Frank Sheehan, One Of Niagara, Ontario’s More Colourful And Controversial Citizens, Dies At Age 79

A Brief by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper 

He was one of the most colourful and one of the more engaging and controversial individuals on the Niagara, Ontario political scene in the 1980s and 90s.

Former Niagara, Ontaro MPP Frank Sheehan

Love him not, Frank Sheehan, who passed away this December at age 79, passionately fought for the conservative values he believed in, whether the rest of us agreed with them or not. 

Frank Sheehan first made the political scene, big time, in the Niagara, Ontario region in the early 1990s as a founder and leading voice for an Ontario group that adovcated cutting taxes  for virtually everyone who pays taxes across the province.

Frank Sheehan went on, in the mid-1990s, to become the MPP for the new provincial Tory government of Mike Harris- a government that totally embraced cutting taxes and what it saw as wasted spending, and slashing away at what it moving away from what many Ontario citizens, at the time , saw as gold-plated union salaries and benefits. Frank Sheehan  lived by the  code that  the free market, rather than government, is the best bet for bringing the hopes and dreams of ordinary Ontarians and Canadians for a better life for them and their children foreward, 

Like him or not, Frank Sheehan was also someone who truly cared about the community. He went on, following his loss in a provincial election in re-aligned ridings to then-Welland area MPP Peter  Kormos, to work relentlessly to raise public funds for organizations like Women’s Place, an organization devoted to aiding abused women. 

In other words, whether you agreed with him or not, he worked at raising funds for social justice causes in the community, He was that kind of guy.

We leave you with a statement by Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak on the passing of former PC MPP Frank Sheehan, then you can share your views, and we ask you, whether you agreed with Frank Sheehan’s politics or not  to please be sensitive to his family in expressing your views. 

Statement from Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak on the death of former Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Sheehan:

“It is with profound sadness that I mark the passing of my former colleague, neighbour and friend, Frank Sheehan.

“Frank was always outspoken and principled both in his views and in fighting on behalf of taxpayers.  As MPP in the Harris government he did pioneer work co-chairing the Red Tape Commission which saw 2,100 unnecessary government regulations revoked and 15 red tape reduction bills passed.  I was grateful he chose to put me on the Commission and proud of the work we did together to help Ontario’s job creators. 

“Frank was always a class act.  When the boundaries changed in our respective ridings, instead of contesting the new shared riding, he chose to challenge maverick Peter Kormos.

“Despite his reputation as a penny pinching, spend-within-your-means conservative, he was very personally generous with a real interest in helping our most vulnerable.  Even after leaving public office Frank worked tirelessly on behalf of taxpayers and Niagara residents to make the Niagara Region the best place to live and work.

“I join with all members of the Ontario PC Party in sending our sincerest condolences to his wife Diane and their children and grandchildren on the passing of a remarkable parliamentarian and Ontarian.” 

Read another  biography on Frank Sheehan on Wikipedia by clicking on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sheehan

(Niagara At Large invites you to share your comments on the passing of Frank Sheehan below. We ask you to keep your comments civia, whether you agree with Mr Sheehan’s views or not, )