Dick Ruston
Canadian politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Fletcher Ruston (August 28, 1919 – May 19, 2002) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1967 to 1985, as a member of the Liberal Party.
Dick Ruston | |
|---|---|
| Ontario MPP | |
| In office 1975–1985 | |
| Preceded by | New riding |
| Succeeded by | Pat Hayes |
| Constituency | Essex North |
| In office 1967–1975 | |
| Preceded by | New riding |
| Succeeded by | Riding abolished |
| Constituency | Essex—Kent |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 28, 1919 |
| Died | May 19, 2002 (aged 82) Essex County, Ontario |
| Party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Shirley Ruston |
| Children | 5 |
| Occupation | Co-op Manager |
Background
Ruston was born in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, and educated in the area. He was manager of the Essex County Medical Co-op. He and his wife Shirley lived in Essex where they raised five children.[1]
Politics
Ruston was a councillor in Maidstone Township from 1960 to 1962, reeve of the community from 1963 to 1968, and an Essex County councillor.[1]
He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Fred Cada by 991 votes.[2] He was re-elected in the 1971 election by roughly the same margin, and won with larger majorities in 1975,[3] 1977,[4] and 1981.[5] He served as Liberal Party whip for a period. The Progressive Conservative Party governed Ontario during this period, and Ruston was an opposition member for his legislative career. He was primarily a defender of farmer's interests.
Ruston announced that he would retire from the legislature in mid-1985, and was not a candidate in that year's provincial election.[6]
Later life
He died in 2002 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.[7] Fellow MPP and friend Sean Conway described him as a follower of Ontario's Clear Grit tradition, and a believer that "the best government [...] is the smaller unit closest to the people".[8]