Bill to Recognize Lincoln Alexander Day Receives Unanimous Support in House

QUEEN’S PARK – It takes a rare circumstance for Members of Provincial Parliament on opposite sides of the aisle to get on the same page. But such a circumstance, which only comes along a few times in a session, came together yesterday to honour a man, the caliber of which only comes along a few times in a generation.

MPPs unanimously supported the second reading of a Bill to honour Hon. Lincoln Alexander, one of Hamilton's and Ontario’s most prolific politicians, to proclaim the third Wednesday of February as Lincoln Alexander Day in Ontario’s public schools.

Erie-Lincoln MPP Tim Hudak spoke in favour of Stoney Creek MPP Jennifer Mossop's Private Member’s Bill in a speech from the Assembly floor, and reminisced about his own experiences working with the man known to many simply as “Linc”.

“We all have our Linc stories to tell,” Hudak said.

Hudak worked closely with Alexander, in his capacity as chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust, when Hudak was the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation to make investments in Ontario's heritage properties and to expand Doors Open Ontario.

“Whether it was with his eyes, his tone, his confidence or his passion for preserving our heritage, you just couldn’t say no to Linc,” Hudak said. “We were pleased to work together in investing more funds in the Ontario Heritage Trust to help to rebuild some of the institutions that had not been in the shape that many of us would like to see them.”

Hudak added he recently participated in ceremonies with Alexander and other MPPs to commemorate the Battle of Ridgeway and the founding of the Niagara Parks Commission.

“It was a lot of fun doing those announcements with Linc, who has an extraordinary stature both physically and in his presence – incredible charisma –but also his infectious humour,” Hudak said. “It’s absolutely impressive how he, in a few short words, will win over any crowd.”

Lincoln Alexander Day would coincide with Heritage Week in Ontario, as well as Black History Month.

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Tim Hudak, MPP Erie-Lincoln

Photo Cutline:

Lincoln Alexander, chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust, reads from a plaque commemorating the Fenian Raids of 1866 during a ceremony at Old Fort Erie in June 2006, while Erie-Lincoln MPP Tim Hudak and Niagara Falls MP Rob Nicholson Look on.

Backgrounder:

Lincoln Alexander, 85, has had a formidable and lasting impact on both the Province of Ontario and Canada as a whole. He was Canada's first black MP, serving as the PC MP for Hamilton-West for four terms; Canada's first black cabinet minister under the Joe Clark PC government, He also served as the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and as the Chair of Ontario Heritage Trust.

Alexander’s career outside of politics is just as celebrated. He remains active is numerous charities and is a member on several boards, including the University of Guelph and the Chamber Works Ensemble in Hamilton, and is chairman of The Raptors’ Foundation. He is an Honourary Patron of the Children First: School Choice Trust which gives scholarships to low-income families to attend independent and faith based schools. Hudak recognized Alexander’s accomplishments by including him in the Great Dominion Dust-Up tournament in March, which Hudak organized to determine Canada’s most inspiring politician.