David Turnbull (politician)

Turnbull was elected to the provincial legislature in the 1990 provincial election, defeating incumbent Liberal Brad Nixon by about 3,000 votes in the North York riding of York Mills.^[1] The election was won by the New Democratic Party, and Turnbull sat in the opposition benches for the next five years.

The Tories won a majority government in the provincial election of 1995, and Turnbull was re-elected by more than 11,000 votes over his nearest opponent.^[2] He was appointed Government Whip in 1995, and retained this position on being named a Minister without Portfolio in Mike Harris's government on October 10, 1997.

In 1999, Turnbull was re-elected in the redistributed Don Valley West riding, outpolling Liberal candidate Paul Davidson by over 3,000 votes.^[3]

On June 17, 1999, Turnbull was promoted to Minister of Transportation,^[4] and on February 8, 2001, was named to the position of Solicitor General. In the latter capacity, he was responsible for creating the province's first Sex Offender Registry.

When Ernie Eves succeeded Harris as Premier of Ontario on April 15, 2002, he named Turnbull as his Associate Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation.^[5] Turnbull held this position until the defeat of the Eves government in the 2003 provincial election.

Turnbull was among the Tory incumbents defeated in the 2003 election, falling to Liberal candidate Kathleen Wynne by over 6,000 votes.^[6] He sought election to House of Commons of Canada for the federal Don Valley West riding the following year, but was defeated by Liberal incumbent John Godfrey.^[7]

• Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history