Sid Handleman
{{short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Sid Handleman
| image =
| caption =
| office = Ontario MPP
| term_start = 1971
| term_end = 1980
| predecessor = Bill Johnston
| successor = Bob Mitchell
| constituency = Carleton
| party = Progressive Conservative
| birth_date = {{birth date|1921|3|20}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|1988|6|23|1921|3|20}}
| death_place = Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| spouse = Ruth Grace
| children = 2
| residence = Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| occupation =
}}
Sidney Bernard Handleman (March 20, 1921 – June 23, 1988) was a Canadian politician who represented Carleton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1980 as a Progressive Conservative member.
Background
Handleman was born in Toronto in 1921 to Bernard Handleman and Esther White. He attended the London School of Economics and the University of Saskatchewan and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce.{{cite book |title=Canadian Parliamentary Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BgTwAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Handleman,+sidney+bernard%22 |editor1=Pierre G. Normandin |editor2=A. Léopold Normandin |date=1978 |page=790}} He married Ruth Grace. Together they lived in Ottawa, Ontario where they raised a son and a daughter.{{cite news |title=Sidney Handleman, minister in Davis cabinet |first=Alanna |last=Mitchell |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 28, 1988 |page=A20}}
Politics
In the 1971 provincial election, Handleman ran as the Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of Carleton beating Liberal candidate F. Marchington by 7,706 votes.{{cite news |title=Riding-by-riding returns in provincial election |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=October 23, 1971 |page=10}} In February 1974, Handleman was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Housing.{{cite news |title=The new cabinet lines up like this |last=Dunlop |first=Marilyn |newspaper=The Toronto Star |date=February 27, 1974 |page=A3}} However, on July 4 he suffered a heart attack and spent three weeks recovering in hospital.{{cite news |title=Handleman in hospital after heart attack |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=July 5, 1974 |page=5}}{{cite news |title=Handleman is released from hospital |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=July 27, 1974 |page=4}} In October, in order to reduce his workload, he was transferred from Housing to a Minister without portfolio.{{cite news |title=Irvine is sworn in as Housing Minister despite Handleman's reluctance to quit |last=Mosher |first=Peter |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=October 8, 1974 |page=5}} In July 1975, he was promoted back to full status as Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations.{{cite news |title=2 ministers plagued by recent illnesses to take on new Cabinet responsibilities |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=January 15, 1975 |page=31}}
In the 1975 election, he was re-elected but with a reduced margin of 676 votes{{cite news |title=Table of vote results for all Ontario ridings |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 19, 1975 |page=C12}} but increased his winning plurality in 1977 election.{{cite news |title=Ontario provincial election results riding by riding |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=June 10, 1977 |page=D9}}
In 1975 he gained some notoriety when he said that the year would be remembered as the "year of economic pillage and rape" due to the "unreasonable demands' of workers for wage increases".{{cite news |title=Handleman says 197S will go down as year of rape and pillage |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=May 29, 1975 |page=1}} He remained in his role as Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations until September 1977 when he resigned citing frustrations about working in cabinet under a minority government. He said, "I recognize the need for opposition. There also has to be a government that can make decisions and be accountable for it. There has to be strength in government."{{cite news |title=Handleman quits Cabinet post, cites minority-frustration |last=Williamson |first=Robert |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 1, 1977 |page=1}}
In February 1980, Handleman announced his retirement from politics. His retirement was effective April 15.{{cite news |title=Handleman resignation leaves open spring vote |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=February 22, 1980 |page=4}}
=Cabinet posts=
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Bill_Davis}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = John Clement
| post2 = Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations
| post2years = 1975–1977
| post2note =
| post2followed = Larry Grossman
| post1preceded = Bob Welch
| post1 = Minister of Housing
| post1years = 1974 (February–October)
| post1note =
| post1followed = Donald Irvine
}}
{{ministry box sub-cabinet posts
| post1preceded =
| post1 = Minister Without Portfolio
| post1years = 1974–1975
| post1note =
| post1followed =
}}
{{s-end}}
Later life
After he left politics he joined a consulting firm in Ottawa and became a political columnist for the Toronto Star. He died of a heart attack at age 67.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Ontario MPP biography|id=sidney-bernard-handleman}}
{{Davis Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Handleman, Sid}}
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario
Category:Politicians from Toronto
Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario