James A. Taylor

James Allan Taylor (May 2, 1928 – September 1, 2020) was a lawyer and politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1987 and was a cabinet minister in the government of Bill Davis. Taylor was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.[1]

For other people named James Taylor, see James Taylor (disambiguation).
James A. Taylor
Ontario MPP
In office
1971–1987
Preceded byNorris Whitney
Succeeded byKeith MacDonald
ConstituencyPrince Edward—Lennox
Personal details
Born
James Allan Taylor

(1928-05-02)May 2, 1928
Timmins, Ontario, Canada
DiedSeptember 1, 2020(2020-09-01) (aged 92)
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Spouse(s)
Mary Marguerite Robinson
​
​
(m. 1950)​
Alma materUniversity of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School
Occupationlawyer

Politics

Taylor campaigned for the House of Commons of Canada in the 1968 federal election, as a candidate of the federal Progressive Conservative Party. He finished third in Scarborough East, against Liberal candidate Martin Patrick O'Connell.[2]

He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election, defeating Liberal candidate Barry Young by 3,404 votes in Prince Edward—Lennox.[3] He served as a backbench supporter of Bill Davis's government for the next four years, and was re-elected with a reduced majority in the 1975 election.[4] On October 7, 1975, Taylor was appointed to Davis's cabinet as Minister of Community and Social Services.[5]

Taylor was named as Davis's Minister of Energy on February 3, 1977,[6] and was re-elected with a greatly increased majority in the 1977 election.[7] He was dropped from cabinet on January 21, 1978, and again served as a government backbencher.[8] He was re-elected in the elections of 1981[9] and 1985.[10]

After serving in government for forty-two years, the Progressive Conservatives were reduced to a tenuous minority government in the 1985 election, and were subsequently defeated in the legislature on a motion of non-confidence. Taylor served in opposition as his party's Energy Critic, and did not run for re-election in 1987.

Taylor served as the first mayor of the amalgamated Prince Edward County from 1997 to 2003.[11] Taylor died on September 1, 2020, aged 92.[12]

Cabinet positions
Ontario provincial government of Bill Davis
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
Dennis Timbrell Minister of Energy
1977–1978		 Reuben Baetz
Rene Brunelle Minister of Community and Social Services
1975–1977		 Keith Norton

References
  1. JAMES TAYLOR QUITS FORMER CABINET MINISTER SEEKS 'OTHER OPPORTUNITIES': [Final Edition] Capon, Alan. The Whig - Standard [Kingston, Ont] 10 Oct 1986: 1.
  2. "Results from parliamentary constituencies across the country, ridng by riding". The Globe and Mail. June 26, 1968. pp. 10–11.
  3. "Riding-by-riding returns in provincial election". The Globe and Mail. October 23, 1971. p. 10.
  4. "Table of vote results for all Ontario ridings". The Globe and Mail. September 19, 1975. p. C12.
  5. "Davis rebuffs Rhodes after appointing him housing portfolio". The Globe and Mail. October 8, 1975. pp. 1, 2.
  6. Allen, David (February 3, 1977). "Davis names Timbrell new health minister". The Toronto Star. p. 1.
  7. "Ontario provincial election results riding by riding". The Globe and Mail. June 10, 1977. p. D9.
  8. Williamson, Robert (January 23, 1978). "Scrivener's removal from Cabinet, Baetz posting to cause most talk". The Globe and Mail. p. 5.
  9. Canadian Press (1981-03-20). "Winds of change, sea of security". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 22. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  10. "Results of vote in Ontario election". The Globe and Mail. May 3, 1985. p. 13.
  11. "Prince Edward County Historic Notes". PEC Heritage Advisory Committee.
  12. James A. Taylor's obituary
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