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Michael A. Brown




Michael A. (Mike) Brown (born April 18 , 1950 in Sarnia , Ontario ) is a Politician in Ontario , Canada and the current Speaker Of The Legislative Assembly Of Ontario . He sits in the Ontario Legislature representing the northern Riding of Algoma—Manitoulin for the Ontario Liberal Party .

Brown was educated at the University Of Western Ontario and Humber College , and worked as a funeral director before entering public life. He is a former member of the Manitoulin Planning Board, and is a Past President of the Manitoulin Island Country Club.

Brown was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the Provincial Election Of 1987 , defeating New Democrat Ron Boucher and Progressive Conservative Ben Wilson . The Algoma—Manitoulin riding had been held by the Progressive Conservatives for several years; Brown's victory was part of a larger trend towards the Liberal Party in northern Ontario. He was not appointed to the Cabinet of David Peterson .

The Liberals were defeated by the NDP in the Provincial Election Of 1990 . Most ridings in northern Ontario were won by the NDP, and Brown was only able to defeat NDP candidate Lois Miller by 207 votes. He was re-elected by a larger margin in the Provincial Election Of 1995 , which was won by the Progressive Conservatives. In 1996 , he endorsed Dwight Duncan 's bid to lead the Ontario Liberal Party (''Windsor Star'', 26 June 1996)

In 1996 , the Tory government of Mike Harris introduced a measure to reduce the number of ridings in the province from 130 to 103. Brown's constituency of Algoma—Manitoulin was joined with the neighbouring constituency of Algoma to create a much larger riding bearing the Algoma--Manitoulin name. He faced New Democrat Lynn Watson and Progressive Conservative Keith Currie in the Election Of 1999 . Although Currie actually received a plurality of votes in the old Algoma riding, Brown's dominance over the eastern corner of the constituency was such that he was able to win re-election without difficulty. The Tories again won the election; Brown served as Deputy Speaker from 2000 to 2001 .

The Liberals won a majority government in the Provincial Election Of 2003 , although Brown was actually re-elected with a reduced majority over New Democrat Peter Denley . On October 23 , 2003 , he was named Parliamentary Assistant to David Ramsay , the Ontario Minister Of Natural Resources . He was elected Speaker of the legislature on October 11 , 2005 , defeating Tory Ted Arnott in a two-way contest. The vacancy in the position was caused when Alvin Curling was named Ambassador to the Dominican Republic .

  Before Alvin Curling
  Title Speaker Of The <br>Ontario Legislature
  Years 2005 &ndash


  Before John Gordon Lane
  Title Member Of Provincial Parliament For<br> Algoma&mdashManitoulin
  Years 1987 &ndash