Dave Levac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Levac
OOnt
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| 41st Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario | |
| In office November 21, 2011 – July 11, 2018 |
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| Premier | Dalton McGuinty Kathleen Wynne |
| Lieutenant Governor | David Onley Elizabeth Dowdeswell |
| Preceded by | Steve Peters |
| Succeeded by | Ted Arnott |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Brant |
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| In office June 3, 1999 – June 7, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Ron Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Will Bouma |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 6, 1954 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 is a Canadian politician. He was the 41st Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2018. Mr. Levac was first elected to 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.
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Early Life and Education
David Levac was born in Brantford, Ontario, on April 6, 1954. He went to Wilfrid Laurier University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976. He then studied at Queen's University to become a teacher in 1977.
A Career in Education
In the early 1980s, Mr. Levac started working as a teacher. By 1989, he became a principal in Brantford. He continued his education at Niagara University, where he completed a master's degree in education in 1992.
Awards and Recognition
Mr. Levac received several awards for his work. In 1993, he was given the Canada 125 Medal. He was named a Distinguished Teacher in 1994 for helping solve conflicts in schools. In 1997, readers of the Brantford Expositor newspaper named him Brantford's Citizen of the Year. He also helped organize Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Brantford in 1997. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. In 2011, he was honored with the Chevalier of the Order of Merit for his efforts to teach about the Ukrainian famine in the 1930s. In 2022, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario.
Political Journey
David Levac began his political career in 1999. He was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Brant. An MPP is a person elected to represent their local area in the provincial government. In that election, the Progressive Conservatives won, so Mr. Levac served as an opposition member.
Serving in Government
In the 2003 provincial election, the Liberals won the majority of seats. Mr. Levac was re-elected and became the chief government whip. This role helps make sure party members vote together. He was re-elected as MPP for Brant in 2007, 2011, and 2014.
Important Laws
On April 9, 2009, Mr. Levac helped pass a special law called Bill 147, the Holodomor Memorial Day Act. This law was important because it was supported by members from three different political parties. It recognized the Ukrainian man-made famine in the 1930s as an act of Genocide. This means it was a terrible event where many people died because of actions taken against them.
Becoming Speaker
After the 2011 election, Mr. Levac was chosen to be the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Speaker is like a referee in a sports game. They make sure that debates in the Legislative Assembly are fair and follow the rules. They are in charge of the meetings and keep order. Mr. Levac was re-elected as Speaker after the 2014 election.
In May 2017, after 19 years as an MPP and seven years as Speaker, Mr. Levac announced he would not run for his seat again in the 2018 election.
