View source for Elizabeth Witmer

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Elizabeth Witmer
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| honorific_suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OOnt|size=100%}} [[Executive Council of Ontario|ECO]]
| image               = ElizabethWitmerOktimg294.jpg
| office1             = Chair of the<br />[[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]]
| term_start1         = April 27, 2012
| term_end1           = January 26, 2022
| predecessor1        = [[Steve Mahoney]]
| successor1          = 
| office2             = 7th [[Deputy Premier of Ontario]]
| term_start2         = April 15, 2002
| term_end2           = October 22, 2003
| premier2            = [[Ernie Eves]]
| predecessor2        = [[Jim Flaherty]]
| successor2          = [[George Smitherman]] (2006)
| office3             = [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Ontario MPP]]
| term_start3         = 1999
| term_end3           = 2012
| predecessor3        = New riding
| successor3          = [[Catherine Fife]]
| constituency3       = [[Kitchener—Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener—Waterloo]]
| term_start4         = 1990
| term_end4           = 1999
| predecessor4        = [[Herb Epp]]
| successor4          = Riding abolished
| constituency4       = [[Waterloo North (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo North]]
| birth_name          = Elizabeth Gosar
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1946|10|16}}
| birth_place         = [[Schiedam]], [[Netherlands]]
| nationality         = [[Canadians|Canadian]]
| party               = [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]]
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
| residence           = 
| alma_mater          = [[University of Western Ontario]]<br />[[Althouse College of Education]]<br />[[University of Waterloo]]
| occupation          = 
| profession          = Teacher
| signature           = 
| website             = 
| caption             = Witmer in 1996
}}
'''Elizabeth Witmer''' {{postnominals|country=CAN|OOnt}} (née '''Gosar'''; born October 16, 1946) is a former Deputy Premier of [[Ontario]], Canada. She was a member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] from 1990 until 2012, representing [[Waterloo North (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo North]] and later [[Kitchener—Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener—Waterloo]] as a member of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative Party]].

In 2012, she was appointed as chair of the [[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]].

==Background==
Witmer was born in [[Schiedam]], [[Netherlands]]. She moved with her family to Ontario at a young age. She received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from the [[University of Western Ontario]], and later attended the [[Althouse College of Education]]. She did postgraduate work at the [[University of Waterloo]]. Witmer worked as a secondary school teacher from 1968 to 1980, in [[West Lorne, Ontario|West Lorne]], [[London, Ontario|London]] and [[Guelph]]. She was named the "Kitchener-Waterloo Woman of the Year" in 1968.

==Politics==
Witmer began her political career as a school trustee, serving on the Waterloo County Board of Education from 1980 to 1990; she became its chair in 1984. She ran for the Ontario legislature in the [[1987 Ontario general election|1987 election]], but was defeated by [[Ontario Liberal Party]] [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Member of Provincial Parliament]] (MPP) [[Herb Epp]] in [[Waterloo North (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo North]].<ref name="1987 results">{{cite news |title=Results from individual ridings |newspaper=The Windsor Star |date=September 11, 1987 |page=F2}}</ref>

Epp retired before the [[1990 Ontario general election|1990 provincial election]], and Witmer again won the Progressive Conservative nomination in the riding. She was successful this time, defeating [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democrat]] Hugh Miller and Liberal [[Andrew Telegdi]] (later a federal [[Member of Parliament]]) <ref name="1990 results">{{cite news |title=Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A12}}</ref> to become the first female MPP to be elected in the region of Waterloo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therecord.com/news-story/2602569-witmer-resigns-as-mpp/|title=Witmer resigns as MPP|date=2012-04-28|website=TheRecord.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-08-02}}</ref> The NDP scored an upset victory in this election while the Progressive Conservatives won only 20 of 130 seats for third-party status.

=== Cabinet appointment ===
[[File:ElizabethWitmerMikeHarrisimg806.jpg|thumb|Witmer in [[Elmira, Ontario|Elmira]] with Premier [[Mike Harris]] in 1996]]There was a significant swing to the Progressive Conservatives in the [[1995 Ontario general election|1995 provincial election]], and Witmer was re-elected by more than 17,000 votes over her nearest opponent.<ref name="1995 results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=waterloo+north&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 8, 1995 |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095840/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=waterloo+north&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=2014-10-06 }}</ref>  On June 26, 1995, she was appointed [[Ministry of Labour (Ontario)|Minister of Labour]] in the government of [[Mike Harris]].<ref name="1995HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Mike Harris' cabinet |newspaper=The Spectator |location=Hamilton, Ont |date=June 27, 1995 |page=A7}}</ref> In October 1997, she was promoted to the key portfolio of [[Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care|Minister of Health]], replacing the more confrontational [[Jim Wilson (Ontario politician)|Jim Wilson]].<ref name="1997HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Premier to shuffle cabinet Ministers to move out of hot portfolios: Snobelen from Education, Wilson from Health |last1=Rusk |first1=James |last2=Mackie |first2=Richard |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=October 10, 1997 |page=A1}}</ref>

Harris's government was initially regarded by many as uniformly right-wing, although moderate [[Red Tory]] figures such as Witmer and [[Isabel Bassett]] eventually emerged in key portfolios. Witmer's appointment as Minister of Health was generally interpreted as signalling that the government desired a more moderate approach to negotiations with the health sector. Despite this, she presided over a controversial restructuring process which included a number of government cutbacks.

Witmer was re-elected in the [[1999 Ontario general election|1999 election]], defeating Liberal Sean Strickland by just under 10,000 votes.<ref name="1999 results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 3, 1999 |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006160441/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=2014-10-06 }}</ref> On June 17, 1999 her portfolio was renamed the [[Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care]].<ref name="1999HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Ontario Cabinet |newspaper=The Spectator |location=Hamilton, Ont |date=June 18, 1999 |page=C8}}</ref>  Following a cabinet shuffle on February 8, 2001, she became [[Ministry of the Environment (Ontario)|Minister of the Environment]].<ref name="2001HarrisCab">{{cite news |title=Flaherty to be new Ontario finance chief |newspaper=Sudbury Star |date=February 8, 2001 |page=A5}}</ref>

=== Ministerial Accomplishments ===

==== Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1996 ====
During her term as Minister of Labour Ms. Witmer overhauled the Worker's Compensation Act, renaming it the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and introduced entitlement benefits for mental stress for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-36/session-1/bill-99|title=Workers' Compensation Reform Act, 1996|website=Legislative Assembly of Ontario|language=en|access-date=2019-08-02}}</ref>

===Cabinet positions===
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Ernie_Eves}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = [[Jim Flaherty]]
| post2         = [[Deputy Premier of Ontario]]
| post2years    = 2002–2003
| post2note     =
| post2followed = [[George Smitherman]]<br /><ref group="note">There was no Deputy Premier named from 2003-2006 until Smitherman was appointed by [[Dalton McGuinty]].</ref>

| post1preceded = [[Janet Ecker]]
| post1         = [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]]
| post1years    = 2002–2003
| post1note     = 
| post1followed = [[Gerard Kennedy]]
}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Mike_Harris}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post3preceded = [[Dan Newman]]
| post3         = [[Ministry of the Environment (Ontario)|Minister of the Environment]]
| post3years    = 2001–2002
| post3note     = 
| post3followed = [[Chris Stockwell]]

| post2preceded = [[Jim Wilson (Ontario politician)|Jim Wilson]]
| post2         = [[Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care|Minister of Health]]<br /><ref group="note">Renamed as Ministry of Health and Long-term Care in 1999.</ref>
| post2years    = 1997–2001
| post2note     = 
| post2followed = [[Tony Clement]]

| post1preceded = [[Shirley Coppen]]
| post1         = [[Ministry of Labour (Ontario)|Minister of Labour]]
| post1years    = 1995–1997
| post1note     = 
| post1followed = [[Jim Flaherty]]
}}
{{s-end
}}

=== 2002 PC leadership campaign and afterward===

She ran in the [[2002 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election|2002 PC leadership election]] to succeed Harris as Tory leader and Premier, but placed fourth on the first ballot and threw her support to the eventual winner, [[Ernie Eves]]. In April 2002, she was appointed [[Deputy Premier of Ontario|Deputy Premier]] and [[Ministry of Education (Ontario)|Minister of Education]].<ref name="2002EvesCabinet">{{cite news |title=Ont-Cabinet |publisher=Canadian Press NewsWire |location=Toronto, Ont |date=April 15, 2002}}</ref>

The [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 election]] saw a significant backlash against the Conservative government. Witmer was re-elected in Kitchener—Waterloo defeating Strickland by a reduced margin of 1,501 votes.<ref name="2003 results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805090653/https://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=kitchener-waterloo&flag=E&layout=G |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 August 2020 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 2, 2003 |access-date=2014-03-02 }}</ref> Moreover, she is considered to be one of the few moderates in a caucus dominated by the right-wing of the party. She was named as deputy leader of the opposition, and serves as her party's critic on long-term care and women's issues.

Witmer considered running to succeed Eves in the [[2004 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election|2004 PC leadership election]], but ultimately supported [[John Tory]]'s successful candidacy instead. Tory re-appointed Witmer as deputy leader. Her appointment was considered a notable victory for the centrist wing of the party. In the [[2007 Ontario general election|2007 provincial election]], Witmer won re-election by 4,917 votes.<ref name="2007 results">{{cite web |url=http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007160233/http://www.elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2009 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-02 |page=7 (xvi) }}</ref>

In 2007, [[Equal Voice]], a non-partisan organization dedicated to improving the status of women in politics, conducted an "Ontario's Greatest Female Premier" contest to name the woman in politics whom respondents felt would make the best [[Premier of Ontario]]. Witmer won the contest, ahead of political activist Georgina Bencsik and federal Member of Parliament [[Olivia Chow]].<ref>[http://www.equalvoice.ca/mmp/ Ontario's Greatest Female Premier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215213931/http://www.equalvoice.ca/mmp/ |date=2012-02-15 }} at [[Equal Voice]].</ref>

===Resignation and appointment to WSIB===
On April 27, 2012 Witmer announced that she was resigning as an MPP, just seven months after the last election, and had accepted an appointment to head the [[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1169520 |title=MPP Elizabeth Witmer leaves Tories for WSIB post |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=April 27, 2012}}</ref> She succeeded [[Steve Mahoney]] as chair. She revealed in September 2012 that she chose to accept the WSIB position because her husband Cam had recently been diagnosed with [[cancer]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1252738 |title=Elizabeth Witmer left politics after husband diagnosed with cancer |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=September 7, 2012}}</ref> She stopped being chair on January 26, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=N/A |first1=Janet |date=26 January 2022 |title=WSIB leadership gets an overhaul |url=https://www.ciwa.ca/wsib-leadership-gets-an-overhaul/ |access-date=21 January 2025 |website=Canadian Injured Workers Alliance |language=en-CA}}</ref>

== Chair of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) ==

As Chair of one of North America’s largest insurance companies, Mrs. Witmer is responsible for overseeing
the WSIB’s transformation to a modern and sustainable workplace insurance system. One of Mrs. Witmer’s
most notable accomplishments as Chair is the elimination of the unfunded liability (UFL) in 2018, almost 
a decade ahead of the legislated timeline of 2027. For the first time in recent history the WSIB is over 100% 
funded<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsib.ca/en/2018-annual-report-highlights|title = 2018 Annual Report highlights &#124; WSIB}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of University of Waterloo people]]

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|group="note"}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{Ontario MPP biography|id=elizabeth-witmer}}

{{Eves Ministry}}
{{Harris Ministry}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witmer, Elizabeth}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Women government ministers of Canada]]
[[Category:Deputy premiers of Ontario]]
[[Category:Dutch emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Ministers of health of Ontario]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario]]
[[Category:Ontario school board trustees]]
[[Category:Politicians from Waterloo, Ontario]]
[[Category:People from Schiedam]]
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs]]
[[Category:University of Waterloo alumni]]
[[Category:University of Western Ontario alumni]]
[[Category:Women MPPs in Ontario]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian women politicians]]