Frank de Jong

Frank de Jong (born October 16, 1955 in West Luther Township, northeast of Arthur, Ontario) is a Canadian politician, environmentalist, and elementary school teacher. He joined the Green Party of Ontario in 1987 and became the party's first official leader in 1993 – a position he held until November 14, 2009, when he was replaced by Mike Schreiner. From 2017 to 2019 he was the leader of the Yukon Green Party.[1] De Jong has also campaigned for federal office as a member of the Green Party of Canada.

Frank De Jong
Speaking at an economics forum in 2007
Leader of the Yukon Green Party
In office
2016–2019
Preceded byKristina Calhoun
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
In office
1993–2009
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMike Schreiner
Personal details
Born (1955-10-16) October 16, 1955
West Luther Township, Ontario
NationalityCanadian
Political partyYukon Green (territorial)
Green (federal)
Other political
affiliations
Ontario Green (1983-2014)
ResidenceFaro, Yukon
OccupationEnvironmentalist, politician
ProfessionElementary school-teacher

Education and activism

Born into a Dutch background, De Jong earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1978, and a Bachelor of Education from University of Ottawa in 1979. After graduating, he worked as an elementary school teacher. He developed an interest in environmental concerns during the mid-1980s, and became involved in campaigns to save Ontario's old growth forests. He was also involved in the anti-nuclear, renewable energy and pro-choice movements. De Jong now resides in Huntsville, Ontario with his partner Tove Christensen.

Politics

The Ontario Green Party did not originally have a formal leadership structure, and was run in a very decentralized manner (nominal leaders were sometimes chosen for elections, but they had no personal authority over party decisions). De Jong and others opposed this approach, and successfully campaigned for a formal leadership contest in 1993. De Jong himself entered this contest, and defeated Jim Harris, who later became leader of the Green Party of Canada. De Jong supported Harris's leadership of the federal party until Harris stepped down in 2006, at which time de Jong supported David Chernushenko's leadership bid. He was challenged for the leadership of the Ontario Green Party by Judy Greenwood-Speers in 2001.

Frank De Jong (right), with his successor as Ontario Greens Leader, Mike Schreiner (left)

Like Harris, de Jong is an eco-capitalist. He defines his political philosophy as "socially progressive, fiscally conservative, and environmentally aware".[2] He has long supported conservative economic policies, including a gradual shift from the taxation of incomes to the taxation of natural resources. Recently, he has also spoken against extensive government subsidies and funding for crown corporations.

At the October 2005 Green Party of Ontario Annual General Meeting, de Jong narrowly avoided a "leadership review" when 67% of voting members voted against it. The GPO constitution requires that a leadership review be held bi-annually; If more than one-third of voting members had opted for a review, a leadership race would have been held in 2006. At the 2007 AGM, de Jong survived the next scheduled review, this time with approximately 71% support from party members. This followed what was considered the strongest election performance by the GPO to date.[3] Speaking at the Green Party of Ontario AGM in May 2009, de Jong announced that he will not be running for re-election as leader of the party.[4]

In the September 14, 2006, Parkdale—High Park by-election, de Jong received 6.2 percent of the vote. On November 7, 2006, he was nominated as the GPO candidate in the riding of Davenport for the 2007 Ontario general election.[5] In that election, de Jong captured 10.26 percent of the vote, his best showing as a member of the Green Party.

De Jong was a candidate for Ward 18 in Toronto's 2010 municipal election.

As of December 2014, de Jong was living in Faro, Yukon and was the Green Party of Canada candidate in the Yukon riding in the 2015 federal election, placing a distant fourth.[6][7]

De Jong was elected leader of the Yukon Green Party in September 2016.[8][9] He resigned as leader in 2019.

Election campaigns

De Jong has campaigned for federal and provincial office several times. His best showing was in the provincial election of 2003, when he ran against sitting Premier Ernie Eves and finished third, ahead of the New Democratic Party candidate. On all other occasions, de Jong has finished well behind candidates of the major parties.

During the 1995 provincial campaign, de Jong cycled on a "leader's tour" from Ottawa to Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor and Niagara Falls before returning northward to Ottawa. Subsequently, he was involved in creating constituency contact lists throughout the province.

His electoral record is as follows:

1988 Canadian federal election: Rosedale
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeDavid MacDonald22,70441.36-11.44
LiberalBill Graham22,62441.21+15.08
New DemocraticDoug Wilson8,26615.06-2.77
LibertarianChris Blatchly4110.75+0.09
GreenFrank de Jong3970.72-1.15
RhinocerosLiane McLarty2650.48
IndependentMike Constable1020.19
IndependentHarry Margel910.17
Commonwealth of CanadaPaul Therrien330.06-0.27
Total valid votes 54,893 100.00
1990 Ontario general election: Ottawa East
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalBernard Grandmaître16,36362.41−11.85
New DemocraticLori Lucier6,10323.28+7.07
Progressive ConservativeDiana Morin2,2038.40−1.13
Family CoalitionRichard Hudon8263.15 
GreenFrank de Jong7232.76 
Total valid votes 26,218 98.78
Total rejected ballots 3241.22
Turnout 26,54255.23
Eligible voters 48,055
Liberal hold Swing -9.46

1991 Ottawa municipal election

Capital Ward
Candidate Votes %
Jim Watson4,123
Lynn Smyth (X)1,817
Michael Lynch638
Frank De Jong482
1993 Canadian federal election: Ottawa—Vanier
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalJean-Robert Gauthier31,21670.46+11.25
Progressive ConservativeMarie-Christine Lemire4,48610.13-13.07
ReformSam Dancey3,5538.02
New DemocraticWillie Dunn2,9356.62-9.36
GreenFrank de Jong6061.37
NationalRaymond Samuels4971.12
IndependentDavid Talbot4290.97
Natural LawRoger Bouchard4140.93
Marxist–LeninistSerge Lafortune1380.31
AbolitionistSteven Edward White280.06
Total valid votes 44,302 100.00
Canadian federal by-election, February 13, 1995: Ottawa—Vanier
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalMauril Bélanger11,91860.06−10.41$52,001
  Reform Kevin Gaudet 4,034 20.33 +12.44 $36,995
  Progressive Conservative Françoise Guenette 1,899 9.57 −0.96 $30,933
  New Democratic Party Bob Lawson 1,259 6.34 −0.16 $5,764
  Christian Heritage Gilles Gauthier 299 1.51 $1,751
GreenFrank de Jong2181.10−0.24$0
  Natural Law Ian A.G. Campbell 109 0.55 −0.35 $131
  Marxist-Leninist Serge Lafortune 61 0.31 +0.02 $136
  Abolitionist John Turmel 46 0.23 +0.17 $0
Total valid votes 19,843 100.00
Total rejected ballots 201
Turnout 20,004 30.39 −32.04
Electors on the lists 65,824
1995 Ontario general election: Nepean
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
Progressive ConservativeJohn Baird17,51049.66$40,800.37
LiberalHans Daigeler13,57538.50$45,021.83
New DemocraticJohn Sullivan3,2749.29$15,380.57
GreenFrank de Jong3901.11$0.00
Natural LawBrian E. Jackson2590.73$0.00
FreedomCathy Frampton2520.71$2,307.70
Total valid votes 35,260 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 363
Turnout 35,623 64.97
Electors on the lists 54,832
1997 Canadian federal election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalMac Harb25,98745.19-6.71
New DemocraticJamey Heath13,64623.73+1.07
Progressive ConservativePeter Annis9,39116.33+4.45
ReformJohn Perocchio6,65111.57+2.03
GreenFrank de Jong8551.49+0.30
Canadian ActionHoward Bertram2360.41
Natural LawNeil Paterson2110.37-0.34
IndependentSusan Cumby1900.33
Marxist–LeninistHardial Bains1500.26+0.07
IndependentMalek Khouri920.16
IndependentRay Joseph Cormier910.16
Total valid votes 57,500100.00
1999 Ontario general election: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalGerard Kennedy23,02254.92
Progressive ConservativeAnnamarie Castrilli12,64730.17
New DemocraticIrene Atkinson4,93711.78
GreenFrank de Jong5001.19
LibertarianDoug Burn3250.78
Family CoalitionStan Grzywna2890.69
IndependentJorge Van Schouwen990.24
Natural LawLynne Hea990.24
Total valid votes 41,918 100.0
Source: Elections Ontario[10]
2003 Ontario general election: Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Eves29,22256.64-8.12
LiberalDan Yake14,85928.8-0.03
GreenFrank De Jong3,1616.133.68
New DemocraticMitchel Healey3,1486.1+2.13
Family CoalitionDave Davies1,2022.33
2005 by-election: Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeJohn Tory15,61056.3-
LiberalBob Duncanson4,62516.7-
New DemocraticLynda McDougall3,88114.0
GreenFrank de Jong2,76710.0
Family CoalitionPaul Micelli4791.7-
IndependentWilliam Cook1630.6-
LibertarianPhilip Bender1350.5-
IndependentJohn Turmel850.3-
Ontario provincial by-election, September 14, 2006: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticCheri DiNovo11,67741.04+25.27
LiberalSylvia Watson9,38732.99-24.84
Progressive ConservativeDavid Hutcheon4,92117.29+1.11
GreenFrank De Jong1,7536.16-0.77
Family CoalitionStan Grzywna3671.29-0.2
LibertarianJim McIntosh1620.57 
FreedomSilvio Ursomarzo1110.39-0.02
IndependentJohn Turmel780.27 
Total valid votes 28,456 100.0
Source: Elections Ontario[11]
Ontario provincial by-election, January 12, 2007 by-election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeJoyce Savoline11,14348.98+2.83
LiberalJoan Lougheed9,36541.17-1.01
New DemocraticCory Judson1,3105.76-2.46
GreenFrank de Jong7343.23+0.90
FreedomBarry Spruce1060.47
IndependentJohn Turmel900.40
Total valid votes 22,748 100.00
2007 Ontario general election: Davenport
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalTony Ruprecht12,46741.82-13.70
New DemocraticPeter Ferreira10,88036.49+7.12
GreenFrank de Jong3,04710.22*
Progressive ConservativeAntonio Garcia2,8059.41+2.11
CommunistDave McKee1910.64
Family CoalitionGustavo Valdez1570.53
LibertarianNunzio Venuto1520.51*
IndependentAnnette Kouri1140.38
Total valid votes 29,813 100.00
     Liberal hold Swing -10.41

2010 Toronto municipal election, Ward 18: Davenport

Ward 18
Candidate Votes %
Ana Bailão6,27743.754%
Kevin Beaulieu4,91134.233%
Frank de Jong8696.057%
Hema Vyas7765.409%
Joe MacDonald6694.663%
Kirk Russell3262.272%
Nha Le1541.073%
Ken Wood1060.739%
Mohammad Muhit940.655%
Joanna Teliatnik700.488%
Doug Carroll520.362%
Abdirazak Elmi420.293%
Total14,346100%
2011 Ontario general election: Davenport
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticJonah Schein14,36745.93+9.44
LiberalCristina Martins12,95341.41-0.41
Progressive ConservativeKirk Russell2,4807.93-1.48
GreenFrank de Jong8552.73-7.49
IndependentMark Jagg2500.80
CommunistMiguel Figueroa1630.52-0.12
FreedomFranz Cauchi960.31
Human RightsAlix Thompson820.26
The Only PartyKiros Ghiwot330.11
Total valid votes 31,279 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 1780.57
Turnout 31,45745.59
Eligible voters 68,998
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +4.93
Source: Elections Ontario[12]
2015 Canadian federal election: Yukon
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalLarry Bagnell10,88753.65+20.70
ConservativeRyan Leef4,92824.29-9.48
New DemocraticMelissa Atkinson3,94319.43+5.06
GreenFrank de Jong5332.63-16.28
Total valid votes/Expense limit 20,291100.0   $210,779.30
Total rejected ballots 94
Turnout 20,385
Eligible voters 26,283
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +10.92
Source: Elections Canada[13][14]
2016 Yukon general election: Pelly-Nisutlin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyStacey Hassard28042.3%-7.1%
  NDP Ken Hodgins 207 31.2% -0.8%
  Liberal Carl Sidney 152 23.0% +9.9%
GreenFrank de Jong223.3%+3.3%
Total 661 100.0%

Footnotes

  1. Cohen, Sidney (August 31, 2016). "Yukon Greens run record number of candidates". Whitehorse, Yukon: Whitehorse Daily Star. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  2. Green Party of Ontario Leader Profile Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Green leader gets 71 per cent support". Toronto Star, November 26, 2007.
  4. "Frank de Jong to step down as Green party leader". Toronto Star, May 23, 2009.
  5. Davenport Green Party nominates de Jong, Green Party of Ontario news release, November 8, 2006.
  6. Reynolds, Christopher (December 18, 2014). "Whitehorse Daily Star: Local man pursues NDP nomination". Whitehorsestar.com. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  7. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/green-party-s-frank-de-jong-asks-yukoners-to-follow-their-green-conscience-1.3259765
  8. https://www.yukon-news.com/news/de-jong-takes-over-green-party-leadership-as-candidates-step-forward/
  9. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-green-party-territorial-election-young-voters-1.3832123
  10. Chief Returning Officer of Ontario. "Parkdale—High Park General Election of June 3, 1999". Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate. Elections Ontario. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  11. Chief Returning Officer. "Parkdale–High Park By-election 2006". Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for each Candidate. Toronto: Elections Ontario. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  12. "Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Davenport" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  13. "Yukon - October 19, 2015 Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  14. Elections Canada – Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits

See also

Preceded by
Kristina Calhoun
Leader of the Yukon Green Party
2016 - 2019
Succeeded by
vacant
Preceded by
First Leader
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
1993 – November 2009
Succeeded by
Mike Schreiner
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