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John Yakabuski

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John Yakabuski
Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
In office
November 5, 2018 – June 18, 2021
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byJeff Yurek
Succeeded byGreg Rickford
Minister of Transportation
In office
June 29, 2018 – November 5, 2018
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byKathryn McGarry
Succeeded byJeff Yurek
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Assumed office
October 2, 2003
Preceded bySean Conway
Personal details
Born (1957-06-14) June 14, 1957 (age 67)
Barry's Bay, Ontario
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpouseVicky
RelationsPaul Yakabuski (Father)
Children4
Residence(s)Barry's Bay, Ontario
ProfessionBusinessman, Real Estate Agent

John A. Yakabuski[1] (born June 14, 1957) is a Canadian politician who served as Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry from 2018 to 2021 in the Doug Ford cabinet. He is a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was elected in the eastern Ontario riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke in 2003. His father, Paul Yakabuski, was also a Tory Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the area from 1963 to 1987.

Background

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Yakabuski is a former real estate sales representative, and was for twenty years the owner and operator of Yakabuski's Home Hardware in Barry's Bay, Ontario. At the time of his election, he was a member of the steering committee of St. Francis Memorial Hospital's Capital Equipment Campaign. He is also active in the local Lutheran church. His late brother, Kim Yakabuski, was the life partner of former Liberal Attorney-General Ian Scott. His brother, Konrad Yakabuski, is a columnist for The Globe and Mail. He and his wife Vicky have four children.[2]

Politics

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Yakabuski was elected to the Barry's Bay municipal council in 1997, and was responsible for overseeing various issues concerning the region's amalgamation. He did not seek re-election in 2000.

Yakabuski was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 2003 provincial election, defeating Liberal Derek Nighbor by 595 votes.[3] This result was regarded by some as an upset, as it was the only formerly Liberal seat to be won by the Tories in an election that saw the Liberals elected to a strong majority government. Moreover, the seat had been held for many years by Liberal Sean Conway (Yakabuski's second cousin). Yakabuski won the election despite publicizing of his earlier convictions by the opposition press.[4]

In the 2007 provincial election, he was easily re-elected, defeating Liberal candidate Sean Kelly by over 15,000 votes.[5] He was re-elected in both the 2011 provincial election[6] and the 2014 provincial election.[7]

Yakabuski was the Labour and Training Critic in the Official Opposition and the Whip of the Official Opposition.[8] He ran for the position of interim leader of the party following the resignation of Tim Hudak but was passed over in favour of Jim Wilson.[9]

Yakabuski was appointed the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry in the Cabinet of Doug Ford.[10] He was dropped from cabinet in the 2021 reshuffle by Premier Doug Ford, and was appointed the Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Ontario.

Yakabuski was re-elected in the 2022 Ontario general election.[11][12] On June 29, 2002, Yakabuski was appointed the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Environment, Parks and Conservation.

Electoral record

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2022 Ontario general election: Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative John Yakabuski 24,563 61.12 −8.07 $37,426
New Democratic Kurt Stoll 6,872 17.10 +0.36 $29,868
Liberal Oliver A. Jacob 3,928 9.77 +0.02 $1,685
New Blue Thomas O'Connor 1,868 4.65   $8,416
Green Anna Dolan 1,470 3.66 +0.68 $455
Ontario Party Kade MacWilliams 1,162 2.89   $2,875
Confederation of Regions Murray Reid 325 0.81 +0.03 $642
Total valid votes/Expense limit 40,188 99.41 +0.47 $122,280
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 239 0.59 -0.47
Turnout 40,427 46.29 -13.45
Eligible voters 85,768
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −4.22
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023.
2018 Ontario general election: Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Yakabuski 33,350 69.19 +8.13
New Democratic Ethel Lavalley 8,066 16.73 +2.27
Liberal Jackie Agnew 4,701 9.75 -9.35
Green Anna Dolan 1,436 2.98 -0.25
Confederation of Regions Murray Reid 373 0.77 -0.42
Libertarian Jesse Wood 273 0.57
Total valid votes 48,199 100.00
Turnout 61.99
Eligible voters 77,758
Progressive Conservative hold Swing
Source: Elections Ontario[13]
2014 Ontario general election: Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Yakabuski 25,241 61.06 -9.72
Liberal Rod Boileau 7,897 19.10 +3.12
New Democratic Brian Dougherty 5,978 14.46 +3.49
Green Benjamin Wright 1,337 3.23 +1.76
Confederation of Regions Murray Reid 489 1.19 +0.40
Independent Chad Beckwith-Smith 392 0.95
Total valid votes 41,334 100.00
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -6.42
Source: Elections Ontario[14]
2011 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Yakabuski 27,594 70.78 +8.43
Liberal John O'Leary 6,231 15.98 -8.73
New Democratic Brian Dougherty 4,277 10.97 +3.38
Green Kyle Jones 574 1.47 -2.96
Confederation of Regions Murray Reid 309 0.79 +0.59
Total valid votes 38,985 100.0
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 107 0.27
Turnout 39,092 52.69
Eligible voters 74,191
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +8.58
Source: Elections Ontario[15]
2007 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Yakabuski 24,981 62.35 +18.21
Liberal Sean Kelly 9,902 24.71 -17.95
New Democratic Felicite Stairs 3,039 7.59 -4.07
Green Mark MacKenzie 1,773 4.43 +2.89
Family Coalition Bruce Dean 290 0.72  
Confederation of Regions Tilton Beaumont 80 0.20  
Total valid votes 40,065 100.0
2003 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative John Yakabuski 19,274 44.14 +3.76
Liberal Derek Nighbor 18,629 42.66 -10.69
New Democratic Felicite Stairs 5,092 11.66 +6.44
Green Chris Walker 671 1.54 +0.89
Total valid votes 43,666 100.0

Cabinet positions

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Ontario provincial government of Doug Ford
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
Jeff Yurek Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
November 5, 2018 – June 18, 2021
Greg Rickford
Kathryn McGarry Minister of Transportation
June 29, 2018 – November 5, 2018
Jeff Yurek

References

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  1. ^ @ONPARLeducation (13 July 2022). "Within the halls of the Legislature are walls that contain the names of every Member of Provincial Parliament elected to Ontario's Legislature since 1867. The names for the 42nd Parliament were recently added. For the first time a Member's name was inscribed in Oji-Cree syllabics" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Uhler, Stephen (9 May 2010). "MPP Yakabuski's son lost, found for Mother's Day". The Daily Observer. Pembroke, Ont.
  3. ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. 2 October 2003. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  4. ^ Singer, Zev; Beaty, Scott (3 October 2003). "Tense battle goes to Yakabuski". The Ottawa Citizen. p. F6.
  5. ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 10 October 2007. p. 12 (xxi). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 6 October 2011. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  7. ^ "General Election by District: Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke". Elections Ontario. 12 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014.
  8. ^ "PC Party of Ontario – for the People".
  9. ^ "Progressive Conservatives pick Jim Wilson as interim leader". Toronto Star. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  10. ^ "John Yakabuski | Legislative Assembly of Ontario".
  11. ^ "PC John Yakabuski is re-elected in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke". The Toronto Star. 2 June 2022. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  12. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ontario-election-2022-renfrew-nipissing-pembroke-results-1.6473591
  13. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  14. ^ Elections Ontario (2014). "General Election Results by District, 074 Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke". Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  15. ^ Elections Ontario (2011). "Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke" (PDF). Retrieved 2 June 2014.[permanent dead link]
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