Len Wood
Len Wood | |
|---|---|
| Ontario MPP | |
| In office 1990–1999 | |
| Preceded by | René Fontaine |
| Succeeded by | Riding dissolved |
| Constituency | Cochrane North |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 4, 1942 Mitchell, Ontario |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Occupation | Mechanic |
Leonard Wood (born February 4, 1942) is a former Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1999, sitting for the New Democratic Party of Ontario.
Background[edit]
Wood completed a four-year millwright course after graduating from high school, and worked as a millwright mechanic before entering politics. He was actively involved in the labour movement and the Roman Catholic church.
Politics[edit]
In 1987 he contested Cochrane North (located in the province's northeastern corner) in the 1987 provincial election, but lost to Liberal incumbent René Fontaine by almost 4,000 votes.[1] In the federal election of 1988, he contested Cochrane—Superior for the federal NDP and lost to Liberal Réginald Bélair by 1,201 votes.[2]
The NDP won the 1990 provincial election and Wood defeated Liberal Donald Grenier to win Cochrane North by 143 votes.[3] He served as Parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Natural Resources from 1990 to 1995.[4]
Voting trends in the 1995 provincial election were against the NDP in most parts of Ontario, and the party fell from government to third-party status. In Cochrane North, Wood countered the provincial trend and dramatically increased his majority: he defeated Liberal candidate Gilles Gagnon by almost 2,000 votes.[5] In opposition, he served as critic for Northern Development and Mines.
Redistribution eliminated Cochrane North in the 1999 provincial election, and Wood sought re-election in the newly formed riding of Timiskaming—Cochrane. He finished third, behind fellow incumbent David Ramsay of the Liberal Party and Rick Brassard of the Progressive Conservatives.[6]
Wood ran again for the federal NDP in the 2000 election in Timmins-James Bay, but lost to Bélair by 6,950 votes.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Results from individual ridings". The Windsor Star. September 11, 1987. p. F2.
- ^ "Results from across Canada; Riding by Riding; ONTARIO". The Gazette. Montreal, Que. November 22, 1988. p. B6.
- ^ "Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results". The Globe and Mail. September 7, 1990. p. A12.
- ^ Hopkins, Grant (February 24, 1991). "Ontario minister wrestles with moose hunting issues". The Ottawa Citizen. p. C5.
- ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. June 8, 1995. Retrieved 2014-02-03.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. June 3, 1999. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
- ^ "Northeast Results". Sudbury Star. November 28, 2000. p. A11.