Richard Patten

Richard Patten
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Ottawa Centre
In office
June 8, 1995 – October 10, 2007
Preceded by Evelyn Gigantes
Succeeded by Yasir Naqvi
In office
September 10, 1987 – September 6, 1990
Preceded by Evelyn Gigantes
Succeeded by Evelyn Gigantes
Personal details
Born May 13, 1942
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died December 30, 2021 (aged 79)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party Liberal
Occupation YMCA Manager

Richard Andrew Patten (May 13, 1942 – December 30, 2021) was a Canadian politician. Patten was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1990 and again from 1995 to 2007. He represented the riding of Ottawa Centre. He served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.

Personal life

Patten was educated at Sir George Williams University in Montreal. He worked as a manager with the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), and served as President of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation. Patten sat on an NGO advisory committee to the World Bank while with the CCIC. He died on December 30, 2021, at the age of 79.

Politics

In the 1987 provincial election, Patten ran as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Ottawa Centre. He defeated incumbent New Democrat Evelyn Gigantes by just over 2,000 votes. The Liberal party won the election and Patten was appointed Minister of Government Services. In August 1989 he was shuffled to Minister of Correctional Services.

In the 1990 provincial election Patten was defeated by his NDP rival Gigantes. For the next five years, Patten served as President and CEO of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation, doing extensive fund-raising work for the organization.

In 1995 provincial election Patten campaigned against Gigantes once again this time defeating her by 1,700 votes. The Progressive Conservatives won the election, and Patten joined 29 other Liberals in the opposition. He attempted to mobilize a campaign for the party's leadership in 1996, but failed in this effort and subsequently supported Dwight Duncan. When Duncan was eliminated after the third ballot, he endorsed Dalton McGuinty, the eventual winner.

In the 1999 provincial election, Patten was re-elected over Progressive Conservative Ray Kostuch and New Democrat Elisabeth Arnold. The Progressive Conservatives again won the election, and Patten remained in opposition. Patten was treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during this parliament.

The Liberals won the 2003 election and he was re-elected again by over 10,000 votes. During this session he served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade and to Premier Dalton McGuinty. Patten maintained a strong interest in the CHEO and devoted legislative efforts towards the centre's operations.

On 14 March 2007, Patten announced he would not seek re-election in the upcoming election, preferring to focus on work with the CHEO Foundation.

Cabinet positions

Electoral record

2003 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Richard Patten 22,295 45.10 +6.93 $ 72,458.74
New Democratic Jeff Atkinson 11,362 22.98 −2.48 49,598.63
Progressive Conservative Joe Varner 11,217 22.69 −10.05 17,112.70
Green Chris Bradshaw 3,821 7.73 +5.11 9,283.05
Communist Stuart Ryan 306 0.62 +0.25 878.30
Freedom Matt Szymanowicz 218 0.44   0.00
Independent Fakhry Guirguis 214 0.43   1,094.74
Total valid votes/expense limit 49,433 100.0   +5.08 $ 85,928.64
Total rejected ballots 360 0.72 −0.11
Turnout 49,793 55.63 +2.67
Eligible voters 89,509   −0.07
Source(s)
"General Election of October 2, 2003 — Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
"General Election of October 2, 2003 — Statistical Summary". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
"2003 Candidate and Constituency Association Returns — Candidate Campaign Returns (CR-1)". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
1999 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Richard Patten 17,956 38.17 −1.09 $ 48,983.01
Progressive Conservative Ray Kostuch 15,403 32.74 +9.10 54,104.81
New Democratic Elisabeth Arnold 11,977 25.46 −7.77 58,863.46
Green Chris Bradshaw 1,231 2.62 +1.39 4,119.65
Communist Marvin Glass 174 0.37 −0.37 1,384.26
Natural Law Wayne Foster 170 0.36 −0.93 0.00
Independent Mistahi Corkill 132 0.28   0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 47,043 100.0   +65.64 $ 85,987.20
Total rejected ballots 395 0.83 −0.27
Turnout 47,438 52.96 −10.92
Eligible voters 89,570   +99.23
Source(s)
"General Election of June 3 1999 — Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
"General Election of June 3 1999 — Statistical Summary". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
"1999 Summary of Income and Campaign Expenses – Candidate Campaign Returns (CR-1)". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
1995 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Richard Patten 11,150 39.26 +0.98 $ 44,245.00
New Democratic Evelyn Gigantes 9,438 33.23 −14.47 39,455.24
Progressive Conservative Chris Thompson 6,715 23.64 +14.70 31,048.00
Natural Law Ron Parker 365 1.29   0.00
Green Andrew Van Iterson 349 1.23 −0.66 200.00
Communist Malek Khouri 210 0.74   1,086.25
Independent John C. Turmel 173 0.61 +0.08 0.00
Total valid votes 28,400 100.0   −6.72  
Total rejected ballots 317 1.10
Turnout 28,717 63.88
Eligible voters 44,958
Source(s)
"General Election of June 8 1995 — Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
"General Election of June 8 1995 — Statistical Summary". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
"1995 Summary of Income and Campaign Expenses" ( Word'95 .doc). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
1990 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Evelyn Gigantes 14,522 47.70 +7.64
Liberal Richard Patten 11,656 38.28 −8.88
Progressive Conservative Alex Burney 2,723 8.94 −1.8
Family Coalition John Gray 809 2.66  
Green Bill Hipwell 576 1.89  
Independent John Turmel 160 0.53 −1.50
Total valid votes 30,446 100.0   +3.54
1987 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Patten 13,867 47.16 +21.20
New Democratic Evelyn Gigantes 11,780 40.06 −3.39
Progressive Conservative Greg Vezina 3,159 10.74 −18.51
Independent John Turmel 598 2.03 +0.70
Total valid votes 29,404 100.0   +7.46