History of Canadian First Ministers - Ontario

Ontario

Ontario has alternated between premiers from the Ontario Liberal Party and Ontario Progressive Conservative Party throughout its history, much like the federal level Liberals and Progressive Conservatives/Conservatives. Two premiers have been from other parties and served one term each: Ernest Drury of the United Farmers of Ontario in the 1920s and Bob Rae of the Ontario New Democratic Party in the early 1990s. Two premiers have served as premiers of coalition governments: its first premier John Sandfield Macdonald who led a hung parliament after the province's very first election, and David Peterson who led a joint Liberal-NDP coalition in the late 1980s. There are two occasions when one party has held power in Ontario for a considerable length of time, the Liberals for 25 years from 1871 to 1896, and the Conservatives for 42 years from 1943 to 1985. The province's longest-serving premier, Sir Oliver Mowat, was in office for 24 years, and during that time came into conflict with Sir John A. Macdonald several times over provincial rights. Mowat was usually victorious in these conflicts, and he was largely responsible for the present power held by provincial governments.