Ron Johnson (Canadian politician)

Johnson was born in Brantford, and was educated at the Brantford Collegiate Institute, Lambton College, McMaster University, and the Transport Canada Training Institution. Prior to his election, he was the editor of a weekly community newspaper called Brant News. During the 1993 federal election, he and other community newspaper representatives took part in a roundtable discussion with Prime Minister Kim Campbell.James Elliott, "The public pulse can be measured in doughnut shop", Hamilton Spectator, 12 October 1993, B3.

Johnson was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial election, defeating former Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Dave Neumann. New Democratic Party incumbent Brad Ward finished third.{{cite web |url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=brantford&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 8, 1995 |accessdate=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423040428/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=brantford&flag=E&layout=G |archivedate=April 23, 2014 }} The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in this election under the leadership Mike Harris, and Johnson entered the legislature as a government backbencher. He lobbied in support of completing Highway 403 during his first year in office.{{cite news |first=Michelle |last=Ruby |title=Homeowners end battle to block Highway 403 link |newspaper=Hamilton Spectator |date=March 27, 1996 |page=B2}}

Johnson considered voting against the Harris government's Bill 152 in 1997. This bill transferred the cost of social services from the province to municipalities, and Johnson expressed concern that it could result in higher property taxes for Brantford residents. He later announced that he would likely support the bill due to its amendment, after a meeting with senior cabinet ministers.{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Nolan |title=Harris shrugs at hint of revolt: Backbench flak all in the 'family' |newspaper=Hamilton Spectator |date=November 20, 1997 |page=D7}}{{cite news |title=Tories make $670-million change to plans |newspaper=Kitchener-Waterloo Record |date=November 26, 1997 |page=A5}}

Johnson did not play a major role in the legislature and was often criticized for his absences. A 1998 newspaper report described him as "among the worst attendees in the legislature," and other Progressive Conservative MPPs openly teased him for his record.{{cite news |first=Carolyn |last=Abraham |title=Hampton's expenses total $96,647: Travel, accommodation responsible for major increase in costs |newspaper=Hamilton Spectator |date=June 26, 1997 |page=C3}}{{cite news |first1=Richard |last1=Brennan |first2=Richard |last2=Foot |title=Big spenders grilled over expense bills |newspaper=Hamilton Spectator |date=June 26, 1998 |page=C4}} He was dropped from all legislative committees in 1997, and his office was relocated to a basement corner.{{cite news |first1=Richard |last1=Brennan |first2=Richard |last2=Foot |title=Grilling over travel expenses leaves Hampton visibly upset |newspaper=Kitchener-Waterloo Record |date=June 26, 1998 |page=A4}} There was little surprise when he chose not to run in the 1999 provincial election.

The Brantford Expositor ran a scathing editorial about Johnson in June 1999, stating there was "no way [he] could win re-election because he simply had not done the job." The paper's editor accused Johnson of ignoring the concerns of his constituents and spending more time on golf courses than in the legislature, adding that it was "galling" to learn he would collect $39,000 in severance pay.{{cite news |title=An unearned severance [editorial] |newspaper=Brantford Expositor |date=June 12, 1999 |page=A12}}

He supported Chris Stockwell's bid to lead the Ontario Progressive Conservatives in the party's 2002 leadership contest, which was called after Mike Harris's retirement.{{cite news |first=Michael-Allen |last=Marion |title=Area Tories all ready to pick a new premier |newspaper=Brantford Expositor |date=March 21, 2002 |page=A3}} He later backed Frank Klees's bid to lead the party in 2004, and supported Tim Hudak in 2009.{{cite news |title=Hudak's momentum on voting day will lead to victory |work=Tim Hudak leadership campaign press release |date=June 24, 2009}}

Johnson supported an alliance between the centre-right Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the more right-wing Reform Party of Canada in the mid-1990s. He attended a 1996 meeting in Calgary that called for a formal alliance of the parties,{{cite news |first=David |last=Steinhart |title=Tory-Reform merger idea called a joke by Charest: But Conservative executive member says proposal will pass |newspaper=Hamilton Spectator |date=May 28, 1996 |page=A2}} and indicated that he contributed money to both parties in the 1997 federal election.{{cite news |first=Derek |last=Ferguson |title=Charest shrugs off Manning speech |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=August 29, 1997 |page=A10}} He was the co-chair of a planned conference for Ontario's Young Progressive Conservatives (YPCs) in 1993, and in this capacity invited Reform Party leader Preston Manning to speak to the delegates. This idea was rejected by the YPC leadership, which postponed the conference and removed Johnson from his position.{{cite news |title=Feud with Reform wipes out convention of young Tories |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=September 5, 1997 |page=A14}}{{cite news |title=PC meeting stalled to stop Manning appearance |newspaper=Kitchener-Waterloo Standard |date=September 6, 1997 |page=B5}}

After standing down from the legislature, Johnson was hired as director corporate development for a pharmaceutical company in Toronto.{{cite news |title=Ron Johnson has new job |newspaper=Brantford Expositor |date=June 4, 1999 |page=A3}}

{{1995 Ontario general election/Brantford}}

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Category:1966 births

Category:Living people

Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs

Category:Politicians from Brantford

Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario