Michael A. Brown, the former Algoma-Manitoulin MPP and the former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, has died. He was 74.
Elected in 1987 as a Liberal, Brown held the riding of Algoma-Manitoulin until 2011 when he was defeated by then NDP and current independent MPP, Michael Mantha.
He served as Speaker from October, 2005 to October, 2007.
Brown worked as a funeral director before seeking office. Prior to relocating to Cookston, he resided in Kagawong and was a member of the Manitoulin Planning Board, and served as president of the Manitoulin Island Country Club
He managed to hold the Algoma-Manitoulin riding through the rise of the New Democrats under Bob Rae, and through the Mike Harris years in the 1990s when the surging Conservatives staged their Common Sense Revolution.
Brown served as Deputy Speaker from 2000 to 2001. Two years later, the Liberals won a majority government and Brown was re-elected, though with a reduced majority.
That same year, 2003, he was named parliamentary assistant to David Ramsay, the then minister of Natural Resources.
Brown was elected speaker of the 38th Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 2005. He stood for re-election as speaker in 2007, but was defeated by fellow Liberal Steve Peters.
In the 2011 provincial election, he lost the Algoma-Manitoulin seat to then-NDP candidate Michael Mantha by nearly 4,000 votes.
Brown is survived by his wife, Wendy Ground; her sons Michael, Matthew (Mandy), Scott and Stephen (Nancy); her grandchildren Avery, Rachel, Colton and Wyatt; his daughters Jennifer Fessey (Steve), Amy Beard (Anthony), Michelle Becks (Paul) and Paula McFadden (Kyle), and; his grandchildren MacKenzie, Taylor, Graeme, Emma, Chloe and Cole.
He is also survived by his sisters Ruth-Anne (Willi) and Susan (Mike), and predeceased by his brothers Daniel and baby Allen.
A funeral service was scheduled for St. John’’s Anglican Church in Cookstown on Sept. 25. Private family interment at a later date. Donations in his memory can be made to Matthew’s House Hospice in Alliston.