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1979-1991 (Creation)
- Creator
- Johnston, Richard
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2 m of textual records
22 photographs : multiple processes
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Biographical history
Richard Johnston was born August 8, 1946 in Pembroke, Ontario. He was raised near Peterborough, Ontario and educated at Trent University, where he worked as an administrator and counsellor after earning his Bachelor of Arts in History and English. He later became a community worker and administrator, specializing in the problems of the elderly. He also worked as an organizer for former NDP leader Stephen Lewis, and ran for the party leadership in 1982, finishing second to Bob Rae. He served as chair of the NDP caucus, and chair of the Legislature's Social Development Committee. He also participated in select committees on the constitution, health care and education. He represented Scarborough West from 1979 to 1990, serving his last three years as the New Democratic Party's critic on education; colleges, universities and skills development; and women's issues. He was also the party's spokesperson for the disabled, and was responsible for issues affecting Metro Toronto. During his six years as Community and Social Services critic, Richard fought both inside and outside the legislature on behalf of the poor. In 1982, he publicly highlighted the plight of the poor by going on a one-month "welfare diet," living on the report called "The Other Ontario", which exposed the extent of the province's hidden poverty. In early 1987 he and his colleagues presented their report to an independent social assistance review committee. The report, called "Toward a New Ontario", recommended an overhaul of the existing social assistance system and a series of other policy changes to bring a new independence to Ontario's disadvantaged. He was a strong advocate of disarmament and in 1986 was able to move the Ontario legislature to declare Ontario nuclear-weapons-free. Also in 1986, Richard travelled to Nicaragua where he helped build a school and medical facility. From 1991 to 1995 Richard was chair of the Ontario Council of Regents. In 1996 he became a member of Trent University's Board of Directors and in 1998 became President of Centennial College in Scarborough, Ontario.
Custodial history
This fonds was created by and in the custody of Richard Johnston before it was donated to the Trent University Archives.
Scope and content
This addition to the fonds consists of correspondence (original and third party), news releases, reports and photographs regarding Richard Johnston and his work as New Democratic Party representative in Scarborough West from 1979 to 1990. There are also some papers concerning his work since retiring from politics.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
This fonds was donated by Richard Johnston.
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Location of originals
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Restrictions on access
Personal information contained in papers restricted for 90 years.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Associated materials
Associated material located at the Archives of Ontario.
Accruals
This fonds is an addition to 93-023.
General note
Box 1
Folder
/1 Abortion 1982-7
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. abortion and the setting up of clinics by Dr. Morgentaler
/2 Bill 7 1986
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. Bill 7 and proposed amendments to the Human Rights Code
/3 Child and Family Services Act/Adoption 1983-7
correspondence (original and 3rd party)
/4 Children's Listening Centre 1982
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. closing of centre in North York
/5 Child, Youth and Family Services 1979-91
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. various centres and organizations providing services for children, youth and families
/6 City of Scarborough 1979-87
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. plant closures and relocations, community services, zoning and development, parks and recreation, Scarborough Business Associations and economic development
/7 Congratulation Letters 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. letters of congratulations to Scarborough West residents for grants, Charter Accountants, prizes and awards, Junior Rangers, trade programs and new Canadian citizens
/8 Day Care 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. day care and child care facilities and services in Ontario
/9 Disabled Persons 1982-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. services for disabled persons
/10 Education-- Teachers' Pensions 1984-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. Teachers' Superannuation Act and pension legislation for Ontario teachers
/11 Education-- French and Heritage Languages 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. french language programs and Bill 80 on heritage languages instruction
Box 2
Folder
/1 Education-- Separate Schools (1) 1980-5
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. Bill 30 to amend the Education Act to fund separate school boards, religious instruction in schools, Standing Committee on Social Development discussing extension of funding to separate schools
/2 Education-- Separate Schools (2) 1985-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. Bill 30 to amend the Education Act to fund separate school boards, religious instruction in schools, Standing Committee on Social Development discussing extension of funding to separate schools
/3 Education-- NDP Education Policy Review (1) 1987-9
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. policy review: meetings, discussion papers and comments by education activists
/4 Education-- NDP Education Policy Review (2) 1989-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. policy review: meetings, discussion papers and comments by education activists
/5 Education-- Hearing Impaired/Special Education 1980-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. educational facilities and programs
Box 3
Folder
/1 Education-- Colleges and Universities 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. various issues including funding, OSAP, programs and college strike
/2 Education-- General (1) 1979-87
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. various issues including lobbying and information presentations by organizations, health and safety programs, funding, programs and schools, student accommodation
/3 Education-- General (2) 1988-89
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. various issues including lobbying, funding, continuing education, home based education, teaching shortages, health and safety, closures and education policy changes
/4 Education-- General (3) 1989-91
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. various issues including lobbying, funding, continuing education, home based education, teaching shortages, health and safety, closures and education policy changes
/5 Election Campaigns 1979-88
correspondence (original and 3rd party), file cards and brochures re. election campaigns
Box 4
Folder
/1 Employment Inquiries 1980-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. possibilities of employment in Richard Johnston's Queen's Park and constituency offices
/2 Environment/Energy 1980-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. various issues including waste disposal, energy conservation, nuclear energy, parks and recreation, trapping, environmental and wetland conservation, Ontario Hydro, Environmental Protection Act, sport fishery, pesticide use and pollution
/3 Extra Billing 1984-6
correspondence (original and 3rd party)
/4 Family Violence 1981-4
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. family violence and All Party Committee to Discuss Violence in the Family
/5 Franco-Ontarians 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. issue of French language services for Franco-Ontarians
/6 Health 1979-91
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. various issues including podiatry, naturopathy, food irradiation, registered nurses, family planning, hospital/care facilities, drug and medical research, pharmacists and the review undertaken by the Select Committee on Health
/7 Housing 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. rent controls, subsidized housing, tenant's rights, housing legislation and Ontario and Metro Toronto housing services
/8 Invitations 1979-91
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. invitations to various community group events and speaking engagements
Box 5
Folder
/1 Legislative Page Programme 1985-9
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and photograph re. Scarborough West student applications for programme
/2 Letters of Recommendation/Reference/Evaluation 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party)
/3 Lottery Winners 1981-8
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. letters of congratulations to Scarborough West lottery winners
/4 Mental Health/Developmentally Handicapped Persons 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. services for developmentally handicapped and mentally ill persons
/5 Municipal Affairs 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. Metro Toronto police and municipal police authorities, economic development, Toronto Islands, planning and development and taxicab and business licensing
/6 New Democratic Party 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. nominations, campaigning and fundraising by various Ontario New Democratic Party groups
Box 6
Folder
/1 New Democratic Party Leadership Campaign 1981-2
correspondence (original and 3rd party), statements and brochures re. Richard Johnston's bid for the leadership of the Ontario New Democratic Party
/2 News Releases/Statements 1982-9
news releases and statements re. various issues including drinking age legislation, international development bill, health and safety
/3 Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (1) 1982-3
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. campaigns to have Ontario declared as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone
Box 7
Folder
/1 Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (2) 1983
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. campaigns to have Ontario declared as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone
/2 Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (3) 1983-4
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. campaigns to have Ontario declared as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone
/3 Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (4) 1985-8
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. campaigns to have Ontario declared as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone
/4 Pensions 1980-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. pension plans, legislation and services
/5 Personal (1) 1984
correspondence (original) re. Richard Johnston's health and birth of son
Box 8
Folder
/1 Personal (2) 1984
correspondence (original) re. Richard Johnston's health and birth of son
/2 Personal (3) 1979-85
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. personal business, thank yous and letters of congratulations
/3 Personal (4) 1985-91
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. personal business, thank yous and letters of congratulations
/4 Poverty and Social Assistance (1) 1981-4
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. poverty coalitions organized by Richard Johnston and various issues raised by organizations involved in poverty assistance
Box 9
Folder
/1 Poverty and Social Assistance (2) 1984-7
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. poverty coalitions and review of social assistance program in Ontario
/2 Queen's Park Visits 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. school and groups visits to Ontario Legislature
/3 Scarborough Transportation Corridor 1980-5
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. proposed extension of expressway into Scarborough
/4 Seniors 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. retirement and nursing homes, health care, life for the elderly in Ontario
/5 Student Placements 1981-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. arrangements for work placements with Wilfrid Laurier University, Midland Avenue Collegiate Institute, Ontario Legislature Internship Program and University of Michigan-Dearborn
/6 Sunday Shopping 1986-8
correspondence (original and 3rd party)
/7 Taxation Concerns 1980-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. property tax reassessment, Property and Ontario Tax Credit, tax increases and sales tax
/8 The Other Ontario 1984-6
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. requests for copies of The Other Ontario, the report of the Task Force on Poverty in Ontario; copy of The Other Ontario
Box 10
Folder
/1 Toronto Transit Commission 1979-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. fares, routes, bus shelters and services
/2 Toward a New Ontario/Changing the System 1987
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. requests for Toward a New Ontario and Changing the System; copy of Changing the System
/3 Transportation 1979-99
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. various issues including street parking, sidewalks, road paving and conditions, traffic lights, pedestrian walkways, trucking industry and safety
/4 Unemployment Cases (1) 1983
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. unemployment situations of people throughout Ontario in response to an advertisement by Richard Johnston to share and present their cases
/5 Unemployment Cases (2) 1983
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. unemployment situations of people throughout Ontario in response to an advertisement by Richard Johnston to share and present their cases
/6 Unemployment Cases (3) 1983-4
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. unemployment situations of people throughout Ontario in response to an advertisement by Richard Johnston to share and present their cases
Box 11
Folder
/1 Unemployment Cases (4) 1984-5
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. unemployment situations of people throughout Ontario in response to an advertisement by Richard Johnston to share and present their cases
/2 Unemployment Cases (5) 1983-5
file cards re. unemployment cases based on correspondence received
/3 Unemployment and Welfare 1981-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. family benefits and the welfare system
/4 Video Display Terminals 1981-3
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. Richard Johnston's private member's bill Act for Protection of Video Display Terminal Operators
Box 12
Folder
/1 Welfare Diet 1982-3
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and note books re. campaign by Richard Johnston to live on welfare for one month
/2 Wilderness Guides Association Act/Canadian Outward Bound 1979-80
correspondence (original and 3rd party) and news releases re. the development of standards for outdoor/wilderness programs in light of drowning death of young man
/3 Women 1983-9
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. various issues including 'Man-in-the-house' issue, pay equity and salary levels and women and development
/4 Youthdale Treatment Centres 1985-6
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. closure of rural and reentry program of Youthdale Treatment Centres Ltd. at Magnetewan
/5 Miscellaneous (1) 1979-85
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. lobbying, letters of information, opinions from constituents on various issues
/6 Miscellaneous (2) 1986-90
correspondence (original and 3rd party) re. lobbying, letters of information, opinions from constituents on various issues
Box 13
Folder
/1 Miscellaneous (3) 1979-90
photographs and negatives, note books and phone directories