Chris Stockwell

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Chris Stockwell (March 9, 1957 – February 10, 2018) was a Canadian politician from Ontario. A member of the Progressive Conservative Party, he served in the Ontario legislature from 1990 to 2003 and held several high-profile roles in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves.

Before provincially, Stockwell was active in local politics in Etobicoke, serving as a city controller in 1982 and later as a Metro Toronto councillor representing Lakeshore-Queensway starting in 1988. He was elected to the Ontario legislature in 1990, defeating Liberal Linda LeBourdais in Etobicoke West, and after riding redistribution won in Etobicoke Centre in 1999.

Stockwell was elected Speaker of the Ontario Legislature on October 3, 1996, a role in which he was known for his independence and willingness to challenge his own party at times. He later served as Minister of Labour from 1999 to 2002, where he supported steady, business-friendly policies, including measures aimed at strengthening the economy and reforms to unions.

In 2002, Stockwell briefly served as Government House Leader and as Minister of Environment after the energy and environment portfolios were separated. He resigned from cabinet in June 2003 amid an expenses controversy, with an independent inquiry later finding that the expenses claimed were allowable.

Stockwell did not run in the 2003 election. He later worked as a political consultant and pursued several attempts to return to public office, including runs for Toronto City Council in 2013 and 2014, though he was not elected.

He died of cancer in Toronto in 2018 at the age of 60. Born in London, Ontario, he was the son of Bill and Loretta Stockwell and is survived by his children Kale and Victoria.