of Pugwash Thinkers’ Lodge in Nova Scotia.
He has been invited overseas on democratic development projects, including in Cambodia, Iraq, Vietnam, Thailand, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. He has travelled extensively at different times in Central and South America.
A well-known advocate of proportional representation
, he is a member of the National Advisory Board of Fair Vote Canada
and has been a guest speaker at their conferences.
In 2001, he unsuccessfully sought the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party provincial nomination in the riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka
for a by-election
to replace retiring MPP Ernie Eves
.
Throughout Boyer's career in and out of elected politics, he has authored 13 books along with many articles and chapters. The books include Lawmaking by the People (1981), The People’s Mandate (1992), Direct Democracy In Canada (1993) and Boyer's Ontario Election Law (1996). He also authored the definitive Canadian legal texts on election law, covering all aspects of national, provincial and municipal voting in Canada.
In March 2007, Boyer was again nominated as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore. He ran in the 2008 federal election
but lost to Michael Ignatieff
by 5,783 votes.
During the Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007
he was a leading member, along with Senators Hugh Segal and Nancy Ruth, Hon. Janet Ecker, and Rick Anderson, of Conservatives for MMP.
Boyer now operates an independent publishing company, Blue Butterfly Books, which publishes a growing collection of fiction and non-fiction works.
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....
Member of Parliament (1984–1993).
Before entering politics, Patrick Boyer, Q.C., was a writer, journalist and a partner in Fraser & Beatty's law firm in 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...
. He gained a Master's in Canadian history and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from 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 studied economics and political science at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
prior to that.
He was first elected to Parliament in 1984, representing Toronto's Etobicoke—Lakeshore
Etobicoke—Lakeshore
Etobicoke—Lakeshore is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
in the government of 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...
. As a Member of Parliament, he chaired committees on election law reform, equality rights and on the status of disabled persons. In 1989, he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of External Affairs, and in 1991 he became parliamentary secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Minister of National Defence (Canada)
The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces....
. He was a strong advocate of direct democracy
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
, and campaigned for the introduction of referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s in the political process. It was significantly due to Boyer's efforts that the Charlottetown Accord
Charlottetown Accord
The Charlottetown Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada, proposed by the Canadian federal and provincial governments in 1992. It was submitted to a public referendum on October 26 of that year, and was defeated.-Background:...
of 1992 was submitted to a public referendum.
In 1993 he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, to the Deputy Prime Minister, and to the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs.
That same year, Boyer ran for the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives following the announcement of Mulroney's retirement. His leadership campaign was fought largely around the issue of referendums and direct democracy. The leadership was won by Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell
Avril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer. She served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993...
, who led the party to its historic 1993 defeat. Only two Tory MPs retained their seats in that election, and Boyer was not one of them.
Following his departure from politics, Boyer began teaching a new course 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...
, offered in both the Faculty of Law and the Department of Political Science, titled “The Law of Canadian Democracy.” In 1999 and 2000 he taught two courses in Canadian Constitutional Law at Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
, Waterloo, Ontario. He was also a member of the Faculty of the Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
, Ontario, where he taught courses on politics, accountability, democracy and ethics.
His wife Corinne Boyer succumbed to ovarian cancer at age 57 in 1995. She had survived two bouts of cancer - a malignant melanoma in 1979 and a breast lump in 1991—before her final struggle with ovarian cancer. Undaunted, Corinne often said, "I've got the cancer, but the cancer does not have me." She had spent years crusading for women's rights, endangered species, and the environment. In the months before she died, and largely because of her experiences with cancer, she fought for increased funding for women's health research. In 1997, Patrick Boyer founded the Corinne Boyer fund which was dedicated to advancing research into ovarian cancer and raising awareness of the disease in Canada. In 1998, the Corinne Boyer Fund and the University of Ottawa announced the establishment of the Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research in the Faculty of Medicine. In 1999, the name of the organization was changed to National Ovarian Cancer Association, now Ovarian Cancer Canada.
Patrick Boyer is a past president of the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, a member of the Canadian Pugwash Group, and chairman of Pugwash Thinkers’ Lodge in Nova Scotia.
He has been invited overseas on democratic development projects, including in Cambodia, Iraq, Vietnam, Thailand, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. He has travelled extensively at different times in Central and South America.
A well-known advocate of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
, he is a member of the National Advisory Board of Fair Vote Canada
Fair Vote Canada
Fair Vote Canada is a nonprofit, multi-partisan advocacy group for electoral reform in Canada. It is active both federally and in those provinces where there are efforts to reform the first-past-the-post electoral system that is used in Canada...
and has been a guest speaker at their conferences.
In 2001, he unsuccessfully sought the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party provincial nomination in the riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka
Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario
The District Municipality of Muskoka, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka, or simply Muskoka, is a Regional Municipality located in Central Ontario, Canada. Muskoka extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border...
for a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to replace retiring MPP Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
.
Throughout Boyer's career in and out of elected politics, he has authored 13 books along with many articles and chapters. The books include Lawmaking by the People (1981), The People’s Mandate (1992), Direct Democracy In Canada (1993) and Boyer's Ontario Election Law (1996). He also authored the definitive Canadian legal texts on election law, covering all aspects of national, provincial and municipal voting in Canada.
In March 2007, Boyer was again nominated as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore. He ran in the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
but lost to Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
by 5,783 votes.
During the Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007
Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007
An Ontario electoral reform referendum was held on October 10, 2007, in an attempt to establish a mixed member proportional representation system for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...
he was a leading member, along with Senators Hugh Segal and Nancy Ruth, Hon. Janet Ecker, and Rick Anderson, of Conservatives for MMP.
Boyer now operates an independent publishing company, Blue Butterfly Books, which publishes a growing collection of fiction and non-fiction works.