Patrick Johnston (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Patrick Johnston is a Canadian
administrator, policy analyst and former politician. He was recruited by Liberal Party
leader John Turner
to contest the 1988 election
for the party, but unexpectedly lost his nomination to a rival candidate supported by pro-life
activists.
A teacher and social worker from Toronto
, Johnston served for six years as leader of the National Anti-Poverty Organization. Originally a member of the New Democratic Party
, he joined the Liberals in 1984 after charging the NDP with lacking a coherent economic policy. He served as senior advisor to Ontario
Premier
David Peterson
's Social Assistance Review Committee, and was co-chair of the federal Liberal Party's election committee in 1988.
Despite strong support from the party establishment, he lost the Liberal nomination in Scarborough West
to a little-known Toronto lawyer named Tom Wappel
, 523 votes to 372. Wappel, a staunch social conservative, was supported by members of the pro-life group Campaign Life. Johnston, who was thirty-nine years old in 1988, remained a senior policy advisor to John Turner after this defeat.
Johnston was hired as a senior policy advisor to Ontario Premier David Peterson
in 1989, and held this position until Peterson's defeat in 1990. He later served as executive director of the Canadian Council on Social Development. In the latter capacity, he promoted economic intervention to address poverty issues and spoke out against workfare
programs.
In 1994, Johnston chaired a task-force convened by cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy
on reforms to Canada's welfare state. He later served as president and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, an umbrella group covering a variety of charitable groups. During this period, he served as co-chair of the Joint Coordinating Committee of the Voluntary Sector Initiative, an attempt to strengthen the relationship between the federal government and Canada's voluntary, non-profit sector.He was also elected to Chair the Board of Directors of the Johannesburg based NGO, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation.
In October, 2002 he was appointed president and CEO of the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
a private charitable foundation established by former federal Liberal finance Minister, Walter Gordon
. During this period, Johnston served on the Board of Directors of Philanthropic Foundations Canada and the Council on Foundations based in Washington. In 2010, he oversaw a foundation-led project to reimagine Canadian foreign aid that resulted in the publication of four papers. He was also a visiting Fellow at Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation at the University of Toronto's School of Public Policy and Governance.
In 2011, Johnston launched BOREALIS Advisors, a consultancy supporting leaders of charitable and philanthropic organizations. He serves as volunteer on a number of non-profit boards and advisory committees, including Canada Helps, the Ontario Nonprofit Network and the Canadian Centre for International Justice.
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...
administrator, policy analyst and former politician. He was recruited by Liberal Party
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...
leader 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....
to contest 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 ....
for the party, but unexpectedly lost his nomination to a rival candidate supported by pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
activists.
A teacher and social worker from 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...
, Johnston served for six years as leader of the National Anti-Poverty Organization. Originally a member of the 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...
, he joined the Liberals in 1984 after charging the NDP with lacking a coherent economic policy. He served as senior advisor to Ontario
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....
Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
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....
's Social Assistance Review Committee, and was co-chair of the federal Liberal Party's election committee in 1988.
Despite strong support from the party establishment, he lost the Liberal nomination in Scarborough West
Scarborough West
Scarborough West was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commonsfrom 1968 to 1997. It was located in the province of Ontario...
to a little-known Toronto lawyer named Tom Wappel
Tom Wappel
Thomas William "Tom" Wappel is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the House of Commons from 1988 to 2008, representing the Toronto riding of Scarborough West and its successor riding of Scarborough Southwest. He did not seek re-election in the 2008 general election.Wappel is a...
, 523 votes to 372. Wappel, a staunch social conservative, was supported by members of the pro-life group Campaign Life. Johnston, who was thirty-nine years old in 1988, remained a senior policy advisor to John Turner after this defeat.
Johnston was hired as a senior policy advisor to Ontario Premier 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....
in 1989, and held this position until Peterson's defeat in 1990. He later served as executive director of the Canadian Council on Social Development. In the latter capacity, he promoted economic intervention to address poverty issues and spoke out against workfare
Workfare
Workfare is an alternative model to conventional social welfare systems. The term was first introduced by civil rights leader James Charles Evers in 1968; however, it was popularized by Richard Nixon in a televised speech August 1969...
programs.
In 1994, Johnston chaired a task-force convened by cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
on reforms to Canada's welfare state. He later served as president and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, an umbrella group covering a variety of charitable groups. During this period, he served as co-chair of the Joint Coordinating Committee of the Voluntary Sector Initiative, an attempt to strengthen the relationship between the federal government and Canada's voluntary, non-profit sector.He was also elected to Chair the Board of Directors of the Johannesburg based NGO, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation.
In October, 2002 he was appointed president and CEO of the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
The Walter and Duncan Foundation was founded in 1965 by Walter L. Gordon, his wife, Elizabeth , and his brother, Duncan Gordon. It continues today as a private charitable foundation trying to improve public policy in Canada. Walter Gordon was a Canadian businessman and politician...
a private charitable foundation established by former federal Liberal finance Minister, Walter Gordon
Walter Gordon
Walter Gordon may refer to:*Jamaa Fanaka, African-American filmmaker . He is sometimes credited as either Walt Gordon or Walter Gordon....
. During this period, Johnston served on the Board of Directors of Philanthropic Foundations Canada and the Council on Foundations based in Washington. In 2010, he oversaw a foundation-led project to reimagine Canadian foreign aid that resulted in the publication of four papers. He was also a visiting Fellow at Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation at the University of Toronto's School of Public Policy and Governance.
In 2011, Johnston launched BOREALIS Advisors, a consultancy supporting leaders of charitable and philanthropic organizations. He serves as volunteer on a number of non-profit boards and advisory committees, including Canada Helps, the Ontario Nonprofit Network and the Canadian Centre for International Justice.