John White (Ontario politician)

John White was a Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in Ontario, Canada, and Member of Provincial Parliament for London South from 1959 to 1975. He served as provincial treasurer from January 1973 to January 1975.

In 1959, John White was nominated as the Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of London South, and was elected to the Ontario Legislative Assembly later that year, serving as a backbencher in the Leslie Frost Government.

Several years later, in May 1968, Premier John Robarts assigned White the job of Chairman of the Select Committee on Taxation, an assignment to review the large of number of tax reform recommendations coming from Lancelot Smith’s Committee on Taxation. The Smith Committee was established in 1962 as a parallel study group to Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s Royal Commission on Taxation. Reporting in September 1968, it was during this period that White developed a reputation as a policy innovator predisposed to social engineering. White helped to introduce new policy instruments such as tax rebates and tax credits, which had been initiated by the Smith Committee and recommended by his special legislative committee on tax reform.

White also prided himself as the defender of small business and capitalism. He had owned small businesses in London, Ontario, the Canadian Industrial Supply Company, and later the Canada Financial Leasing Company before entering provincial politics.

As Minister of Trade and Development then Minister of Industry and Tourism, White pressed his interest in small business by participating in the expansion of government services to small manufacturers. He also established twelve “exploratory policy groups” composed of private and public sector representatives, which he assigned to report on small business issues and the Ontario economy. Before White was able to act on their recommendations, in January 1973 Premier William Davis appointed him Treasurer.

As Treasurer, White promoted energy conservation, a controversial energy tax, and an assortment of "red tory" policies and programs before red toryism degenerated into minority fetishism and an excuse for big spending later in the 1980s -- prospects White would have abhorred.

As Chairman of Cabinet in 1975, White regularly turned back expansive government regulation-making of Ontario businesses by such Ministries as Consumer and Commercial Relations.

John White was a close confidant of Premier John Robarts and supported Bill Davis in his successful leadership bid to become Premier in 1971. White also served as:

* Minister of Colleges and Universities
* Minister of Tourism and Information

Preceded by: Charles MacNaughton

Treasurer of Ontario 1973-1975

Succeeded by: Darcy McKeough