Alvin Curling facts for kids

Alvin Curling (born November 15, 1939) is a Canadian politician who was born in Jamaica. He served as Canada's ambassador to the Dominican Republic from 2005 to 2006. Before that, he was a politician in Ontario, Canada.

Mr. Curling was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He held this important role until August 19, 2005. He then left to become an ambassador. He was a Liberal MPP for twenty years. This means he represented a part of Ontario in the provincial government from 1985 to 2005.

Early Life and Education

Alvin Curling studied at Seneca College and York University in Toronto. He started his career as an educator in 1972. From 1981 to 1984, he was the President of World Literacy of Canada. This group helps people learn to read and write. He also worked with the Jamaican Canadian Association.

Political Career

Becoming a Member of Provincial Parliament

Alvin Curling was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1985. He ran as a Liberal in an area of Toronto called Scarborough North. He won by a large number of votes. His 30,504 votes were a record at that time.

Working in Government

After the 1985 election, the Liberals formed a government. This was a minority government, meaning they didn't win more than half the seats. On June 26, 1985, Curling became the Minister of Housing. This was a big moment because he was the first Black Canadian to hold a cabinet position in Ontario.

As Minister of Housing, he made changes to rent control rules. He also announced a $500 million plan for new homes in cities. He was easily re-elected in 1987. On September 29, 1987, he became the Minister of Skills Development. He held this job until August 2, 1989.

Working in Opposition

In the 1990 election, the Liberals lost to the NDP. Even though his party lost, Curling kept his seat. He was also re-elected in 1995 and 1999. These elections saw the Progressive Conservatives form a majority government. From 1996 to 1999, he was the Deputy House Leader for the Liberals.

In December 1995, Curling became well-known for an 18-hour protest. He used a tactic called a filibuster. This is when a politician speaks for a very long time to delay a vote. He was protesting a bill from the government. He felt the public was not asked enough about the bill. When he was told to leave the legislature, he refused. Other Liberal and NDP members stood around him. This stopped him from being removed. The protest lasted all night. This event led to a review of the bill.

Serving as Speaker of the Legislature

The Liberals won the 2003 election. On November 19, 2003, Alvin Curling was chosen as the Speaker of the Legislature. The Speaker is like a referee in the parliament. They make sure debates follow the rules.

However, Curling soon faced some criticism. Some politicians said he was not fair to all parties. They felt he favored his own Liberal party. He was also criticized for going to Liberal Party fundraising events. Past Speakers had avoided these events to show they were neutral. In March 2005, some opposition members suggested he should resign from the Speaker role.

Life After Politics

Alvin Curling left his seat in the Legislative Assembly on August 19, 2005. He became Canada's ambassador to the Dominican Republic. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country. He was called back from this job in 2006.

From 2007 to 2010, Curling was a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). This is a research center in Waterloo, Ontario. He also helped lead a group that looked into the causes of youth violence. The government of Jamaica honored him with the Order of Distinction. In 2014, he received the Member of the Order of Ontario. This award recognized his important work on youth violence policy.