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Al Palladini

Al Palladini
Ontario MPP
In office
1999–2001
Preceded by Riding established
Succeeded by Greg Sorbara
Constituency Vaughan—King—Aurora
In office
1995–1999
Preceded by Greg Sorbara
Succeeded by Riding abolished
Constituency York Centre
Personal details
Born (1943-12-24)December 24, 1943
Prossedi, Italy
Died March 7, 2001(2001-03-07) (aged 57)
Mexico
Political party Progressive Conservative
Occupation Automobile sales

Al Palladini (December 24, 1943 – March 7, 2001) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 until his death in 2001 and was a cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris.

Palladini was born in Latina, Italy. He was the owner of Al Palladini's Pine Tree Lincoln Mercury automobile dealership in Woodbridge, Ontario becoming locally famous for the slogan, "Any Palladini is a pal of mine" in a series of ads conceived by CHUM Radio's Larry MacInnis, and voiced by a young Rick Moranis when he was an announcer at CHUM FM radio in Toronto. He was named Canadian World Auto Marketer of the Year in 1994, and was the Vaughan Outstanding Business Achievement Award the same year. Palladini also served as Chair of the York-Finch General Hospital Foundation, and was a Director of the York University Scholarship Alliance Board.

He was elected in the riding of York Centre in the provincial election of 1995, defeating Liberal Mario Ferri by more than 8,000 votes (the riding had previously been held by high-profile Liberal Greg Sorbara). On June 26, 1995, he was named Minister of Transportation. Following a cabinet shuffle on October 10, 1997, he was named Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism.

Palladini was re-elected in the provincial election of 1999, defeating Liberal Tony Genco by about 7,500 votes in the redistributed riding of Vaughan—King—Aurora. After the election, his portfolio was renamed "Economic Development and Trade".


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