Home > Roy McMurtry

McMurtry was a trial lawyer for seventeen years prior to winning a seat in the Ontario legislature in the 1975 Ontario election after being recruited as a candidate by Premier William Davis who was also a longtime friend and former team mate on the University of Toronto's football team. He served as Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament for the Toronto riding of Eglinton, and as Attorney-General in the Davis cabinet from 1975 until 19851985 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January events January 1 Creation of the Internet's Domain Name System. January 17 British Telecom annouces they are going to abolish the famous red telephone boxes. January 23 A debate in the House of Lor. As Attorney-General, McMurtry played a major role in brokering the deal that achieved the patriationPatriation is a legal term that was made up in Canada to describe the process of "bringing home" the Canadian Constitution in 1982. For many years the Constitution of Canada was just an act of the British Parliament, and was the property of the British Go of the Canadian Constitution and the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His lowest point was his role in the prosecution of nurse Susan Nelles who was charged with the murder of a number of infants at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Nelles was ultimately exonerated and McMurtry was criticized for his ministry's role in her wrongful prosecution.

When Davis resigned as PC party leader and premier in 1985 McMurtry sought the party's leadership at the February 1985 leadership conventionIn 1985, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party held two leadership conventions: one in January, and one in November. The January Convention The January convention was held in Toronto to choose a replacement for William Davis, who had served as Ontari. McMurtry's performance in candidates' debates, and his polling data showing him to be the choice of voters at large impressed the delegates, and McMurtry won a total of 300 delegates' votes - considerably more than he had been expected to win. It was not sufficient, however, to place better than fourth in a field of four, after Frank MillerFrank Miller Rank 19th Term of Office February, 1985 June 26, 1985 Predecessor William Davis Successor David Peterson Date of Birth May 14, 1927 Died July 21, 2000 Place of Birth Toronto, Ontario Profession Engineer, Businessman Political Party Progressiv, Dennis TimbrellDennis Roy Timbrell is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Timbrell was a teacher and a local alderman prior to winning election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1971 provincial election as a member of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. and Larry GrossmanLawrence "Larry" Sheldon Grossman ( 1944- 1997) was a politician in Ontario, Canada, and a noted baseball fan. He was the son of Allan Grossman, who had represented a downtown Toronto riding in the Ontario legislature for twenty years after defeating Onta.

Roy McMurtry was generally considered to be from the progressive Red Tory wing of the party, and so it was not surprising when his campaign threw its support behind fellow Red Tory Grossman on the second ballot of the convention. McMurtry's support was enough to move Grossman into second place on the second ballot, ahead of the more centrist Timbrell. Timbrell's delegates were divided on the last ballot, allowing the conservative Miller to win the convention. He declined to serve in the Miller cabinet and did not run in the January 1985 Ontario election.

McMurtry did not seek the leadership at the November 1985 leadership convention, which was called following the party's loss of government to the rival Ontario Liberal Party and Miller's subsequent resignation.

From 1985 to 1988, McMurtry served as Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Upon his return to Canada he resumed his law practice as well as becoming Chairman and CEO of the Canadian Football League.

In 1991 he was appointed Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court (Trial Division) in Ontario and became Chief Justice of that court in 1994. In 1996 he became Chief Justice of Ontario heading the entire court system in the province and leading the Ontario Court of Appeal. That court gained notoriety in 2003 when it ruled that provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing equality under the law requires the Province of Ontario to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples.

Roy McMurtry is married to Ria Jean Macrae with whom he has six children. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1954 and received a law degree from Osgoode Hall law school in 1958. He paints as a hobby and has donated his artwork to charity auctions.