Dianne Cunningham
| Dianne Cunningham | |
|---|---|
| Ontario MPP | |
|
In office 1999–2003 |
|
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Succeeded by | Deb Matthews |
| Constituency | London North Centre |
|
In office 1988–1999 |
|
| Preceded by | Ron Van Horne |
| Succeeded by | Riding abolished |
| Constituency | London North |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 5, 1939 Toronto, Ontario |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Occupation | Teacher |
Dianne Esther Cunningham (born December 5, 1939) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1988 to 2003, and a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves.
Cunningham worked as an elementary school teacher in private life, and entered politics by winning a seat on the London, Ontario school board in 1973. She retained that position for fifteen years, and also served as a Planning Officer for the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Cunningham was elected to the Ontario legislature for the riding of London North in a 1988 by-election. The riding had previously been Liberal, and bordered on the seat belonging to Liberal Premier David Peterson; Cunningham's victory made her a rising star in the small Tory caucus. She ran for the leadership of the then third-place Conservatives in 1990, losing to Mike Harris in the party's first one member, one vote election for leader. She was considered a Red Tory, but was hurt by comparisons to Brian Mulroney, Canada's unpopular Progressive Conservative Prime Minister. Her loss to Harris led to a major shift in the political orientation of the party.
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