Douglas Wiseman facts for kids

Douglas Jack Wiseman (born July 21, 1930 – died August 1, 2020) was an important person in the government of Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which is where laws are made for the province. He belonged to the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and served from 1971 to 1990. He also held a special job as a cabinet minister in the government led by Bill Davis.

About Douglas Wiseman

Douglas Wiseman grew up and went to school in Smiths Falls, Ontario. He was a farmer and also ran his own small businesses. He was well-known for his cow-calf farm in the area. Later, he opened several discount shoe stores.

Beyond his businesses, Mr. Wiseman was also involved in his community. He was the head of a public school board, helping to guide local education. He was also a trustee at St. Paul's United Church in Perth. He passed away in a hospital in Perth in 2020 when he was 90 years old.

His Time in Politics

Douglas Wiseman first became a member of the Ontario government in the 1971 provincial election. He won easily in the area called Lanark, which is in eastern Ontario. He was elected again in the 1975 election. After that, he was chosen to be an assistant to the Minister of Health. This meant he helped the main leader in charge of health services.

Becoming a Government Minister

On January 21, 1978, Mr. Wiseman was given a special role as a minister without portfolio in Premier Davis's government. This meant he was a minister who helped the government but didn't have a specific department to lead.

Later, on August 30, 1979, he was given an even bigger job. He became the Minister of Government Services. In this role, he was in charge of many important services that the government provides.

However, on July 6, 1983, Mr. Wiseman was no longer a cabinet minister. Premier Davis said he wanted to bring in "new blood" to the government. There was some talk that this change happened because Mr. Wiseman had a disagreement with another important government official. Mr. Wiseman had said that this official had given out large government jobs without proper approval.

Speaking Up for His Area

Even though he was no longer a cabinet minister, Mr. Wiseman continued to speak up. He even disagreed with his own political party in the government building. For example, on May 1, 1984, he said that the leader in charge of police, George Taylor, had made the OPP buy new boats from a company in Mr. Taylor's own area. Mr. Wiseman pointed out that a company in his own area had offered a lower price for the boats.

Some people thought Mr. Wiseman was upset about losing his cabinet job. But he said he was just trying to do what was best for the people he represented. He explained, "You have to do what you think is right for your constituents... From time to time you have to take a stand for your people... If you're going to be a jelly fish and hide behind a chair, you shouldn't be in politics."

Later in 1984, Premier Davis gave Mr. Wiseman a new role. He was appointed to a government group that worked to sell farm products to people in the United States. This helped to improve the situation.

End of His Political Career

The Progressive Conservative party had been in charge of Ontario since 1943. But after the 1985 election, they lost power. Even so, Mr. Wiseman was still re-elected easily.

In the 1987 election, he faced a tougher challenge from a Liberal candidate named Bob Pugh. This was in a newly changed area called Lanark—Renfrew. Mr. Wiseman won by 761 votes. He did not hold any special roles as a critic for the opposition party. He decided not to run for re-election in 1990.

Cabinet Positions Held