Dave Levac facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dave Levac OOnt
41st Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
In office November 21, 2011 – July 11, 2018
Preceded by	Steve Peters
Succeeded by	Ted Arnott
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Brant
In office June 3, 1999 – June 7, 2018
Preceded by	Ron Johnson
Succeeded by	Will Bouma
Personal details
Born	(1954-04-06) April 6, 1954 (age 71) Brantford, Ontario
Political party	Ontario Liberal
Residences	Brantford, Ontario
Education	Wilfrid Laurier University (BA, 1976) Queen's University at Kingston (BEd, 1977) Niagara University (MSc, 1992)
Occupation	Teacher

David Joseph Levac (born April 6, 1954) is a Canadian politician who is now retired. He was the 41st speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2018. Mr. Levac was first chosen to join the Legislative Assembly in 1999. He was a member of the Ontario Liberal Party. He served as the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the area of Brant until 2018. He is known for being the longest-serving Speaker in Ontario's history.

About Dave Levac

Dave Levac was born in Brantford, Ontario. He went to Wilfrid Laurier University and earned a university degree in 1976. He then studied at Queen's University in 1977 to become a teacher. He started working as a teacher in the early 1980s. By 1989, he became a principal in Brantford. In 1992, he earned a higher degree in education from Niagara University.

Awards and Recognition

Mr. Levac received several awards for his work and community service. In 1993, he was given the Canada 125 Medal. This medal celebrates Canadians who have made a difference. In 1994, he was named a "Distinguished Teacher" by OECTA for his programs that helped solve disagreements. The readers of the Brantford Expositor newspaper named him Brantford's Citizen of the Year in 1997. He also helped organize Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Brantford in 1997.

He received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. This medal honored Canadians who contributed to their community. In 2011, he was given the Chevalier of the Order of Merit from Ukraine. This was for his educational efforts about the Ukrainian famine in the 1930s. In 2022, Mr. Levac was appointed to the Order of Ontario. This is the highest honor a person can receive from the province of Ontario.

Dave Levac's Political Journey

Dave Levac was first elected in the 1999 provincial election. He won against the Progressive Conservative candidate, Alayne Sokoloski, in the area of Brant. Even though his party was not in charge, he worked as an opposition member for four years.

Becoming a Government Member

In the 2003 provincial election, the Liberal Party won. Dave Levac was re-elected, winning by a large number of votes. He was then named the chief government whip. This role helps make sure all party members vote together. He was re-elected in the elections of 2007, 2011, and 2014.

Important Laws and Roles

On April 9, 2009, Mr. Levac helped pass an important law called the Holodomor Memorial Day Act. This law recognized a terrible man-made famine in Ukraine as an act of Genocide. This was special because it was the first time a law in Ontario was supported by three different political parties.

On January 25, 2010, Dave Levac was named a special assistant to the minister of energy and infrastructure. This meant he helped the minister with important tasks related to energy and building projects.

Serving as Speaker

After the 2011 election, Dave Levac was chosen to be the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Speaker is like a referee in the parliament, making sure debates are fair and rules are followed. He was chosen over three other Liberal members. He was re-elected as Speaker after the 2014 election, winning against four other people.

On May 5, 2017, Mr. Levac announced that he would not run for his seat again in the 2018 Ontario general election. He had served for 19 years in the legislature, with seven of those years as Speaker.