Tony Grande

Tony Grande
Ontario MPP
In office
1975–1987
Preceded byNew riding
Succeeded byChaviva Hošek
ConstituencyOakwood
Personal details
Born(1943-01-11)January 11, 1943
Calabria, Italy
DiedAugust 9, 2006(2006-08-09) (aged 63)
Toronto, Ontario
PartyNew Democrat
SpouseHelen Schlanger
OccupationTeacher

Anthony William Grande (January 11, 1943 – August 9, 2006) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 1987, as a member of the New Democratic Party who represented the Toronto riding of Oakwood.

Background

Grande was born in Calabria, Italy, and moved to Canada with his family at age eleven. He was educated at the University of Toronto, Lakeshore Teachers College and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and worked as a teacher with the Toronto District School Board. Prior to his election, he was teacher liaison chair for the New Democratic Party.

In 1974 he married Helen Schlanger. They had three children: Aaron David (1977), Daniel Robert (1979) and Laura Simone (1983). He died of cancer on August 9, 2006, following a four-year illness.

Politics

Grande was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election, and re-elected in 1977, 1981 and 1985. He served as NDP education critic in the early 1980s, and was reassigned as critic for citizenship, culture and special issues of education in 1983.

Grande supported Bob Rae's successful campaign for the NDP leadership in 1982, and was subsequently asked to relinquish his seat to allow Rae to run for a position in the legislature. He declined, arguing that the local Italian community in his riding would be upset if he were forced to resign in favour of a non-Italian.

Grande was a strong advocate for multiculturalism and multicultural services during his time. He supported minority language rights in education, and in 1986 he introduced a Private Member's Bill that would have made it easier for students to be taught in languages other than English or French. The bill died on the order paper when a new election was called in 1987. Grande was also an advocate for labour, and successfully represented three workers from a North York, Ontario factory before the Ontario Labour Relations Board in 1979–80. He also supported the rights of tenants, and promoted legislation to permit persons over sixteen years of age to gain access to their medical records.

The Progressive Conservative Party, which had governed Ontario since 1943, was reduced to a minority government in the 1985 election. After the election, the NDP provided outside support to allow the Liberal Party to form a new administration. The Liberal government was still popular in office after two years, and won a landslide majority government in the 1987 election. Grande lost his seat to Liberal star candidate Chaviva Hošek, and worked as a health and safety officer after leaving office.

He campaigned for Mayor of York in 1988, describing the city's government as a "family compact" and promising to fight for an increased share of Metropolitan Toronto's tax base. He lost to moderate Tory candidate Fergy Brown.

Electoral record

1988 Toronto municipal election: Mayor of York
Candidate Votes%
Fergy Brown 21,493 58.74
Tony Grande 13,616 37.21
Mario Faraone 1,482 4.05
Total valid votes 36,591 100.00
1987 Ontario general election: Oakwood
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalChaviva Hošek11,19248.28+9.76
New DemocraticTony Grande9,86142.54+0.91
Progressive ConservativeIrene Paparo-Stein1,5736.79–11.76
CommunistGeoffrey da Silva5562.40+1.09
Total valid votes 23,18299.11
Total rejected ballots 2090.89–0.04
Turnout 23,39167.10–1.32
Eligible voters 34,860
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +4.42
Source: Elections Ontario
1985 Ontario general election: Oakwood
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticTony Grande10,40741.63–3.55
LiberalJoe Ricciuti9,63138.52+17.26
Progressive ConservativeHarriet Wolman4,63618.54–11.84
CommunistMike Sterling3271.31–1.87
Total valid votes 25,00199.06
Total rejected ballots 2360.94–0.27
Turnout 25,23768.42+12.41
Eligible voters 36,884
New Democratic hold Swing –10.40
Source: Elections Ontario
1981 Ontario general election: Oakwood
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticTony Grande8,86245.17+1.69$12,929
Progressive ConservativeHarriet Wolman5,96130.39+0.28$24,885
LiberalKamala Jean Gopie4,17121.26–2.55$14,485
CommunistNancy (Nan) McDonald6243.18+2.10$1,122
Total valid votes 19,61898.79
Total rejected ballots 2401.21+0.22
Turnout 19,85856.01–8.79
Eligible voters 35,453
New Democratic hold Swing +0.70
Source: Elections Ontario
1977 Ontario general election: Oakwood
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticTony Grande9,21443.48+4.23$14,076
Progressive ConservativeFergy Brown6,37930.10+5.47$23,388
LiberalRichard Meagher5,04623.81–7.90$21,168
CommunistVal Bjarnason2291.08–0.36$1,920
IndependentWillis Cummins1700.80–$224
LibertarianAlex W. Eaglesham1530.72–$0
Total valid votes 21,19199.01
Total rejected ballots 2120.99–0.00
Turnout 21,40364.80+5.34
Eligible voters 33,027
New Democratic hold Swing –0.62
Source: Elections Ontario
1975 Ontario general election: Oakwood
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticTony Grande7,38839.25
LiberalRichard Meagher5,97031.71
Progressive ConservativeJoseph Marrese4,63724.63
IndependentMarvin Gordon5582.96
CommunistVal Bjarnason2711.44
Total valid votes 18,82499.01
Total rejected ballots 1890.99
Turnout 19,01359.46
Eligible voters 31,975
New Democratic pickup new district.
Source: Elections Ontario

All provincial election information is taken from Elections Ontario.

References

  1. ↑ Trueman, Mary (November 22, 1975). "New Democrat focuses on immigration". The Globe and Mail. p. 5.
  2. ↑ "123 candidates seeking Metro's 29 seats". Toronto Star. September 12, 1975. p. A8.
  3. ↑ Matas, Robert (January 12, 1982). "Ontario private schools given tax break". The Globe and Mail. p. P5.
  4. ↑ "NDP member to study poverty". The Globe and Mail. September 20, 1983. p. P5.
  5. ↑ Steed, Judy (February 2, 1982). "The NDP's optimistic scramble for a high-profile winner". The Globe and Mail. p. P7.
  6. ↑ Stead, Sylvia (June 23, 1982). "MPPs sitting tight as Rae searches for place to run". The Globe and Mail. p. P5.
  7. ↑ Dowd, Eric (January 25, 2005). "Perhaps Ticketmaster could find Tory a seat". Guelph Mercury. p. A8.
  8. ↑ Trueman, Mary (November 22, 1975). "New Democrat focuses on immigration". The Globe and Mail. p. 5.
  9. ↑ Brown, Louise (February 2, 1987). "Battle looms over language in our schools". Toronto Star. p. A14.
  10. ↑ Strauss, Stephen (February 5, 1980). "Don't want jobs back for spite, 2 dismissed workers tell board". The Globe and Mail. p. P5.
  11. ↑ "Three women win 2-year fight to be rehired by toy company". The Globe and Mail. March 28, 1980. p. P3.
  12. ↑ Lesjak, Susan (April 17, 1986). "Vaughan Road tenants fight eviction notices". The Globe and Mail. p. A15.
  13. ↑ Lipovenko, Dorothy (November 8, 1984). "Bill would open files for patients". The Globe and Mail. p. M5.
  14. ↑ "Results from individual ridings". The Windsor Star. September 11, 1987. p. F2.
  15. ↑ Henton, Darcy (November 7, 1988). "Close race shapes up in smallest city". Toronto Star. p. A6.
  16. ↑ Taylor, Paul (September 9, 1988). "York dying of neglect, says Grande in launching bid to be next mayor". The Globe and Mail. p. A15.
  17. ↑ Watson, Paul; Byers, Jim (November 10, 1988). "Dumping cover-up alleged". Toronto Star. p. A7.
  18. ↑ "1987 General Election - Data Explorer". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 11, 2026.
  19. ↑ Ontario. Chief Election Officer (1987). 1986 By-Elections / 1987 General Election: Election Returns with Statistics from the Records (Report). Elections Ontario. ISSN 0847-3927.
  20. ↑ "1985 General Election - Data Explorer". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 11, 2026.
  21. ↑ Ontario. Chief Election Officer (1985). 1982, 1983, 1984 By-Elections / 1985 General Election: Election Returns with Statistics from the Records (Report). Elections Ontario. ISSN 0847-3927.
  22. ↑ Canadian Press (1985-05-03). "The night the Tories tumbled; riding by riding results". Ottawa Citizen. Toronto. p. 43. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
  23. ↑ "1981 General Election - Data Explorer". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 11, 2026.
  24. ↑ Ontario. Chief Election Officer (1981). 1978, 1979, 1980 By-Elections / 1981 General Election: Election Returns with Statistics from the Records (Report). Elections Ontario. ISSN 0847-3927.
  25. ↑ Canadian Press (1981-03-20). "Election results for Metro Toronto ridings". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 22. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
  26. ↑ "1977 General Election - Data Explorer". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 11, 2026.
  27. ↑ Ontario. Chief Election Officer (1977). 1977 General Election: Election Returns with Statistics from the Records (Report). Elections Ontario. ISSN 0847-3927.
  28. ↑ Canadian Press (1977-06-10). "How they voted in Metro area". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. p. A10.
  29. ↑ "1975 General Election - Data Explorer". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 11, 2026.
  30. ↑ Ontario. Chief Election Officer (1975). 1973, 1974 By-Elections / 1975 General Election: Election Returns with Statistics from the Records (Report). Elections Ontario. ISSN 0847-3927.
  31. ↑ Canadian Press (1975-09-19). "Results from the 29 ridings in Metro". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. p. A18.