Quick Facts
Biography
Allan Frederick Lawrence, PC, QC (November 8, 1925 – September 6, 2008) was a Canadian politician and served as both a provincial and federal cabinet minister.
Provincial political career
After practicing as a lawyer, Lawrence became a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. His membership started when he won a 1958 provincial by-election in the downtown Toronto riding of St. George for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. In 1968, Premier John Robarts brought him into cabinet as Minister of Mines.
In 1971, he ran to succeed Robarts as party leader at the PC Party leadership convention. Lawrence lost to Bill Davis by 44 votes on the fourth ballot. Davis reunited the Tory party by inviting many of Lawrence's key workers, including Hugh Segal and Norman K. Atkins, onto his team to create the Big Blue Machine that helped the Tories remain in power for a further fourteen years.
Davis appointed Lawrence as his Attorney-General in 1971. In 1972, Lawrence resigned his seat in the Ontario legislature in order to enter federal politics.
Cabinet positions
| Provincial Government of Bill Davis | ||
| Cabinet Posts (2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| New position | Provincial Secretary for Justice 1972 (January–September) | George Kerr |
| Arthur Wishart | Attorney General 1971–1972 Also Minister of Justice | Dalton Bales |
| Provincial Government of John Robarts | ||
| Cabinet Post (1) | ||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| George Wardrope | Minister of Mines and Northern Affairs 1968–1971 | Rene Brunelle |
Federal politics
Lawrence was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1972 federal election as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the rural Ontario riding of Northumberland—Durham. He served as an MP throughout the decade.
When the Tories won the 1979 federal election, Prime Minister Joe Clark appointed Lawrence to the Cabinet as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs and Solicitor-General. The Clark government fell in a Motion of No Confidence after several months and was defeated in the 1980 election. Lawrence was re-elected in his riding, and returned to the Opposition benches.
He ran again in the 1984 election but, despite the Conservative victory that year, was passed over for a cabinet appointment by Brian Mulroney. Lawrence retired from politics at the 1988 election.
Later life
Lawrence retired to the small Ontario town of Cobourg with his wife Moira. He died on September 6, 2008 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. He was 82 years old.