Jack Stokes (politician)
| Jack Stokes | |
|---|---|
| Ontario MPP | |
|
In office 1975–1985 |
|
| Preceded by | New riding |
| Succeeded by | Gilles Pouliot |
| Constituency | Lake Nipigon |
|
In office 1967–1975 |
|
| Preceded by | New riding |
| Succeeded by | Riding abolished |
| Constituency | Thunder Bay |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 17, 1923 Schreiber, Ontario |
| Died | January 8, 2000 (aged 76) |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Occupation | Railway conductor |
John Edward (Jack) Stokes (February 17, 1923 – January 8, 2000) was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1967 to 1985, and was Speaker of the legislature from 1977 to 1981. Stokes was a member of the New Democratic Party.
Stokes was born in Schreiber, Ontario and was educated in the area. He worked as a railway conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway before entering political life, and became familiar with many Northern Ontario communities that he later represented in the legislature. Stokes was a municipal hydro commissioner from 1959 to 1963, a Credit Union director from 1965 to 1968, and chair of the Local Brotherhood Railway Trainmen from 1955 to 1967. He was a Roman Catholic, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election, defeating Liberal candidate Raymond Rudiak by 310 votes in Thunder Bay. The riding was mostly rural and pre-dated the naming of the city of Thunder Bay. It covered 110,000 square miles (280,000 km2) across much of northwestern Ontario from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay.
Stokes was returned by a much greater majority in the 1971 election. He is one of the first MPPs to regularly raise issues regarding First Nations people, and was also committed to issues of the environment, forestry renewal and northern affairs.
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