View source for Steve Owens (Canadian politician)

{{short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name         = Steve Owens
| image        =
| caption      =
| office       = [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Ontario MPP]]
| term_start   = 1990
| term_end     = 1995
| predecessor  = [[Cindy Nicholas]]
| successor    = [[Dan Newman]]
| constituency = [[Scarborough Centre (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough Centre]]
| party        = [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democrat]]
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1956|09|21}}
| birth_place  = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2016|07|08|1956|09|21}}
| death_place  = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
| spouse       = Joanne
| occupation   = Hospital worker, Union executive
| portfolio    = [[Minister without portfolio]], (1994-1995) Responsible for Education and Training
}}
'''Stephen David Owens''' (September 21, 1956 – July 8, 2016) was a politician from [[Ontario]], Canada. He was a [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic]] member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] from 1990 to 1995 who represented the [[Toronto]] riding of [[Scarborough Centre (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough Centre]]. He served as a [[cabinet minister]] in the government of [[Bob Rae]].
==Background==
Owens held a General Arts and Science Certificate, and worked as a hospital orderly at [[Toronto General Hospital]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web |title=Stephen David Owens 1956-2016 |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Deaths.20160709.93376752/BDAStory/BDA/deaths |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=July 9, 2016}}</ref> He served as president and vice-president of [[Canadian Union of Public Employees]] Local 2001, and was a member of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ontario's new government is made of social... |first1=David |last1=Pugliese |first2=Peter |last2=Hum |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |publisher=CanWest News |date=September 7, 1990 |page=1}}</ref>
==Politics==
In 1990, he ran as the [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] candidate in the [[1990 Ontario general election|1990 provincial election]], defeating [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] incumbent [[Cindy Nicholas]] by 4,162 votes in the riding of [[Scarborough Centre (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough Centre]].<ref name="1990results"/> The NDP won a majority government and Owens was appointed as [[parliamentary assistant]] to the [[Ministry of Correctional Services|Minister of Correctional Services]]. Later he served as a parliamentary assistant to the [[Ministry of Finance (Ontario)|Minister of Finance]].<ref>{{cite news |title=No friends of no-fault: Insurance plan faces enemies even in NDP ranks |newspaper=The Windsor Star |date=February 3, 1993 |page=A3}}</ref> On October 21, 1994, he was appointed as a [[Minister without portfolio]] responsible for [[Ministers without portfolio in Ontario, 1993–95|Education and Training]], serving as an assistant to [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Education Minister]] [[Dave Cooke]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rae rejigs duties of 3 veterans |newspaper=The Spectator |location=Hamilton, Ont |date=October 22, 1994 |page=A16}}</ref>
During his tenure as MPP he also served as party whip and caucus chair.<ref>{{cite news |title=Japanese investment flap overblown windbaggery |last=Coyle |first=Jim |newspaper=The Ottawa Citizen |date=May 29, 1991 |page=A5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Probability of provincial layoffs doesn't sit well in backbenches |newspaper=The Hamilton Spectator |date=April 1, 1993 |page=A8}}</ref>
The NDP were defeated in the [[1995 Ontario general election|1995 provincial election]], and Owens finished third against [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]] [[Dan Newman]] in his bid for re-election.<ref name="1995results"/> In 2003, he supported [[Bill Blaikie]] for the leadership of the federal [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]].
===Electoral record===
{{Canadian election result/top|ON|1990|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|'''Steve Owens'''| 13,401| 47.3|}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Cindy Nicholas| 9,239| 32.5}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Joe Trontadus| 5,713| 20.1|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 28,353|100.0 | | }}
{{Canadian election result/source|Toronto Star.<ref name="1990results">{{cite news |title=How Metro-Area Voted |newspaper=The Toronto Daily Star |date=1990-09-07 |location=Toronto |page=A10}}</ref>}}
{{end}}
{{Canadian election result/top|ON|1995|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|'''Dan Newman'''| 12,717| 45.87|}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Mary Ellen Pimblett| 7,163| 25.84|}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Steve Owens| 6,841| 24.67|}}
{{CANelec|ON|Independent|John Brereton| 649| 2.34|}}
{{CANelec|ON|Natural Law|Eleanor Hyodo| 349| 1.25|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 28,079|100.0 | | }}
{{Canadian election result/source|Elections Ontario.<ref name="1995results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=scarborough+centre&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=1995-06-08 |accessdate=2012-09-04}}</ref>}}
{{end}}
==After politics==
Owens worked for ACCES Employment Services finding professional work for new immigrants. He volunteered for the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] and in May 2016 was given an Ontario Volunteer Service Award.<ref name=obit/>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{OntarioMPPbio|id=stephen-david-owens}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Owens, Steve}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario]]
[[Category:Ontario New Democratic Party MPPs]]
[[Category:Politicians from Toronto]]
[[Category:Jewish Canadian politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]