Eddie Sargent

Edward Carson "Eddie" Sargent (April 11, 1915 – January 28, 1998) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1963 to 1987 who represented the central Ontario riding of Grey North and Grey-Bruce.

Eddie Sargent
Ontario MPP
In office 1967–1987
Preceded by	New riding
Succeeded by	Riding abolished
Constituency	Grey-Bruce
In office 1963–1967
Preceded by	Mac Phillips
Succeeded by	Riding abolished
Constituency	Grey North
Mayor of Owen Sound, Ontario
In office 1948–1963
Personal details
Born	April 11, 1915 Port Dover, Ontario
Died	January 28, 1998 (aged 82) Owen Sound, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Roma McLean (1940-1981)
Children	3
Profession	Businessman

Background

Sargent was born in Port Dover, and educated in Owen Sound. He was a publisher and sales executive, serving as president of Owen Sound Herald Press Ltd., Sargent Reality Co. Ltd. and Eddie Sargent Promotions Ltd. He married Roma McLean in 1940 and together they raised three daughters. His wife died of cancer in 1981.[1]

Politics

He campaigned for the Ontario legislature in the 1948 provincial election, and lost to Progressive Conservative Mac Phillips by 383 votes in Grey North.[2] He became mayor of Owen Sound in the same year, and held this position until 1963. In 1951, he served as president of the Ontario Mayors and Reeves Association.

Sargent campaigned for the legislature a second time in the 1955 provincial election, and again lost to Phillips.[3] He also campaigned for the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal candidate in the 1957 federal election, and lost in Grey North to Progressive Conservative candidate Percy Verner Noble.[4]

Mac Phillips did not contest the 1963 provincial election, and Sargent was elected over new Progressive Conservative candidate William Forsyth by 31 votes.[5] He campaigned for the party's leadership in 1964, and finished sixth out of seven candidates. The winner was Andrew Thompson, later a Canadian Senator.[6] Sargent was re-elected in the elections of 1967, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1981 and 1985 in the riding of Grey-Bruce.

Following the 1985 election, the Liberal Party ended forty-two years of Progressive Conservative rule in Ontario by forming a minority government with outside support from the New Democratic Party.[7] After serving on the opposition benches for twenty-two years, Sargent was able to end his career on the government side. He served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Tourism and Recreation, and did not seek re-election in 1987.[8]

Later life

In recognition of his public service, a 29 km. road in Owen Sound was renamed the Eddie Sargent Parkway. Sargent was married to Roma McLean (1918–1981) and he is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound, Ontario.[9] His daughter, Patti Belle Sargent wrote a book detailing the life and exploits of Eddie Sargent entitled "Roses in December: A Biography of Eddie Sargent".

References

1. Coyle, Jim (May 12, 1987). "'Decent, good-humored' MPP gets last laughs in Legislature". Toronto Star. p. F7.
2. Canadian Press (June 8, 1948). "How Ontario Electors Voted in all 90 Ridings". The Toronto Daily Star. Toronto. p. 24.
3. Canadian Press (June 10, 1955). "Complete Results of Ontario Voting by Constituencies". The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa. p. 4.
4. "Latest coast-to-coast results in Monday's Federal election". The Windsor Star. June 11, 1957. pp. 10–11. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
5. Canadian Press (September 26, 1963). "78 in Tory Blue Wave -- 23 Is All Grits Saved". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 25.
6. Fred Schindler (1965). John Saywell (ed.). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs for 1964. University of Toronto Press. pp. 115–116.
7. "Results of vote in Ontario election". The Globe and Mail. May 3, 1985. p. 13.
8. Maychak, Matt (May 12, 1987). "Retirements rejuvenate Ontario Tories Grossman says". Toronto Star. p. A10.
9. Owen Sound Tourism

External links

• Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history (archived)