Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership conventions, 1985

In 1985, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party held two leadership conventions: one in January, and one in November.

The January Convention

The January convention was held in Toronto to choose a replacement for William Davis, who had served as Ontario PC leader and Premier of the province of Ontario since 1971. Davis had been expected to call an election to seek a further mandate from the voters, but surprised pundits by retiring from political life instead.

Four of Davis's cabinet ministers announced their intentions to seek the leadership: Frank Miller, Dennis Timbrell, Larry Grossman, and Roy McMurtry. Grossman and McMurtry were considered to be Red Tories who would continue in the tradition of moderate government maintained by Davis and his predecessor as leader and premier, John Robarts. Miller was supported by the right wing of the party, who believed that he would take a more aggressive approach to reducing the size of the provincial government. Timbrell was viewed as being a centrist.

The voters at the convention consisted of delegates elected from PC riding association, delegates elected from other PC associations such as those for women, campuses, youth and business groups, as well as ex officio delegates such as party members who held elected office, and members of the party's executive bodies.

On the first ballot, Miller held a significant lead, followed by Timbrell, Grossman, and then McMurtry. McMurtry won significantly more votes than had been expected, but still placed last. McMurtry was dropped from the ballot, and his organization threw its support behind Grossman. This enabled Grossman to win second place on the second ballot, a scant six votes ahead of Timbrell. While McMurtry's vote had rallied to Grossman, Timbrell's supporters were more divided on the third and final ballot, and enough of them voted for Miller to enable him to win the convention.

January 1985 Progressive Conservative leadership convention results

(Held in Toronto on January 26, 1985.)

First ballot:

*MILLER, Frank 591
*TIMBRELL, Dennis 421
*GROSSMAN, Larry 378
*MCMURTRY, Roy 300

Second ballot (McMurtry supports Grossman):

*MILLER, Frank 659
*GROSSMAN, Larry 514
*TIMBRELL, Dennis 508

(Note: These figures were confirmed by a recount.)

Third ballot (Timbrell supports Grossman):

*MILLER, Frank 869
*GROSSMAN, Larry 792

The November Convention

Following the party's poor showing in the 1985 election, the party lost power. Although the Tories had won the largest number of seats in the Ontario Legislative Assembly, the Ontario Liberal Party gained the support of the third party, the Ontario New Democratic Party, and formed the government, putting the Conservatives into opposition for the first time in 44 years. Miller resigned as leader, and a new convention was called, to be held again in Toronto.

Timbrell and Grossman announced their intentions to run, along with Alan Pope, who had been Minister of Natural Resources in the Davis government. This time, Grossman had a clear lead going into the convention. Pope was dropped after the first ballot, and Grossman a narrow victory on the second ballot.

November 1985 Progressive Conservative leadership convention results

(Held in Toronto on November 16, 1985.)

First ballot:

*GROSSMAN, Larry 752
*TIMBRELL, Dennis 661
*POPE, Alan 271

Second ballot:

*GROSSMAN, Larry 848
*TIMBRELL, Dennis 829

ee also

* 2002 Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership election
* 2004 Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership election
* Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions