Michael Gravelle
{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1949)}}
{{for|the adoptive parent convicted of child abuse|Michael and Sharen Gravelle}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox MLA
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Michael Gravelle
| image = Michael Gravelle 2015.jpg
| caption = Gravelle in 2015
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|01|23}}
| birth_place = Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada
| residence =
| honorific-suffix = MPP
| parliament1 = Ontario Provincial
| term_start1 = June 8, 1995
| term_end1 = May 3, 2022
| predecessor1 = Shelley Wark-Martyn
| successor1 = Lise Vaugeois
| riding1 = Thunder Bay—Superior North
Port Arthur (1995–1999)
| party = Liberal
| occupation = Executive assistant, publicist
}}
Michael Gravelle (born January 23, 1949) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who represented the riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North from 1995 to 2022 (known as Port Arthur from 1995 to 1999). He served as a member of cabinet during the Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne governments.
Background
Gravelle was born in Port Arthur, which is now a part of Thunder Bay, the son of Edmund Gravelle and Jan Shepherd.{{cite book |title=Canadian Parliamentary Guide 2005 |year=2005 |last=O'Handley |first=Kathryn |isbn=1-4144-0141-8}} He was educated at the Port Arthur Collegiate Institute and Lakehead University, receiving a degree from the latter institution 1968. He was an assistant to Liberal politicians Robert Andras, Stuart Smith and Joe Comuzzi. He also worked as a publicist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and was a founder of the North of Superior Film Association.
Politics
Gravelle was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial election, defeating incumbent New Democrat Shelley Wark-Martyn by almost 7,000 votes in the riding of Port Arthur.{{cite web |url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=port+arthur&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 8, 1995 |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316080249/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=port+arthur&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=March 16, 2014 }} The election was won by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, and Gravelle joined 29 other Liberals in the opposition benches. He supported Dwight Duncan for the party leadership in 1996.
Gravelle was easily re-elected for the new riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North in the 1999 provincial election.{{cite web |url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=Thunder Bay-Superior+North&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 3, 1999 |access-date=2014-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819082720/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=Thunder |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
In the provincial election of 2003, Gravelle was re-elected with 72.5 per cent of the popular vote, the highest percentage total in the province.{{cite web |url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=Thunder Bay-Superior+North&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 2, 2003 |access-date=2014-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084751/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=Thunder |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} He was appointed caucus chair on November 25, 2003. In the 2007 election, he was returned by a much narrower margin, 46.8 to 38.3, against New Democrat candidate Jim Foulds.{{cite web|url=http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007160233/http://www.elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2009 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-02 |page=15 (xxiv) }}
On October 30, 2007, Gravelle was named Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines.{{cite news |title=Premier goes for new blood; Expanded 28-member cabinet has eight ministers from Toronto, three from 905 area |last1=Ferguson |first1=Rob |last2=Benzie |first2=Robert |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=October 31, 2007 |page=A13}} In the summer of 2009, Gravelle's ministry was expanded, adding on the responsibility of forestry. In 2011 he was shuffled to the position of Minister of Natural Resources. In February 2013, Kathleen Wynne moved him back to the position of Minister of Northern Development and Mines.{{cite news |title=Ontario's new cabinet |newspaper=Waterloo Region Record |location=Kitchener, Ont |date=February 12, 2013 |page=A3}} He was reconfirmed in that role after the 2014 election.{{cite news |title=Kathleen Wynne warns financial cupboard is bare |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2014/06/24/ontario_premier_kathleen_wynnes_new_cabinet_unveiled.html |author1=Richard Brennan |author2=Robert Benzie |author3=Rob Ferguson |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 24, 2014}}
He was re-elected in 2011,{{cite web|url=http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/7849B894-4C4F-490E-9E8C-271BCF0C0D4D/5712/SummaryofvalidvotescastforeacndGE2011.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330163815/http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/7849B894-4C4F-490E-9E8C-271BCF0C0D4D/5712/SummaryofvalidvotescastforeacndGE2011.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 30, 2013 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 6, 2011 |access-date=2014-03-02 |page=17 }} and 2014.{{cite web |title=General Election by District: Thunder Bay-Superior North |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 12, 2014 |url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=091 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614003100/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=091 |archive-date=June 14, 2014 }}
In February 2017, Gravelle temporarily stepped aside as minister because of his battle with depression; his duties were taken up by fellow cabinet minister Bill Mauro.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/gravelle-steps-down-depression-1.3980557|title=Michael Gravelle steps away from cabinet post, cites year-long battle with depression|date=February 13, 2017|newspaper=CBC News|access-date=February 13, 2017|language=en-CA}}
The Liberals were heavily defeated at the 2018 provincial election, and Gravelle was left as the only Liberal MPP in Northern Ontario.
In 2020, Gravelle announced that he would be seeking re-election,{{cite news |title=Gravelle intends to run for re-election |url=https://www.chroniclejournal.com/news/local/gravelle-intends-to-run-for-re-election/article_90fd8846-14dd-11eb-b094-7b5cea5809b9.html |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=The Chronicle-Journal |date=9 November 2020}} however, in April 2022 he announced that his previous cancer had returned,{{cite news |last1=Rinne |first1=Gary |title=Michael Gravelle fights a new battle with cancer |url=https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/michael-gravelle-fights-a-new-battle-with-cancer-5234721 |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=TBNewsWatch.com |date=5 April 2022}} and later that month said that he was not able to run for re-election.{{cite news |title=Long-serving Thunder Bay MPP Michael Gravelle not seeking re-election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/michael-gravelle-re-election-1.6430520 |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=CBC News |date=25 April 2022}}
=Cabinet positions=
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Kathleen_Wynne}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post1preceded = Rick Bartolucci
| post1 = Minister of Northern Development and Mines
| post1years = 2013–2018
| post1note =
| post1followed = Greg Rickford
}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Dalton_McGuinty}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = Linda Jeffrey
| post2 = Minister of Natural Resources
| post2years = 2011–2013
| post2note =
| post2followed = David Orazietti
| post1preceded = Rick Bartolucci
| post1 = Minister of Northern Development and Mines
| post1years = 2007–2011
| post1note =
| post1followed = Rick Bartolucci
}}
{{s-end}}
=Electoral record=
{{CANelec/top|ON|2018|Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district)|Thunder Bay—Superior North|percent=yes|change=yes|prelim=no}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle|11,973|39.86|-16.14}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Lise Vaugeois|11,160|37.16|+7.74}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Derek Parks|5,395|17.96|+10.79}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Amanda Moddejonge|838|2.79|-0.8}}
{{CANelec|ON|Northern Ontario|Andy Wolff|376|1.25|+0.76}}
{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Tony Gallo|148|0.49|-2.84}}
{{CANelec|ON|Trillium|Louise Ewen|145|0.48|}}
{{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|30,035|100.0 }}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout||55.0|}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|54,627}}
{{CANelec/hold|ON|Liberal|-11.93}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2018/results/officialresults-yellowbook/votescastbycandidate/pdf/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate%20-%202018%20Provincial%20General%20Election.pdf|title=Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate|page=11|publisher=Elections Ontario|access-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228175029/https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2018/results/officialresults-yellowbook/votescastbycandidate/pdf/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate%20-%202018%20Provincial%20General%20Election.pdf|archive-date=28 December 2018|url-status=dead}}}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|ON |2014 |Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district) |Thunder Bay—Superior North|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle|15,503|56.00|+11.00}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Andrew Foulds|8,144|29.42|-5.43}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Derek Parks|1,985|7.17|-10.34}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Joseph LeBlanc|993|3.59|+1.47}}
{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Tamara Johnson|922|3.33|+2.82}}
{{CANelec|ON|Northern Ontario Heritage|Paul Sloan|136|0.49|}}
{{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|27,683|100.00}}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|262|0.94}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|27,945|50.41}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|55,436}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=091|date=2014|author=Elections Ontario|title=General Election Results by District, 091 Thunder Bay-Superior North|access-date=13 June 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614003100/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=091|archive-date=14 June 2014}}}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|ON |2011 |Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district) |Thunder Bay—Superior North|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle | 11,765| 45.00| -1.78}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Steve Mantis| 9,111| 34.85| -3.41}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Anthony LeBlanc| 4,578| 17.51| +8.11}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Scot Kyle | 555| 2.12| -3.43}}
{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Tony Gallo | 133| 0.51| }}
{{CANelec/total|Total valid votes| 26,142|100.0}}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|97|0.37}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|26,239|48.20}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|54,443}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=http://www.wemakevotingeasy.ca/media/EO_Site/official_GE/ED091-F0244.pdf|author=Elections Ontario|date=2011|title=Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Thunder Bay—Superior North|access-date=1 June 2014}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|ON |2007 |Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district) |Thunder Bay—Superior North|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle| 13,373| 46.78| -25.28}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Jim Foulds| 10,938| 38.26| +23.32}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Scott Hobbs| 2,688| 9.40| -0.16}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Dawn Kannegiesser| 1,586| 5.55| +2.11}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 28,585| 100.0 | | }}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|169|0.59}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|28,754|53.91}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|53,341}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|ON |2003 |Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district) |Thunder Bay—Superior North|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle| 21,938| 72.45| +11.55}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Bonnie Satten| 4,548| 15.02| -3.53}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Brent Sylvester| 2,912| 9.62| -8.36}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Carl Rose| 882| 2.91| +1.70}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|30,280 | 100.00| | }}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|160|0.53}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|30,440|55.60}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|54,753}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/district/default.jsp?e_code=0&rec=19604&district=thunder%20bay&rec-page=10&flag=E&layout=Gf|author=Elections Ontario|date=2003|title=Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Thunder Bay—Superior North|access-date=1 June 2014}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|ON |1999 |Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district) |Thunder Bay—Superior North|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle| 19,249| 60.9| +11.98}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Nathalie Galesloot | 5,864| 18.55| -7.11}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Ed Linkewich | 5,683| 17.98| -4.47}}
{{CANelec|CA|Independent|Robert Woito | 431| 1.36| }}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Carl Rose| 382| 1.21| }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 31,609| 100.00| | }}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|232|0.73}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|31,841|54.94}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|57,961}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/district/default.jsp?e_code=0&rec=18169&district=thunder%20bay&rec-page=10&flag=E&layout=G|author=Elections Ontario|date=1999|title=Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Thunder Bay—Superior North|access-date=1 June 2014}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}}}
{{end}}
{{CANelec/top|ON |1995 |Port Arthur (provincial electoral district) |Port Arthur|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Michael Gravelle|14,281| 48.92| +9.76}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|(x)Shelley Wark-Martyn |7,490| 25.66| -17.22}}
{{CANelec|ON|Progressive Conservatives|Jim Doherty |6,554| 22.45| +8.59}}
{{CANelec|ON|Family Coalition|Anita Harris|683| 2.34| -1.76}}
{{CANelec|ON|Independent|Paul Weber|18| 0.62| }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 29,190| 100.00| | }}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|322|1.09}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|29,512|61.91}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|47,672}}
{{end}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.michaelgravelle.ca/}}
- {{Ontario MPP biography2|Michael-Gravelle}}
{{Wynne Ministry}}
{{McGuinty Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gravelle, Michael}}
Category:Franco-Ontarian people
Category:Lakehead University alumni
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario
Category:Ontario Liberal Party MPPs
Category:Politicians from Thunder Bay
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario