Ian Deans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian Deans
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| Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain |
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| In office 1980–1986 |
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| Preceded by | Duncan Beattie |
| Succeeded by | Marion Dewar |
| Ontario MPP | |
| In office 1967–1979 |
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| Preceded by | Don Ewen |
| Succeeded by | Colin Isaacs |
| Constituency | Wentworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 16, 1937 Kilmarnock, Scotland |
| Died | May 3, 2016 (aged 78) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Spouse | Diane Deans (div.) |
| Occupation | Firefighter, draftsman |
Ian Deans (born August 16, 1937 – died May 3, 2016) was an important Canadian politician. He was a member of the New Democratic Party. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Ontario's provincial government) from 1967 to 1979. Later, he was a member of the House of Commons of Canada (Canada's federal government) from 1980 to 1986.
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Ian Deans: A Canadian Politician
Early Life and Career
Ian Deans was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland. When he was young, he moved to Canada. He started his career as a firefighter.
He met his wife, Diane, while she worked on Parliament Hill. Ian helped her begin her own political journey as a city councillor in Ottawa. They were married for 22 years. After their marriage ended, Ian moved back to the Hamilton area.
Ian Deans passed away in Hamilton, Ontario, on May 3, 2016. He was 78 years old.
His Time in Politics
Provincial Politics in Ontario
Ian Deans was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1967. He became a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the Hamilton area, representing the riding of Wentworth. He was part of the Ontario New Democratic Party.
In 1970, Ian Deans supported a plan to remove a group called "The Waffle" from the party. This group had its own rules and ideas, which Deans felt made them act like a separate political group. The plan passed in 1972.
Also in 1970, Deans supported Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's use of the War Measures Act. This happened during a time of crisis in Quebec, known as the FLQ Crisis. Many of his party colleagues did not agree with this decision.
In 1978, he ran to become the leader of the Ontario NDP. His earlier support for the War Measures Act became a big topic. He later said he was wrong to support it and regretted his decision. He was expected to win but lost by a small number of votes. He left the provincial legislature the next year.
Federal Politics in Canada
After leaving provincial politics, Ian Deans moved to federal politics. In the 1980 Canadian federal election, he won a seat in the House of Commons of Canada. He represented the riding of Hamilton Mountain.
He served as the House Leader for the New Democratic Party. This role involves managing the party's business in the House of Commons. He took on this role officially after the 1984 Canadian federal election.
In 1986, he surprised many by leaving Parliament. He accepted a new job from Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He became the head of the Public Service Staff Relations Board. He held this important position for 10 years.
In 2007, Ian Deans thought about returning to politics. He was chosen as the federal NDP candidate for the Brant area. However, he had to withdraw from the race because he developed Parkinson's disease.
Municipal Politics in Hamilton
In 2010, Ian Deans considered running for mayor of Hamilton. He felt the city council was not doing a good job. On September 2, 2010, he announced he would run for mayor in the 2010 Hamilton municipal election.
However, at the last minute, he changed his mind. He decided to run for Ward 2 (Downtown) Councillor instead. He was one of 20 candidates. Ian Deans finished in eighth place in that election.
