24 Facts About Alvin Curling

Alvin Curling was born on November 15,1939 and is a Jamaican-born Canadian politician.

Alvin Curling was Canada's envoy to the Dominican Republic from 2005 to 2006.

Alvin Curling had been a Liberal MPP for twenty years, from 1985 to 2005.

Alvin Curling began working as an educator in 1972, and served as President of the World Literacy of Canada organization from 1981 to 1984, as well as working in the Jamaican Canadian Association.

Alvin Curling was elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1985 as a Liberal in the suburban Toronto riding of Scarborough North.

Alvin Curling defeated Progressive Conservative candidate Carole Noble by about 8,000 votes.

Alvin Curling's personal total of 30,504 votes was a provincial record at the time.

The Liberals formed a minority government after this election, and Alvin Curling was appointed Minister of Housing on June 26,1985.

Alvin Curling was the first Black Canadian to hold a cabinet-level position in Ontario.

Alvin Curling was easily re-elected in the provincial election of 1987, and was appointed Minister of Skills Development on September 29,1987.

Alvin Curling served in this capacity until August 2,1989, when he was dropped from cabinet.

The Liberals were defeated by the NDP in the 1990 election, although Alvin Curling managed to retain his riding by about 4,000 votes.

Alvin Curling refused to leave his seat, and a knot of fellow Liberal and NDP opposition members formed a cordon around him to prevent his physical removal.

Alvin Curling claimed his protest was meant to highlight a lack of public consultation in the Harris government's bill.

Alvin Curling supported Joseph Cordiano for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership in 1996.

The Liberals returned to power following the provincial election of 2003, and Alvin Curling was elected Speaker of the Legislature without opposition on November 19,2003.

Alvin Curling soon faced criticism over as charges of partisanship and how objectively he was performing his duties as Speaker.

Opposition MPPs, including New Democrat Peter Kormos and Conservative John Baird, noted that Alvin Curling favoured his Liberal colleagues, sanctioning Conservative and NDP members for behaviour he would more often let slide from Liberals.

Alvin Curling had been criticized for attending Liberal Party fundraiser while Speaker, as previous Speakers had avoided attending such events which was seen as compromising the impartiality of the office.

In late March 2005, Kormos announced plans to introduce a resolution calling on Alvin Curling to resign from the post, and it was rumoured Conservatives were considering a similar call.

Alvin Curling resigned his seat in the Legislative Assembly on August 19,2005, to accept a diplomatic posting as Canada's ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

Alvin Curling was recalled from this position in 2006 following the defeat of the federal Liberal government.

Alvin Curling held a position as Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario, from June 2007 until May 2010.

Alvin Curling served as Co-Chair of the Premier's Task Force on the Review of the Roots of Youth Violence.